This no doubt includes my brother-in-law, who, in his growing-up years with my husband, was famous for his last-minute forays at the local drugstore where his only gift options were things like the Pocket Fisherman, Old Spice gifts sets and the (then) ubiquitous soap-on-a-rope.
For the record, I have made major strides in my gift shopping. This is made easier by the fact that my son is grown, and I no longer need to go elbow-to-elbow with fellow moms who are also on the hunt for the Toy of The Year.
Aren't gift cards just the ginchiest invention?
The internet has made things simpler, too. Rather than troll the mall for that perfect something, the world is your oyster at Amazon or E-Bay. I game the system by going to Giant Eagle, buying a gift card for either of these places (thus getting points which translate into big savings on gasoline), then go online and pay with the gift card. The other upside is my credit card gets a little rest.
I try to get to the mall at least once during the holiday season. The urge is overwhelming, even though I know I'm going to have to park in the next county, be jostled by gawkers who are reading inane texts from other gawkers, and ultimately leave with one or two things I bought for myself as a reward for surviving the experience.
Shopping locally has become more popular over the past few years. I think this is a great idea, and I put a few of my holiday surprises away in May, when I shopped booths set up at the Hooley in our neighborhood. Hopefully, I'll be able to find them before Christmas.
In the meantime, I do have a few odds and ends to pick up to complete my shopping. So, although I'm not part of the 36%, I cannot yet hold my head high and crow about having everything crossed off my list.
Ho, ho, ho...happy trolling to all!
No comments:
Post a Comment