I usually have all my Christmas shopping done by this time of the holiday season, but this year I’m running a little behind. It’s not panic time yet, but I better get a move on to make sure they aren’t out of some of the gifts I want to purchase for people. It’s easier nowadays being able to order most things online, but it kind of feels like you’re missing out on something if you don’t visit at least one mall or store.
I enjoy seeing all the beautiful Christmas decorations in the malls. I just don’t like having to fight traffic and people in order to see them.
When I was young, there was a department store in my hometown that had a special Christmas display on the top floor of the building. I remember getting into the elevator and hitting the 10th floor button to head to Santa’s Wonderland. In addition to Santa, there were children’s rides like a train and a teacup ride. After visiting Santa, I’d get to enjoy the rides and then top it off with a cookie and maybe even a hot chocolate. Ahhhhh, those were the days.
Now I do most of my shopping online. With my family scattered around the country, it’s so much easier to purchase gifts online and have them shipped directly to the recipients.
Sales are abundant this time of year, but you can’t help from wondering why they can offer items at 30%, 50% or even 80% off? Why don’t they just sell it for a lower price to begin with? I know. Sales attract customers. At least they attract me. Woe to the person that actually pays full price.
Another nice thing about online shopping is it’s much easier for those who have trouble getting around. I remember the days when they used to sit my mother-in-law in a wheelchair and wheel her around the mall. They’d stack gifts on her so they wouldn’t have to carry them and before long you could hardly tell my mother-in-law was still sitting in the seat, there were so many presents.
I can’t handle a full day of shopping like I used to. An hour or so on my feet and I’m ready to take a break. My wife, on the other hand, is a serious shopper. When she shops, she’s on a mission. She considers breaks (especially frequent ones) for lightweights. I end up slowing her down which leads to frustration for both of us. If she wants to go shopping at the stores, I usually just let her have at it while I park myself in front of the tv at home to watch hockey.
Back in the day, she’d spend the entire day shopping with my mother-in-law. I never enjoyed that. Spending time trying to find the perfect gift? Forget about it. The quality and appropriateness of my selection of gifts for each person was highly dependent upon how tired I was or how sick I was of shopping. I’ve got to admit, sometimes people ended up with some pretty lousy gifts from me if my heart wasn’t in it.
It’s so much easier now to go to the Amazon list each person has shared with me and select from the items they’ve indicated they want. Click on the item, select my payment method, select the address to where the package will be sent, and voila, my Christmas shopping is done. If someone hasn’t provided me with an Amazon list, I just google “Best Christmas Gift for a XX-year-old” and behold, a list comes up with a link to where I can buy it.
Online shopping is a blessing for those with Myasthenia Gravis or any other condition that limits mobility or endurance. We no longer have to fight the crowds. From the comfort of our own homes, we can select the perfect gifts for each person. The gifts are perfect because the recipient has provided a list of exactly what they want.
While online shopping protects us from physically overloading, it can lead to financial overloading if you don’t pay attention to how much you’re spending. When you’re not physically purchasing and then lugging gifts around, you lose perspective and it’s easy to overdo it. The surprise comes in January when the credit card bills arrive. Now we’re dealing with an entirely different kind of stress.
So, here’s my advice. Look at each person’s list, select the item(s) you’d like to purchase for them, then write it down on a list along with the price of each gift. Do this for every person for whom you’re buying. Once you have your list complete, you can easily see how much it’s going to cost and compare that to how much you’d like to spend. That helps eliminate January surprises. Once you’ve reconciled your list to something that works for you, go back and make the purchases.
With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, you need to protect your health, your strength and your pocketbook. Go out and visit a mall or two to get into the Christmas spirit. Purchase gifts from shops for those who live close to you. This helps support businesses in your community. Use online shopping for gifts that must be shipped. Purchase according to your budget. Then sit back, enjoy a cookie and a mug of hot chocolate and enjoy the season!
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