I am not one to hang on to a holiday once it is past. The day after Halloween, my sister and I hit the mall to start our Christmas shopping. The bags piled up. Our arms ached. We had to make a run to the car to get rid of everything so we could buy more. We were giddy with our success. "We'll get done early this year!" we said.
When I tallied up the things I had bought, I surpassed even my own expectations: things for me: 11; Christmas gifts: 0.
"I didn't do so good on the gifts," I said to my sister.
"But you got a lot of nice things," she pointed out, which was comforting.
Despite my best intentions, this is pretty much how I start my Christmas shopping every year, and I actually highly recommend it. If everyone would do this, we wouldn't have to shop for gifts for other people at all. And everyone would get exactly what they want. Plus, the earlier you start, the more things you get for yourself. This is in keeping with the Christmas spirit, which is "good will to all people," including yourself.
My brother has a slightly different method of buying Christmas gifts:
1. Hound family members for a list of exactly what they want for Christmas. Get sizes, colors, brand names, all the identifying information you possibly can.
2. Ignore lists and buy people whatever you want.
As you can see, his method makes my method necessary. And so if you'll excuse me, I must go start my Christmas shopping. Again.
2 comments:
But, but, but, what are you going to do the day after Thanksgiving? And I CAN'T believe you're not waiting on my annual gift guide!
Dave, Dave, just because you START shopping early doesn't mean you have to END early. Hasn't your wife taught you that?? And, I still have your gift guide from 1982. Can't I just recycle ideas from that one??
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