Monday, November 10, 2008

Shopping, shopping, and more shopping?


If you know me at all, then you know I like to buy things. Whether it's the new scented Windex or fluffy new towels, I'm happy being a consumer. I don't know if it's the power of ownership or the simple knowledge that money is actually going somewhere instead of sitting there bored in the bank, whatever it is, I love it.

So Christmas is coming. My visiting teachers came over the other week and one of them was talking about how she liked to have all of her Christmas shopping done before December, so she could "relax and enjoy the season". Which for me, begs the question, isn't shopping part of the fun of the Christmas season???

The last couple of years I have started looking on amazon and other websites early as September for deals. I find them, I feel happy and prepared, but the problem is, THE DEALS NEVER END. So I keep on buying because how do you ignore a good deal? What about next year or a birthday? So that is one problem, not to mention the ever-changing Christmas lists of the children as the season goes on.

The other problem is not a problem. I like shopping at Christmas time, when others are out for the same reason. The rush, the Norman Rockwell feel in the air, the Christmas music (though I wish they wouldn't play it in early November!), the snow falling gently while driving on the slippery freeway....I love it all. I have even enjoyed the last minute doll shopping Christmas Eve at Shopko with slim pickins because that was festive, too. How cool to see empty shelves! Yay for Christmas!

So how do you feel? Would you rather not shop during the busy Christmas season? Are you done now? Any good deals you know of?

14 comments:

stephanie said...

I don't like leaving it all until last minute. But there is something special about shopping during the holidays too. It just feels so Christmasy! So I say shop early but leave just enough to shop for during the holiday season.

Megz said...

I think I'll miss out on all of the last minute deals if I buy too early, but dang it all, that Crayola color blaster just went up two bucks while sitting in my Amazon shopping cart.
I think I'd enjoy December shopping if it was only for myself. The other stuff is way too stressful.

LC said...

Ahhh I love shopping too--it's a year round love for me.

Last year the girls picked one thing from a catalog and we got it nice and early in the mail. I thought how simple and great that was--except that in reality I missed going OUT and having the shopping experience.
I like what steph said. Buy some now but save some for later because who wants to turn down those great deals?
Shoot! I missed out on this 4-story dollhouse w/elevator at Costco (all gone) but I got cute winter nightgowns with matching fuzzy pink robes for little girls $20/set.

Cristina said...

I love shopping online, I might be Amazon's best customer, how can you beat it with free shipping?? I would much rather let the UPS guy bring it to my door than fight all of the crazy people. I have bought quite a few gifts already but will probably wait to finish up so my kids will have a chance to change their minds a few hundred times. Two years ago Natalie decided a few days before Christmas that all she wanted was a newborn cabbage patch, I spent the next night checking every store I could and finally found one around midnight! Gotta love those extended holiday hours!!

Daralyn said...

So over the years you were the one at line at 4 am at Shopko with all of the little boys' toys in your cart even though you didn't have a boy kind of addiction shopping?

Windex has a new scent...?

Sherie Christensen said...

I like to be done and if I can get it online then I'll by a lot less extra stuff that we really don't need. I do like shopping every now and then but mostly it's not my thing. On our trip I kept wondering what things you would have thought were treasures and would have bought. We like to go by the quaint shops but not in them!

cold cocoa said...

No, DD. I draw the line at buying stuff that I personally don't want/need. I have my limits! And I'm also good at returning if need be!

rut said...

Cocoa has never stood anywhere in the cold at 4am, a truth I respect.

Christmas shopping is fun. I'd better start finding some more of that bored stuff for the bank.

TisforTonya said...

I love to be done early - but darn those 4 a.m. sales are also pretty tempting sometimes...

I think I'll be snapping up the deals as they come and hoping to leave myself 2 weeks to relax... hoping...

Hayley said...

Christmas isn't Christmas without shopping in the hype of the season...I love shopping during that time of year. But I also love shopping all year round. If I do get ambitious and get it all done early, my lists just get longer and longer because I feel like I am missing out on the hustle and bustle of things.

Nikki said...

I love shopping during this time of year! I have never been out at 4 am on black friday though. I don't enjoy it THAT much! I am slowly learning to love online shopping. I have to get a great deal on the shipping because what if I need to return it? I don't think there's a kid around that doesn't change their mind a million times. I had a dream the other night that Doug and I hadn't gone shopping at all and it was Christmas Eve. I woke up in a panic but would have liked to find out how that Christmas morning would have turned out!!

Unknown said...

Yes, I would have to agree that most of us Ute fans are fans because we do dislike BYU! That's why that was so funny when Chase started singing that song to a major BYU fan!

I agree with steph on the shopping!

priscilla joy said...

hi cold cocoa, you won something in my contest, check it out on my blog. that is so neat you have 6 kids, i have 5 siblings as well!

Linsey said...

I never shop on Black Friday, too much chaos, but you have to at least go to the stores at Christmastime, if for no other reason than to see the decorations and hear the canned music -- it's a much a tradition as stockings and advent calendars.