Don't hate me for this, but has anyone started their Christmas shopping? I saw a few things I liked online the other day and bookmarked them. That is as far as it has gotten. I imagine I will do some as I am able. What about you? Getting in the Christmas spirit yet?
The wife starts getting packages in July. Guess there are places on the internet that does 'Christmas in July' sales. She seems to buy year round and then announces around October, " I'm done with the Christmas shopping". Me, I do last minute shopping every year. I will never learn.
We didn't have Christmas at home. I'm not a big holiday shopper. I'll send money to my two nieces and I always find something small to send also. Last year it was a string of origami swans from the craft fair. Nice lady, I've bought from her before. Little coin purses the year before, book marks. They usually don't mention the little gift in thanking me, just the money. A bit of an irritant. I don't know what I will send my friend this year. Last year is was a whimsical painting I bought on Etsy. She loved it. Nothing wrong with starting early. I don't think it's too soon at all.
I kind of like the excitement of running around stores on Christmas eve getting last minute items. However, I don't really find joy or excitement in Christmas at this point in my life, so..maybe I won't be doing that. We will see how it goes. If there is a bargain to be had, I might take advantage of it actually! I never know when I will see my family though. It is all iffy and up in the air at all times.
Most of our shopping is done on Thanksgiving night and, depending on what we see advertised, early Black Friday morning. We live States away from any relatives and neither them or us have the money to fly to see each other.
I was in the mall last weekend and it's ironic to hear Christmas songs being played in the mall's sound system. I said ironic because it was raining hard and the Christmas spirit cannot be felt because what gets into my mind is the rainy season (that will last until October). And I have seen Christmas items on the shelf of the department store but I had no time to spare so I was not able to browse. It is good to buy Christmas items now because they are cheaper. Prices tend to go up after the Halloween.
There have been times when I was at the stores on December 24 but, more often now, I do my shopping online and ahead of time. There's not much of it, though. When I was raising my son, I was in my highest income years and there was just the two of us, so I enjoyed Christmas shopping. Not so much anymore.
Locally it's a matter of survival doing shopping early for holidays, because of parking issues. Since the internet came about things got a lot more lighter for shopping, for you can even ship it to the address too! You just don't want to be out and about holiday time for it gets crowded everywhere! I ride the bus and for appointments I need 1 hour and a half to be in time anywhere because bus is just not like cars. Cars you can hop into it be there at 15 - 30 minutes. Not so bussing...you walk a lot, good for exercising bad for appointments. I don't even have any doctor or dentist appointments come Oct. - January. I urge my Mom to do the same too. You wouldn't think a tiny island like Oahu to have parking problems or traffic problems...we're like CA when it comes to traffic, terrible. When you ride the bus it's even worst for you can carry just so much shopping and bus riding or carrying your packages too. Parking in holiday season at Malls, horrendous! Early shopping is a necessity all the time. Good luck everyone going to shop Black Fri. or amazon.com cyber Monday week. I do it online and never at brick and mortar because I treasure my life.
@Krissttina Isobe your post reminded me of shopping at Ala Moana mall back in the day. My Mom taught sewing at the Singer store downstairs and I would pick her up when she got off work sometimes. I always bought her Christmas present at one of the shops there. She liked tea sets and anything made from Monkey pod. ( and of course, I always got my 'cracked seeds' there! )
I had an epphiany today, I think for my relatives, I might go with a blast from the past with Hickory Farms Gift baskets. This would be better than driving myself crazy going around shopping. I will get my son something...and some stocking presents, but that will be the main gift. It would be a surprise and something hopefully that will be liked. I looked at the site tonight..I think it should be free shipping. I know last year, I got some flowers for my parents, and I don't know what I was picturing, but they weren't very nice. That is not to be repeated!
I'm still looking at Amazon for my grandkids Christmas. I'll have Amazon gift wrap, the purchases and send them to their home. But I want their names to be on the mailing sticker. Kids love to see that, makes them feel very important. I'd do this with my two older boys when they were little. The mailman would drop off a package husband would announce, Jake or Liam you have MAIL looks like a package, and it has your name on it. They'd look at it, Look it came all the way from New York, or Chicago, Denver Colorado, California. One of the almost forgotten shopping ventures Mail Order. How me and my friends would wait what family was going to get a catalog. But you didn't touch the Sears Catalog, that was for parents only.
Just the mention of Christmas can bring me out of a depression....love it, although shopping for it in stores is a thing of the past for me. Usually get grandsons presents and they are all bought on Amazon or if it's a gift card like iTunes, then I get it at the supermarket checkout. Since I'll be in Illinois for Christmas with the 3 youngest grandsons this year will even be extra special. Excited little boys and maybe some snow for grandma!
I agree, Tim! It's Halloween that's starting to irritate me. Used to love it but not anymore. I say forget halloween and go straight to Thanksgiving. @Cody Fousnaugh might not like it though.