Christmas shopping is something you have to prepare for. You save money, you battle crowded parking lots, you try to think about whether the person you are shopping for will like what you get them, and you have to resist the urge of shopping for yourself. There are endless thoughts that run through my mind throughout a typical day of Christmas shopping, and they go as follows:
- Thought as I park: “If I would’ve taken the spot way back there, I would’ve been inside the mall by now.”
- Thought as I walk into the mall: “Why didn’t I do this sooner, when I had more money, more energy, and there weren’t massive crowds of people walking SO slow.”
- Thought as I enter the first store: “It says there’s a massive sale, but can they put the things people actually want to buy on sale?”
- Thought as I hold up something that looks like a good gift: “This is so cute and would look so good on her!” (Looks at price tag.) “Um ya never mind”
- You will know you have spent too long in a store when you think “This is the 5th time I have heard Mistletoe by Justin Bieber today”
- Once you find something perfect for whoever you’re shopping for you might think, “I can’t wait to see their face when they open this, they probably won’t expect me to give them something like this. But if they aren’t expecting something like this, should I get them something more predictable. What if they don’t like it…?”
- When you are struggling between not breaking the bank and getting them something good, you will think “This shirt is so cute for her, but it’s final sale. Am I confident they will like it? Final sale is stressful.”
- When you are trying to shop for someone that is way more trendy than you: “Is this cute or is this hideous?”
- “I need a coffee break.”
- When you finally finish all of your shopping and you leave the mall, “How am I going to wrap all of this?!”
When you head to the mall to finish your Christmas Shopping, keep in mind that everyone at the mall is probably on your same stress level, just trying to finish all their gift shopping. Be kind, take a minute to admire the beautiful Christmas tree and Christmas decor in the mall, and when the going gets rough, think of how excited your family and friends are going to be when they open your gift.