Christmas Shopping Woes
I know right now that lots of folks are doing their Christmas shopping. I am not good at Christmas shopping. I never know what to get people. Usually I give money or gift certificates. That seems to be the easiest way out. I mean everybody can use money, right? And gift certificates are great too, as long as it's to a store they like! Or a restaurant they like. Usually I get restaurant ones for people instead of store ones.
I do not like to shop. I know coming from a woman that might sound strange to some people, but I seldom like to go and just "look." I went shopping with a co-worker at lunch one time. She was looking at men's sweaters as an idea for her son-in-law a gift. If it had of been me I would have gotten his size, glanced at the colors and chose one, looked it over briefly, and bought it. Not her. She looked at every sweater in every color, and she laid each one out and inspected it front, back, seams, sides, sleeves, everything!! She went over several of them with a fine tooth comb. I'm thinking, "God please let this lunch time pass quickly." I encouraged her, "Oh this one is so pretty! He'll absolutely adore it! Get it! Get it! Get it! Go ahead and get IT!" But on she looked and I thought I'd go nuts. Believe it or not we ended up leaving the store and she still couldn't decide on any of them. ARGHHHHH!!! I spent that whole time looking at a bunch of men's sweaters. Not my idea of a fun time at all. Even if we could have moved around the room some, but no......we spent the whole time at that one rack. Yep, you guessed it, my last shopping trip with her!!
When I shop for Christmas gifts I pick out things that I like. Then I think, "would so and so like that?" Then I ponder. To get or not to get, that is the question.....it's so hard to decide. "I like it, will they?" And so it goes.... I usually end up buying something I hope they'll like but I'm still not sure of it. That's where the money and gift certificates come in so handy. They are quick and easy!
Does anyone else have these problems shopping for Christmas presents or have a hard time choosing what to get people?
I do not like to shop. I know coming from a woman that might sound strange to some people, but I seldom like to go and just "look." I went shopping with a co-worker at lunch one time. She was looking at men's sweaters as an idea for her son-in-law a gift. If it had of been me I would have gotten his size, glanced at the colors and chose one, looked it over briefly, and bought it. Not her. She looked at every sweater in every color, and she laid each one out and inspected it front, back, seams, sides, sleeves, everything!! She went over several of them with a fine tooth comb. I'm thinking, "God please let this lunch time pass quickly." I encouraged her, "Oh this one is so pretty! He'll absolutely adore it! Get it! Get it! Get it! Go ahead and get IT!" But on she looked and I thought I'd go nuts. Believe it or not we ended up leaving the store and she still couldn't decide on any of them. ARGHHHHH!!! I spent that whole time looking at a bunch of men's sweaters. Not my idea of a fun time at all. Even if we could have moved around the room some, but no......we spent the whole time at that one rack. Yep, you guessed it, my last shopping trip with her!!
When I shop for Christmas gifts I pick out things that I like. Then I think, "would so and so like that?" Then I ponder. To get or not to get, that is the question.....it's so hard to decide. "I like it, will they?" And so it goes.... I usually end up buying something I hope they'll like but I'm still not sure of it. That's where the money and gift certificates come in so handy. They are quick and easy!
Does anyone else have these problems shopping for Christmas presents or have a hard time choosing what to get people?
posted by Rachel at 7:20 PM
16 Comments:
Yes, I'm sure many do. (I would have also gone nuts at lunch with your friend. WhenI shop, I like to go in and zip out quickly. Now bookstores, record stores or arts and crafts fairs are a different story. :)
I think that's why online shopping and gift certificates are so popular! They save time and offer the recepient the choice of choosing a gift he or she wants. ***That's one reason I offer gift certificates for use online or in person for my art and jewelry business. :)
Money always seems to be the 'right' color too. Rachel, I have found that shopping center floors, have 2 to 3 times as much gravity in them as say, well, a sports bar with a Nebraska game on tv. When I walk into a womens clothing store, I can feel the energy being sapped from me. It's like what crytonite is to superman.
i usually wait until christmas eve and then just buy all the rubbish stuff left on the shelves that nobody else wanted.
this way you can be fairly sure you don't buy something for someone that sombody else already bought them.
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Well Rachel, seems as though you've found a reader any Mom could be soooo proud of.
That little wastebasket at the bottom of the comments is the answer to these types. Don't worry about hurting any feelings. There doubtless are none in this case.
Heck yes! Don't finger every seam and button, just buy it if you think the person will like it, patience is not one of my virtues! I used to love shopping, before kids, dogs, LIFE! I now go and get what I NEED, and get out! Hate to go shopping, and feel weird if I Waste a day doing it. Christmas shopping is very hard, not only money wise, but time wise, and now that my youngest is aware, hard to do with her in tow. Last year, she was getting a little wise,and listening to what was being said by her parents. Then she would go and report it to her older brothers! I would have to watch her like a hawk, and change her subjects quickly! I am not a catalog shopper, or an internet buyer, somehow I just don't trust my info to be floating around in cyberspace! I guess as I get older I will, but right now..............
Rachel
I am with you. Shopping has never been one of my favorite activities and all the ads on TV and Radio about 'the perfect Christmas gift' drives me right up the wall.
If that's not bad enough we have our anniversary in November, Christmas in December, and Char's birthday in January. I am totally brain dead by the time it is all over.
Ralph
Oh, man, what a PAINFUL lunch hour!
Not this cookie. I know exactly what I'm going for, swoop in, find it, buy it, done. Online shopping has been great for me this year. :)
I've read that failed Christmas presents are the result of people buying what they like instead of what the receiver would enjoy, too. I always appreciate gift cards - can it get any easier?? And I especially like donations to charities in my name; it's so Christmasy and like I need anything more than those "in need".
I'm a guy and I don't like shopping. But I don't know any guys that do..
There are usually some people who are difficult to shop for each year. Gift cards are good for them. I usually give my brother-in-law a gift card to BAss Pro because he is a cyclist and genreally an outdoor type of guy. With that card he can go online and get whatever he wants. He also lives in California and the postage is much less f5rom Florida that a bigger package! Yup, for some people, gift cards or a check are the way to go!
I do enjoy shopping, though. I guess some year it will get harder as my "kids" get more settled intotheir lives and have enough things of their own. Until then, I'm an early shopper.
I truly enjoy shopping. I can wander around a store for a long time, just looking at this, smelling various fragrances, checking out clothes, etc... You would not enjoy shopping with me either! But, if you were with me, I would not make you stand around and be bored. We would go for lunch instead.
A gift of cash is never a bad gift. Who doesn't like cash?
Nope not at all. I am a good shopper even if I hate doing it. That is strange for a man just like it is strange for a woman NOT to like to shop. LOL
I hate shopping. Furthermore I hate shopping with other people. I go, get what I want and get out as soon as posibble. I never just go to wander aimlessly!
Oh Yes Rachel...I have a friend, a very vety dear & good friend that is much like your co-worker; I don't EVER go shopping with her any more...Like you, I tend tobuy what I like and think while I'm buying it, 'Oh so-and-so will like this...'
. I now buy most of my presents on line and find it soooo wonderfully convenient...Yes, sometimes I miss the "idea" of going to the stores...but, it stops there. The "idea" and the reality are just too far apart for me. (lol)
Haven't ever given too many Gift Certificates, but at least I know that it is always an option...
Hope you get it all done, Rachel...
I just hate Christmas shopping. I'm big into gift certificates too.
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