Curse-mas Shopping

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

Does anybody else find that going to the malls this time of year doesn't really put them in the Christmas spirit? After parking half a mile from the front doors, when you get in there its shoulder to shoulder in the good stores and people just park their cart in the middle of the aisle and stand there gawking so no one can get through. Everything seems to be marked up about 25% over what it was a couple of months ago. I just want to get in and buy the stuff I want and get out but the flow of traffic is so constricted that its an arduous process every store that you go into. By the time I leave I'm in a pretty poor mood. When did this season become so much about making sure that everybody gets the right gift instead of about spending time with family and friends? I was talking to my Dad the other day and instead of giving out gifts this year, He and Mom are giving money to a person who is going to Kenya to set up solar powered irrigation systems and wells? Anyway, sounds like a heckuva idea to me so maybe I'll do that next year. Bah Humbug.

 

[Gate Opener]

I went shopping yesterday and I did not enjoy it. The stores are already running out of stuff and people don't seem to know who has the right of way. Had people coming out of end isles and I would have to stop to keep from hitting them and then they look at me as if they are right. ??? Same sorta thing with driving. I got most of my shopping done earlier in the season but still had a few things to get. I'm gonna try and get it all done early next year.

 

[Alice]

When I was a child, Mother and Daddy would take us into downtown Fort Worth...no malls then...and we would shop in the stores there. We had to go later in the day because Daddy would have to get the milking started so we'd get there sometime close to sundown. The stores stayed open until 9:00 p.m. and there was not a crush of people.

We loved the Stripling and Monnig's windows that had all of the Christmas automated displays...Santa Claus and elves and the Nativity scenes. The stores were warm on the inside and shoppers and clerks were so filled with the jolly Christmas Spirit. Many of the downtown stores provided hot coffee and hot chocolate and hot apple cider.

I used to love Christmas time...the good will and good cheer. And as all things go the way of the world, so has that good will and good cheer. I wish my grandchildren could experience the excitement my brother and sister and I experienced when we would go Christmas shopping. Now, you can't drag my 13 year old grandson into Fort Worth to go shopping...for that matter, you can't drag me there, either.

Alice

 

[backhoeboogie]

Alice, back then there were more Maw and Paw shops. The vendors were glad to see you. They appreciated your business.

 

[Victoria]

I don't go in December, all of my shopping is done early. After you've spent a few years as a store manager you don't go to the mall in Christmas. You think it is bad to shop it you should work it! People literally yelling and swearing at you because you don't have the size they need or colour they want. Hanging around malls is a good way to ruin the Christmas Spirit. There were a few customers that made me smile though. One man bought a box of chocolates and he was giving a chocolate to every salesperson that helped him to wish them a Merry Christmas. It really helped me deal with the next person that wasn't so cheery.
The malls in Calgary this year are supposed to be just awful. There is such a boom in population here. I was listening on the radio and last Saturday one of the malls had 13,000 shoppers in it on one day. They had people directing parking and there was a wait time for parking because no spaces were available. I am very thankful i don't work there now!

 

[GMN]

I did almost all my shopping online this year, and it was fun. I hate crowds, and rude people who shove and push to get that toy, etc.. they think they just got to have.. really silly if you think about it...

GMN

 

[john250]

I did almost all my shopping online this year, and it was fun. I hate crowds, and rude people who shove and push to get that toy, etc.. they think they just got to have.. really silly if you think about it...

GMN

Christmas shopping and year round shopping gets done online.
The most valuable thing about the net, other than this board.

 

[Rustler9]

I have done no shopping as of yet. I put it off as long as I possibly can because I can't stand it. I can't stand the rude people, the crowds or the over rated, over priced trinkets and baubles. Yes, everyone calls me Scrooge but the Christmas thing has gotten so far out of hand. This is not how it's supposed to be, it's not what it's about. Why do people worry themselves to death trying to buy over priced, unwanted gifts for people who already have and get what they want and need all year long? How many of you have gotten gifts and shuddered because it's something that you don't like or want? How many of you have felt like you have to buy someone a gift because they got you one but you really can't stand that person? Or how about this? You have to try to outdo someone else, get them a better gift? This is not what this season is or should be about. It sickens me. I'm going to go shopping tomorrow because I feel like I have to, not really because I want to. I don't mind buying someone something, but I'd rather do it when I want to do it not because we who are in this society and this custom feel like it's what we must do. Christmas is really for children and I doubt if many of them now really know why we celebrate it. Ok, I feel somewhat better now.....

 

[Ryder]

Went to the mall one night last week. In just a few minutes my wife's eyes lit up when she saw "the" oufit she wanted. The saleslady and I had a good visit while wife was in dressing room. Saleslady works two jobs and was tired but very pleasant. Top fit but pants didn't, so saleslady gets on phone to another store and found pants in right size to go with top.

Went to jewelry store. Didn't find the right item but salesladies there, two of them, were very friendly. Enjoyed talking with them.

Went by the place where the massage lady worked on me a few weeks ago. I told her how much she had helped me and she gave me a hug (that woman just can't keep her hands off me).

Stores were not too crowded and everyone was nice.
I can't complain.

 

[chrisy]

Have the last things to get today, have not had any bother in the stores, it is on the roads home, last Sunday was in a trafic jam for over two hours, that is what I hate.

 

[Green Creek]

I have shopped online for the past five or so years. It sure spoils you because it shows up at the front door, there's a box to wrap and ta da, you're done.

 

[Ryder]

Have the last things to get today, have not had any bother in the stores, it is on the roads home, last Sunday was in a trafic jam for over two hours, that is what I hate.

Anybody in a traffic jam for over two hours deserves a medal for not going postal. Not everybody has what it takes to survive such an ordeal.