Shopping for the Holidays. 

This image in my delusional fantasies is a lovely experience. Christmas music is playing and I am leisurely perusing the store in search of all the items on my list.

Of course the reality is heavy traffic, no parking spots, too many people, cranky people, ridiculously long lines and sold out items.

There are those out there for whom Holiday Shopping is an all year pursuit. There are many reasons I am not one of those people. The main reason being that I would either forget that I had bought a gift or if I did remember I am sure I would never be able to find where I hid it!

The other reason is that I need it to be Christmas Season to shop for Christmas. I can’t shop for the Holidays in shorts. It’s a mental thing. I need to be in the Christmas frame of mind to think about Christmas gifts.

Due to this internal issue I am often faced with holiday hardships such as a 25 minute drive around the Costco parking lot with people who were short on Christmas Cheer. It was like a hunger games death match to see who could nab the next spot.

I also face the obstacle of sold out items. Okay it’s late I know but it’s not like I am looking for a Cabbage Patch kid in 1985. I could do without the smirk and sassy comment that they have been sold out for weeks. 

When you start shopping in December it’s tough to even find time to shop. You have to squeeze it in between the Holiday Parties, Cookie Swaps, Holiday Concerts and all of the other great Holiday activities. These are the fun ways we get together to celebrate with family and friends that I love, but it does make last minute shopping that more difficult.

Thank goodness for Amazon Prime. If it wasn’t for Amazon Prime there might not be much of a Christmas at my house. It is by far the most amazing service I have ever signed up for. It is a last minute shopper’s dream! Almost all prime items are discounted and they ship for free in two days. It is by far the easiest way to buy anything. For $79 dollars a year you have access to great prices free shipping as well as  free streaming of tv episodes and movies on Amazon Prime Player and you can even borrow books for your kindle.

I certainly don’t do all my shopping online because I do enjoy the mall at Christmas. Even if the experience doesn’t live up to my delusional fantasy and it’s a little hectic and crazy. I think it’s fun walking around the mall seeing Santa and looking for gifts. It’s just easier when I know that if I can’t find something I can always order it on Amazon Prime when I get home. Or even from app on my phone while I am at the mall.