How much shopping online do you do for Christmas?
I’m approaching Christmas gift buying totally different this year. The last couple of years I have slowly moved from actually hitting the stores for all my gift buying to buying online. This year I intend to do 99% of my gift buying online. There are only a few gifts I purchased in person, a few from my artist friend Shannon who does beautiful paintings, and a couple of books from a local bookstore.
This was the first year I didn’t hit the stores on Black Friday. Did I miss it? Not really.
I love shopping. That’s what makes this so out of character for me. The thrill of a bargain, the feel of fabric on my fingers as I skirt between the rounders of clothes and the store displays this time of the year call to my inner shopping addict.
As I am now tightening the purse strings since losing my job, I am on a new mission-learning to live with less. Yes, this means no more spending on that new pair of boots just cause they are 50%off. The temptation of setting foot in an actual store and overspending is just too great.
I have to say, it is incredibly freeing to just buy with a click on the mouse or a touch of my finger. Granted, I have a list so it’s easy to just look for options online and make my choices. What makes Christmas gift shopping so stressful is hitting the stores with no idea what to get anybody, fighting the crowds, hours standing in line at the checkouts, and circling the parking lot waiting for an open spot.
It does make a huge difference now that my daughter is college age. Gone are the days when it was fun wandering the aisles at Toys r Us looking at all the latest toys. Those days she was just as happy getting something that costs $7.00 as she was something that was $50.00. The bigger the child, the more things cost, the less they have to unwrap on Christmas morning.
Gift giving is suppose to be fun. It’s suppose to be a token of appreciation you have for the receiver. My favorite thing about Christmas gift buying is finding a gift for someone that practically leaps off a shelf and screams the receivers name. Most times these types of gifts you don’t plan on, they just leap out and hit you in the face. You can still find those kind of gifts online. It just takes a little thought and some searching to find them.
I just have a couple more gifts to buy before Christmas. Buying online has never been easier. Many times you get free shipping, you can shop in your PJ’s with no makeup on and your hair a disaster, not to mention no going out in sub-zero temps. A few days later your friendly (or maybe not so friendly stressed-out) UPS or USPS driver delivers your purchases right to your front door! What could be easier!!
So at least for this year I am okay with staying out of the stores and doing the majority of my shopping online. I will not, however commit to keeping away for the after Christmas sales!!!! A girl can only go so far.
xxoo
Lori
Stay tuned for my favorite gifts I gave this year…
Questions? Comments? Share then with me!