Yep, it's an oft-cursed thing, but no matter your beliefs or traditions, every year we must all brave the crowds, if only to get to work or meet some friends for a coffee.
I've taken a few days of my annual leave to both get some editing done and to attend the National Crafts and Design Fair in the Royal Dublin Society. My wife and I went last year and loved it, so we decided to make sure to go again this year. We'll be able to get a good start on our Christmas shopping.
Christmas is really the one time of the year when my wife and I go ahead and spoil each other. My family tends to chip in so that each of us can get one thing we really like or need, rather than several things we'll never use, so most of what Jen and I get in is stuff we can both enjoy or share with others. We have a Christmas dinner for friends every year and it's really the highlight of the season for us. So we'll be looking for lots of things we can bring home to share.
What about you? Do you love or hate Christmas shopping? Do you prefer online, the crowded city centers, small market stalls, craft fairs?
Nov 30, 2011
Christmas Shopping
Paul Anthony Shortt believes in magic and monsters. In ghosts and fairies. The creatures that lurk under the bed and inside the closet. The things that live in the dark, and the heroes who stand against them. Above all, he believes that stories have the power to change the world, and the most important stories are the ones which show that monsters can be beaten.
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I love Christmas shopping! I tend to do a mixture of all of the above. Online can be good but I find I don't get the same satisfaction from an online shopping basket as I do when I'm working my way through a shop and my arms/basket are getting fuller and fuller. I think you really do feel a bit of a sense of achievement, especially if you've managed to bag some bargains!
ReplyDeleteI have to say, I'm not a huge fan of the crowded city centres, but will brave them if necessary! I prefer shopping centres/outlet centres. I have done some bits online this year, which might have something to do with the husband not seeing what I'm buying for him!!
I have not been to a craft fair in a good while now, but I love a christmas market (although not really for proper christmas pressies, just for little fun christmas bits!) and we used to go to a craft fair in the city hall at home every year, I remember there was a candle stall that I used to help out at every year. It was the best feeling and I always came home with some lovely original things!! Actually I may look for some craft fairs now haha!!!
I love Christmas shopping! It's my very favourite thing about Christmas, buying people things I hope they'll like, trying to find the perfect gift, wrapping them. . . I just love it!
ReplyDeleteI try, when I can, to buy as much as I can from local, independent bricks-and-mortar retailers, because they often depend on Christmas spending to keep them afloat for much of the year! I love wandering around shops, so I try to allocate my spending in a way that allows me to support the kind of places I want to see stay open :) I don't want to buy all my stuff online and then find myself with nowhere to wander!
That said, I do shop online sometimes, for things I can't buy locally or if the prices are so much lower that shopping locally would stretch me too much. I also shop in chains more than I should, but I justify that by saying chains create more jobs :p
But it doesn't matter much how you do it, whether you curl up in your pjs and do all of your shopping online, get creative and make gifts, or bundle up in a heavy coat and hit the streets. You're still taking the time to choose gifts for people who matter to you. Which is awesome.
I'm taking a day's holiday to my Christmas shopping on Friday and I cannot wait.
I'm jealous of Ellen who loves Christmas shopping. I try to love it but just can't get into it until the last week before Christmas, then I go out at midnight when there's no crowds. It's fun and I think, I'm going to start sooner next year....but of course I never do!
ReplyDeleteKaren, if you're missing the crowds and enjoying it while you do it, you may have found a winning formula - I say don't mess with it! :)
ReplyDeleteI hate Christmas shopping most of the time. The family has skipped gifts for two years in a row now, so I think this is going to be a good year for presents. We get stuff that we need too (jeans, socks, shoes- the stuff that is mundane and you hate to spend money on, but you really need) but not usually big stuff.
ReplyDeleteNo money for Christmas shopping this year, so will be being imaginative! See what I can rustle up.
ReplyDeleteOrdinarily I love Christmas craft markets and I have decided this year not to buy from chains if I can avoid it. I'm gonna try buy from small independant places (only present I bought so far was from a small local health shop) or online from the likes of etsy. Unfortunatly I don't have much money for it to be taking much of a stand :(
I'm just hoping we get home ok this year, took 3 days and finally the boat to get home last year, ended up shopping in Tesco waiting for the boat to sail in Pembroke!