Christmas Shopping

Why, you may ask, do I celebrate Christmas at all, leave alone, get involved in the madness that is shopping this time of the year. The answer I suspect would lie in mob psychology, where I just go along with the herd.

It starts over a month before Christmas - during Thanskgiving - the very midnight of Thanksgiving actually; while all the good people of the United States are replete after their humongous dinner, the shopaholics (the vast majority, apparently), leave home at midnight, on a spree to 'boost the economy'.

I don't usually start that early- I wait at least until December- this has nothing to do with restraint, and everything to do with the fact that during Thanksgiving I'm usually at some megamart-less corner of the country- like Yosemite or the Grand Canyon, or Disney World. This year I was at home.

The truth is, I think people travel so much during the holiday, because its so expensive to stay at home. When you're not there you can't be tempted by the sales, by coupons in the mail, by the romist of 50! 60! 70! % of highly inflated prices, by the feeling of warmth and goodness at the idea of getting your shopping done early, and relaxing while everyone else rushes around hunting for appropriate gifts.

The truth is, it doesn't matter how early you start, you're still going to be shopping two days before Christmas. Hmm... you start... what about this shirt for X... and this bag for Y and this piece of jewellery for Z (and ooh! this dress for me!) ... but X would also love this ... and Y this and Z this.... and this and this and this.... until the budget (if there was one to begin with) is far exceeded.

And there are the accessories... wrapping paper! bows! bags! Christmas tree decorations!

And you know what? After Christmas after the last presents are exchanged, unwrapped, and a sigh of relief is heard... there are the end of seasons sales... and I've already got plans for those....