Christmas Shopping 2012

If you know me, I am not a fan of shopping. Period. Shopping for Christmas is really no different. I try to shop so that I am done by Thanksgiving because I despise crowds and the cold, both of which are more prominent following Thanksgiving.

This year, I lost my enthusiasm after beginning my Christmas shopping during Chris' October Florida trip. He skipped going out of town in November, so I just stopped. I had the girls more or less done. Chris said he would shop for Asher. But, as Thanksgiving approached, I could see that Chris was not going to work shopping in before being out of town for most of December leading up to Christmas.

So, last Monday, the Monday before Thanksgiving, I shopped until I could shop no more. I went to WalMart (YUCK! I ended up not keeping a single toy from there after turning the one I did originally buy, and we are stockholders. Really, could they please get a better toy selection or at least make the section look nicer?). After Walmart, I went to Costco, etc. etc, before ending up at Target where everyone was there except the checkers (3 checkers, really? One lady had 2 full carts of food and only 3 checkers!).

In the end, I thought I got what I wanted and called it good.

Thanksgiving  morning, I got up to see if Target listed their black Friday ads online. Sure enough, the iPod Touch for Asher was available online along with the scooter I bought him for his birthday (I originally paid $35 for the scooter but got it black Friday, aka Thanksgiving Day online, priced for $19! Sweet!).  Asher has been feeling left out when on long car rides while the girls are playing away, while Addison plays her addition game, while Alivia texts with her BFF, etc. He said he wanted one. But, really, he is only 5. What can I say, I am a sucker for sweet little boys. So, I pushed the buy button and it is on its way along with the scooter.

Thanksgiving came and went. Thanksgiving night I was blessed to have to work. Oh, the joys of being a nurse. Really, there are few joys unless you find joy and happiness in working nights, weekends, and holidays without getting paid extra. Anyway, while staying up all night, the Kohl's ad was thrown in front of me. I saw the Pirate Ship that Asher saw at Costco (but had sold out so I bought him a baby version of it at Target for $39.99 for my mom to give him). The cooler version at Kohl's was black Friday priced at $19.99! NO WAY! I so wanted that! Bummer, it was sold out online.

On the drive home, I called my mom who wondered what could it hurt to try. So, I braved the crazy people, aka crowds, and the cold and went to Kohl's to find that they still had the pirate ship (at 8:30 AM!) along with a better batman package than the one I had purchased. Score! I used my coupons to make them even cheaper! I have to say, Kohl's was quite organized, having 2 people help at the start of a 2 second line to get you out of the store faster. They actually had items left that were in their ad. I can not say enough nice things about Kohl's at the moment. Afterwards, I took my other, higher priced items back to Target and Walmart. Walmart was EMPTY at 8:30 AM! You could hear a pin drop. I went to Target later in the day (after a much needed nap), and it was a little busier then. But there was no line to return. :)

Now, 30 days before Christmas, I am virtually done shopping. I just have to buy a little something for my Dad, something he has not already bought for himself. Hum...Any suggestions?!

All in all, I will continue to shop online wherever possible. I will continue to avoid the crowds and this crazy Nebraska weather whenever possible. It is best to shop in the store to see what you want, but buy it online. As the kids get older, I find that black Friday is not as beneficial. Good thing, since it is now on Thanksgiving!