As you carve the Thanksgiving turkey, one dreaded thought isn’t far from your mind… Black Friday. Nov. 24 signifies the first official day of Christmas shopping. Retailers drop prices, malls extend their hours, and one word could describe the shopping conditions: catastrophe! Sure, everyone loves great deals, but at what cost?
You’ll wake up early the next morning, around 5 a.m. Soon you’ll be wandering around the mall in a zombie-like state induced by large amounts of turkey. You’ll fight off herds of equally irritable and pushy shoppers for the latest copy of Final Fantasy. Of course there is only one left, and a tactful mom blocks you with her baby stroller and snatches it. You won’t be able to ignore the screaming babies or the chimes and bells of Christmas music.
The stores will be in disarray. You’ll rummage through the display of picked-over sweaters, wondering if your niece would in fact like a putrid green one in size XXL. “It will probably shrink,” you assure yourself as you step behind the 80 foot line. A few hours of this and you’ll spend the rest of the night on the couch, rubbing your temples and holding an icepack on your forehead to ease the migraine. Needless to say, you won’t be in the Christmas spirit.
Buying gifts doesn’t have to be such a painful experience. Online shopping gives you great discounts and a better selection of products from the comfort of your living room. You can get gift ideas and find exactly what you want. If you order early, you’ll get great deals on shipping. You can even have your gifts wrapped and sent out for you, saving you two more time consuming steps. Christmas shopping couldn’t be easier!
When searching for Christmas gifts remember that everyone has different tastes and preferences. Pay close attention to interests, beliefs and style. A gift is a symbol that represents the feelings and intentions of the giver, so be extremely careful of the message you are sending. These general rules will help you avoid everyday gift giving hazards.
