Adventures in Shopping: The TRUE Reason For The Season

For the first time in a long time I was able to Christmas shop without a super-tight budget.

Though I technically started shopping weeks ago, a sprained ankle prevented me from completing everything in a couple of days like I normally do.

So 3 weekend attempts and lots of online shopping later, I ventured out into the busy streets of the SBC to get the gifts I still needed to purchase.

Maybe it's the fact that I haven't done hard-core holiday shopping in a while that had me stressed and frustrated ... and a little overwhelmed, but damn ... who knew this many people lived in the SBC????

The streets were clogged from one end of the metro area to the other. This must be the only time we truly get to see the 300K population count!


And speaking of populations ... this must be the only time kids actually hang out in the mall (or maybe i haven't hung out in one in a while), because they were posted up like I used to in the South Park Mall days (Saturdays were the LICK! lol).





In both Pierre Bossier and St. Vincent Malls I caught the flirtacious glances from one teen to another, signs that groups of high-schoolers had been dropped off and were wondering what to do until their parents returned (lol), and rowdy kids running around unsupervised ... causing havoc for store clerks. Ahhh the memories :)


Actually, before my "Adventures in Shopping", I wasn't even in the Christmas spirit. But the more time I spent watching other people's revelry and excitement, the more I wanted to be an eager participant.


During 3 days of shopping this Christmas week, I saw a lot that tickled me. A Rudolph nose and antlers on a compact car. A youngster counting out his savings to buy a gift at Walgreens, and probably the craziest thing I've ever seen in all my shopping days:





A Sheriff's deputy directing traffic ... in the parking lot ... of a SHOPPING CENTER. WTF? People were driving so badly that they had to call in traffic control?

That area at Youree and 70th was hella congested but geez, it wasn't like a stop light was out ... people just didn't care and apparently the Deputy did :) Kudos to him!

Once I was inside the stores, the madness and coolness continued. In BIG LOTS I saw this:





A "Julia" Doll. Ain't it cute? :)


And on the same shelf was one of these:





Yes, Barbie/Mattel GREASE DOLLS!!! Anyone who knows me knows that's my favorite movie. They didn't have a Rizzo doll but if they did, I might have bought it!! LOL.

Many miles, stores and dollars later, I found this (and lots of cute shoes I can't afford right now) in Dillard's:





Too bad I have no one to buy it for :( (C'mon I'm not the only single woman missing shopping for her man ... don't trip lol). Speaking of men though ... That's another thing I found in droves at retail outlets! MEN!

Cute ones, sexy ones, tall ones, short ones ... Where have they been all year??? LOL. Too bad most of them are buying something for a significant other (which means they're not single ... *sigh*).

Another notable tidbit: It seems I can probably find a lot of potential models in malls. I saw at least six this week that I'd shoot in a heartbeat. (But I was too busy and tired to scout them ... lol). Alas, my quest shall wait until after the holidays :)


****

After nearly a month between the time I started shopping at the day I was finally able to say "It is done!", I'm now awaiting the looks on the faces of my family.

Somehow, it's those moments that make the traffic jams, long lines, sore feet, rude people with bad attitudes and depleted bank accounts all worth it.

Yes, we know that Jesus is the reason for the season and that this is a celebration of his life and the most influential legacy of all time ... but it's also the time to show love to the people you quite possibly take for granted every other day of the year.

It's the time to show the love we were shown by Jesus and our Father, and give selflessly to those who mean the most to us, as was done for us so long ago.

I know some may turn their nose at the holiday, some may discount it to just another Saturday. But not this holiday shopper. To me, it's a day to take time out and appreciate the ones I love.

On Valentine's Day we show love to our sweetheart. On Mother's Day and Father's Day, our parents. On Thanksgiving we give thanks for our blessings. But Christmas is all those wrapped into one. A time to show love and appreciation to EVERYONE you love, including those who are not here.

There's much more than presents and dinner ... It's about the love put into both efforts at putting a smile on our family's faces.


So regardless of your religious beliefs or your Bam Humbugness ... Take time to show love to those who show it to you ... That's the true meaning of Christmas.



Happy Holidays,
mahogani