Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Attention Shoppers

(Here's what I wish I could say to certain people I've observed or encountered when I go Christmas shopping.)

If you keep throwing temper tantrums because the items you wanted are out of stock or if you keep screaming at the salespeople for not working fast enough, Santa won't just put you on his naughty list. He'll put you on his never list.

Eating a candy cane is not the same thing as brushing your teeth.

Scented lotion is not a substitute for soap.

If you not only cut in front of me in line but push me aside and then start talking to the cashier while I'm still talking to the cashier, then I will charge you like a bull.

Salespeople are human beings too. Remember that the next time you get impatient with one of them. They don't want to say the same old sales pitch any more than you want to hear it. They also don't want to have to work throughout the entire holiday season with no break, because the corporate employers who control their stores apparently have the motto: Why rest during Christmas when you can make money? (For US, not for YOURSELF)

If you freak out because Starbucks is out of the Gingerbread Latte, then perhaps it's time for decaf, no?

Thank you for the candles that you gave me as a Christmas gift. Unfortunately I can never light them because I live in a tiny studio apartment, and my smoke detector goes off every time I turn on my gas stove. My neighbors probably either think I am some kind of pyromaniac or just a bad cook.

If you say, "Oh, you don't have to get me anything," do you think that Santa will put coal in my stocking if I get myself something with the money that I would have spent on you?

It's the holiday season again. When I was younger, I used to be so excited for Christmas. This was back when I still believed in Santa Claus, made snow angels and had snowball fights every time there was snow on the ground, ate Christmas cookies, and got up at the crack of dawn so that I could open my presents.

Now that I'm an adult (technically, anyway), I haven't believed in Santa Claus ever since I realized that his handwriting on the gift tags that he left on my presents was exactly the same as my father's handwriting. When there's snow outside, I automatically think, "Great. I just bought these shoes, and now they're going to be ruined." I spend hours at the gym to work off the calories from those Christmas cookies. And I get up at the crack of dawn to shop for presents (and by shop for presents, I mean arm-wrestle fellow shoppers over bargains. This year, I'm going to arm-wrestle AND tickle fellow shoppers in order to get to the bargains first.).

I actually haven't started my Christmas shopping yet. That's because I've been caught up with school and work, as usual. The holiday season brings back bad memories of working in retail during the holidays, when I didn't get to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's like normal people do because I had to work instead. (I feel sorry for the people working in movie theaters on Christmas Day. I know because I used to be one of them too.) And you know how a lot of stores play Christmas songs? Yeah. Imagine listening to the same Christmas songs over and over and over again, day after day after day.

But before you think of me as a neurotic version of Scrooge, I'll admit that there is one thing I like about Christmas: the decorations. I like going downtown and seeing the city all lit up. I like seeing the Christmas displays in the store windows, and I like how other people, who normally rush around from place to place, stop and admire all the decorations with smiles on their faces. I like seeing people bringing Christmas trees home, and I imagine what the trees are going to look like once all the ornaments and lights are on them. And for just that moment, it's like I'm a little girl at Christmas again.

What about you? What do you like/dislike about Christmas? How do you feel about holiday shopping?

20 comments:

  1. I like Christmas in general. But I HATE THE MALLS AND SHOPPING. I did it all online this year. No regrets.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Gia,
      Online shopping is a good idea, especially because you can often find things online that aren't in the stores. Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com are my favorites.

      Delete
  2. Hate holiday shopping. I like all the lights.

    The lotion vs. soap and candy cane vs. toothpaste bits made me laugh.

    I always feel bad for the salespeople. Especially on Thanksgiving--can't one day per year be left alone??? I'm glad in MA retails stores can't be open.

    Happy holidays to you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Theresa,
      When those Walmart salespeople went on strike because their employers decided that the employees should work on Thanksgiving, I sympathized with the workers. When I worked in retail, there used to be big X's over the calendar in the break room; the X's meant that we weren't allowed to request any time off during the holidays. I guess it made sense in a way, seeing as how it was a busy shopping season. But not having ANY time off sucked. I think that those corporate employers who made us work during the holidays should be forced to work during those days too. Then they'd see what it's like.

      Delete
  3. Hate holiday shopping with a passion. I will ALWAYS do it online... just easier!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Tom,
      I don't like it either. It'd be easier if everyone I'm shopping for just wanted books for Christmas. Then I could either buy them gift cards or just buy everything online. At the very least I'd get to go to a bookstore, which I always like to do.

      Delete
  4. Haha!
    Here in The Netherlands Christmas shopping isn't all that bad, more people shopping, but that's about it.

    And I do buy books for everyone, I figured that Christmas is not about getting what you want, but about giving something to someone you like. And sometimes you don't know you need a book until you get one :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Irene,
      Books are excellent gifts, especially fiction. I like getting gift cards to bookstores, because then it gives me something to look forward to. And I often like the books that other people recommend to me. They should do more book trailers on TV as a way to get more people reading.

      Delete
  5. Ugh, don't get me started on how salespeople are treated. I worked in retail for a summer in college and I cannot believe the manners (or lack thereof) of some shoppers. Lots of uncouth people out there. It's frustrating to see, but hopefully your holiday shopping will be over soon and you can just relax at home instead of dealing with others!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Julie,
      Working in retail is tough mainly because of the customers. I met some nice ones who were polite and considerate. But a lot of other customers were bossy and had a big sense of entitlement; they thought they were entitled to treat salespeople like dirt. They were very, very wrong.

      Delete
  6. I dislike the greediness and the selfishness. Everyone's so worried about what they want, they lose perspective.

    I like the music and the baking and the lights on the houses and the Christmas trees. My favorite day of the years is Christmas Eve, when magic abounds. I become a kid again. I believe in miracles.

    Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Emily,
      My biggest apologies for the late response! I was responding to other people's comments and didn't realize that I forgot to respond to yours too! Anyway, I like Christmas baked goods too, especially the cookies. Gingerbread men are my favorite. :) I like the Christmas lights too. It's too bad I live in an apartment, because otherwise I'd decorate my home.

      Delete
  7. I laughed so hard at this one: If you freak out because Starbucks is out of the Gingerbread Latte, then perhaps it's time for decaf, no?

    Ah, the silly season! I'm so glad I no longer work in retail over Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lynda,
      I'm also glad I don't work in retail anymore. The employee discount wasn't even worth it most of the time, because even with the discount I didn't earn enough to buy a lot of stuff.
      Some people can get very emotional about their coffee or food. When I worked at a movie theater, one woman threw a tantrum because one of the cashiers put butter on the woman's popcorn.

      Delete
  8. We always leave our Christmas shopping until the very last moment. Every year I vow to just buy everything online in time to be delivered, but Every year I'm in the shops the day before Christmas frantically spending ANYTHING to just get something to shut the kids up. I like the tickle idea, might try that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Charmaine,
      I wish I had done my shopping earlier, because then I would have more free time during the Christmas break. But I just get so caught up with everything else that I'm left with little time to shop.
      I'm thinking that this year I'll treat myself to a small gift; maybe that'll motivate me to set aside more time to shop. :)

      Delete
  9. I can so relate! When I worked in retail over the Christmas period, I swear I'd never met so many rude people. Talk about the Christmas spirit! Yikes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Talli,
      When I worked in retail, it was hard to get into the "Christmas spirit" because I had to deal with rude people every day. I know that shopping (especially Christmas shopping) can be stressful, but people should still treat each other with respect.

      Delete
  10. The thing I like most about Christmas is when you're walking around town on 23rd/24th and strangers wish you a Merry Christmas. I love being around family on Christmas Day, and sitting down to watch Christmas films with my kids (even if they drift off after the opening credits and I'm left watching Miracle on 34th Street alone - like yesterday!) I could probably do completely without the presents and decorations, and definitely without the shopping! The economy would collapse if left in my hands :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Annalisa,
      I think that Christmas would be a lot less stressful without shopping or presents. I like watching Christmas movies too. One of my favorites is Elf, starring Will Ferrell. He's so funny.

      Delete