Almost Christmas…time to shop! No matter how filled with the Christmas spirit you are, heading out into the madness that is the holiday crowds can suck the fa-la-la right out of you. You leave the house, list in hand, with the desire to check everyone off one by one, then the reality of just how stressful it all can be sets in. Traffic, crowds, rude people and long lines are just a few of the things you can look forward to. Finding the perfect gift for each and every loved one isn’t the hard part. Maintaining your sanity throughout multiple trips to the mall…that’s where things get interesting.
If you’ve decided to shop traditionally—not online, no gift cards, & no Grinch—then the mall and several other crowded destinations are in your future. Face it, it’s par for the course. Having a “plan of attack” before even entering one store is recommended to make sure those last names on the list don’t get left off out of necessity. To avoid having to throw up your hands and decide to just give out hugs for Christmas, there are a few things that might help your shopping morale this holiday season.
- Don't hunt and hunt for a parking space. Take the 1st spot you find. Driving in circles will waste valuable shopping time and build frustration which will likely spill over into your shopping experience.
- “Make a list and check it twice” is not just good advice for Santa. More importantly…HAVE IT WITH YOU! It will help give you a sense of control, which will in turn help preserve your holiday spirit.
- Eat & hydrate to preserve your energy to hunt for those deals, wait in lines and deal with the hordes of other shoppers. A protein or energy bar and a bottle of water will do.
Your Christmas hopefully won’t be made or broken by how successful you are at shopping. However, if you’re going to do it, and you know you are to some extent, leave the stress at home and keep your Christmas spirit intact. Stay safe and sane, and have a happy holiday!
