The Shopping Bug

From what many people tell me, and from my own observations, shopping around Christmas, especially Christmas Eve, is a gigantic hassle and best avoided when possible. And yet, many people still wait till the last minute to shop for their gifts. Even though they know that malls and shopping centers will be packed to the brim.

"They" say that during the holiday season, everyone acts a little nicer, everyone is a little bit kinder, and all is merry and bright in the world. "They" have obviously never been to a mall around Christmas. Inside, a mob of people toss money around without a care in the world, and would just as soon step on your face as say hello. People grab at the most popular items and are seriously impatient when in line behind you. Outside is no better. Parking lots degrade into battlefields for lazy people. They stalk you in the parking lot, cut people off, and stop and wait five minutes with their turn signal on, all to get a parking spot a little close to the mall. Heaven forbid they actually have to do a little walking. (Admittedly this practice is where I get my most fun. I like to pick a car really close to the mall, pull out my keys, and when it seems like I've reeled in someone desperate for a spot, I move on, leaving the driver to angrily drive away. Go on, run me over when I do that to you. I could use the money.)

So after facing the massive barrage of cars and people in the malls, folks finish up their shopping, swearing up and down that they'll never do THAT again. So they settle down for a nice relaxing holiday filled with eggnog and roaring fires and brightly-lit Christmas trees, until......

..... the day AFTER Christmas, where everyone seems to repeat the process! Off they go to the malls again, to take part in after-Christmas "sales" and to exchange the items they want no part of. Why, I ask you? Why do people do that to themselves?

I have a hard enough time shopping during the non-holiday season, let alone the actual holiday season. People really must be that dedicated to shopping or taking advantage of a semi-decent sale. That, or these people are really gluttons for punishment.