Quote from a news article:

Shoppers who come out on Christmas Eve, on the other hand, were either waiting for the biggest discounts or they didn’t have the money to spend earlier, she said. Or they just tend to dilly-dally.

While many Black Friday shoppers relish the hunt, last-minute buyers are harried and focused on getting things done.

And true to stereotype, they are mostly men, said Dan Jasper, spokesman for Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn.

via Christmas Eve work shutdown to spell mobbed malls – Yahoo! News.

There is something freeing about moving the week before Christmas and only spending one week wondering and worrying about what to give as Christmas gifts. There’s not really any question whether I could get a better price if I waited. There’s not as much feeling as if I have to “do it all” or “buy it all” Right Now, dragging me through the month of December.

On the other hand, “Gee, the traffic is horrific.” It’s almost like driving in China except that people mostly follow rules, and stay in their own lane, walk across the street at intersections, and honk a lot less. Okay, I guess it’s not too much like driving in China after all, except for no parking spaces left and being almost bumper-to-bumper with the car in front and behind me.

Then, when I get in the store, the pickings are a little slim. What’s left are the boxes that other shoppers have opened and peeked in to see just exactly what that set of 12 glasses looks like. Of course, then I too have to open the box and see if all the glasses are in there, in good condition. Confirming that they are all there, intact, I notice one untampered box of the same glasses at the back of the shelf, so I shove aside the box with the “confirmed quality” in favor of the “unopened” quality. Logical Me asks, “Does this make sense? Wouldn’t it be more logical to buy the glasses that are confirmed intact?” My Inner Brat answers back, “Just shut up. This one looks better.” You’d think my Inner Brat learned nothing in China.

Standing in a controlled line at the checkstands that would impress even the government of the PRC, I watch a bewildered old man wander through the one weak point and walk directly to a cashier who politely points out that there is a line. He walked away from her, seeming confused, and went straight to another cashier, who cheerfully offered to ring up his purchase.

Inner Brat: Nice act, if you are old enough to pull it off.

Logical Me: He’s old and confused, knock it off.

Inner Brat: Sure he is. I wonder if when I’m 87 I’ll be able to pull that off.

Logical Me: You are such a brat.

Inner Brat: That’s my name, don’t wear it out.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Mr. Hot Stuff goes shopping on purpose every year on Christmas Eve. He says it’s tradition. Interestingly, I always had the impression that traditions were supposed to be fun. Personally I think it’s an I’m-going-crusading-for-the-best-gifts-and-I-will-kill-all-the-bad-guys-and-the-evil-dragons-guarding-the-treasure man kind of thing, like football on Thanksgiving. What better way to celebrate a holiday than with a fierce feeling of victory? Me? I hope I can stay within a two mile radius of home.

Merry Christmas!

winner-winner, chicken dinner 🙂