weyes' wisdom of the day - 12/16/08

[weyes]

wow. i've learned so much this year about how to stay sane during christmas time, and i thought i'd just pass on a few things i've learned, just about shopping. it's been better than ever this year and i feel like i can breathe, for the first time in a while. of course, other people may already have been practicing these dos and don'ts for years, but since they were new to me, i thought i'd throw 'em in the column.

• do as much one-stop-shopping as possible. going to stores or malls that can take care of multiple recepients not only saves time, it reduces stress by getting the annoyance that is christmas shopping done sooner.
  
• for faraway friends and relatives, shopping online generally saves money. even with the post office's new flat rate boxes, most websites have cheaper shipping, and one saves money on the tax s/he would spend on items in retail stores, as well.
  
• avoid shopping alone. it's harder to get cranky about lines, prices, and obnoxious christmas music when one has a friend with whom to commiserate.
  
• bringing along a snack is a good idea when going all over the place to different stores. it prevents one from wasting time going and stopping someplace to eat and keeps one's energy and mood up. staying hydrated is also important, as it is on any other day.
  
• going shopping on weekdays or rainy days are, of course, not as crowded, but that really does go without saying. i thought i'd just throw that in 'cause it's supposed to rain here in socal for the next couple of [week]days...
  
• if christmas music and crowds are particularly maddening when shopping by yourself, bringing along an ipod might help keep the mood calm.
  
• and, of course, getting it done as soon as possible is best, though i know that's always easier said than done. this is the earliest i've ever finished, and i cannot even describe how great it feels. i keep having the feeling that i've forgotten someone... but i even had the added bonus of going to the post office and sending away my packages and not having to spend a totally insane amount of money on speedier shipping [as i said above, it's crazy expensive!].
  
• o, and i thought i'd throw in that, for receiving, amazon wishlists are both kickass and convenient (though weyes could always just use more knee socks) .
  

good luck to all, and to all a good night!

tune in tomorrow; i'll be here since my shopping is done .