Three hours
From start to finish. Christmas shopping all done. Being broke does have its plus points. Gone are the days when I’d start the master list in July, start shopping in August and be gift wrapping until for 12 hours until the wee hours of Christmas morning. Instead I took a single list, a small amount of cash and hit the shops with a three hour deadline.
Highlights of the afternoon:
- Finding cute-as-pie pyjamas for the granddaughters reduced to £3 a set in the pre Christmas sale.
- Being served coffee by the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Her smile lit up the room.
- Asking advice on finding a book suitable for a Noam Chomsky, Michael Moore, etc. fan to find that the extremely helpful chap in Books Etc. was American, blog-aware and happy to point me to book I think he’ll love Eric Scholosser’s Reefer Madness.
- Racing back to the car at 16:24, sure that we’d overrun our three hour Pay & Display ticket, to find that it was valid until 16:24. Wheeee!
p.s. I had some Christmassy links saved up to share but the gremlins seem to have eaten them so I’ll point you instead to Graeme’s fine collection over at Lazy Laces.
December 23rd, 2006 02:47
A good day shopping and a lovely cup of coffee to go with it is a gift in itself. You’ve got some good karma stacked up, I think.
December 23rd, 2006 12:23
I like your shopping plan and time limit. Smart thinking, girlfriend.
I remember the movie Reefer Madness, but didn’t know about the book. Will check it out now.
December 23rd, 2006 14:12
Nice to hear you had a good shopping experience. Spending a little on really thoughtful things is the way to go – and I know that because I just read it in The New Yorker.
December 23rd, 2006 18:07
three hours!! an all time record! now shake it off!
It has been fun getting to know you this year. Wishing you a happy holiday and a peaceful new year!
December 24th, 2006 23:39
That’s the way to do it!
Happy FOTCR™ :)
December 26th, 2006 03:46
Merry Christmas wishes from South Carolina to you Daisy. Thanks for the good stuff this year.
December 26th, 2006 11:24
I’m so glad you liked the coffee, dahlink.
December 27th, 2006 06:27
I hope you had the bestivus Festivus ever!
December 29th, 2006 03:20
It sounds to me like a very civilized way to approach the whole shopping season.