How can I possibly be so bad at Christmas shopping?

Last week, I went to the mall swearing I was gonna get all my shopping done in one fell swoop. The last couple years, this had been no problem at all. I was in and out, done with my shopping, and back to watching MTV and eating Cheetos in no time.

But this year, it just wouldn’t happen. I walked into Borders, figuring I’d find something for almost everyone in my family in there. First, I figured I’d look for my mom. I headed for the cookbooks, only to realize, “wait a second, I’ve gotten her cookbooks each of the last two years, and I don’t think she uses them.”

Next, I figured I’d look for my younger brother. I went for the CDs, only to realize that I had no idea whatsoever what he would want for CDs.

Dad? Nada. Little sister? Zip. Older sister? I went to the local music section, but came up empty-handed.

So I did the only rational thing I could think of. I took a break. Off to the jazz and blues section for me, where I started making in-depth comparisons of Fats Waller and Sidney Bechet discs, and looking at box sets.

Somehow that break turned into an hour and a half. I figured that I wasn’t getting anywhere in Borders, so I started wandering into various clothing stores, thinking I could get some clothes for my younger siblings.

Did I find anything for them? No, but I picked out some nice items for myself.

I’d hit all the major stores, and I still came up empty handed, so I figured it was time for another break. But by then the mall was closing, so I had to leave. Three hours of wandering around the local sanitized wasteland, and I had nothing to show for it except for ways to spend more money on myself.

So now I’m trying to do the shopping online thing. One whole week of mulling over gift ideas, and I have managed to figure out a gift for exactly one person. At this rate, I should be done with my Christmas shopping in time for Valentine’s Day. And I’m going to be completely broke from all the shopping I’ll have done for myself.

But enough babbling about consumerism in the name of all that is holy. I need to get back to Amazon and pick me out some more box sets.

Posted on December 13th, 2004 by Lee
Filed under: Uncategorized