Christmas shopping used to be something I looked forward to with glee, it was the beginning of the festivities for me and part and parcel (no pun intended) of the run up to the big day.
12 years in retail have somewhat eroded that. I have been listening to 'Jingle Bells' and 'Hark the bloody Herald Angels Sing, for weeks now. Christmas started in gemmaks-ville in mid September, lugging Christmas trees about and packing tinsel, lights and all the other paraphernalia for weeks has worn a little thin now and Christmas cheer among Joe Public, is as ever, in short supply.
It is thus that the thought of getting my own shopping done and dusted did not fill me with ecstasy, add to that PG and I don't have many days off together and it always requires a few trips to get it all done and that each trip is 150 miles.
How the answer never hit me before amazes me, I spend a large proportion of my time sat infront of this infernal machine and yet it took me until this year to realise the solution to the Christmas shopping horror was staring me in the face! Doh!
Shop on the internet, obvious really. Strange how one gets a mind set about a particular activity, most other things I buy off the internet and yet Christmas gifts I had never thought of!
And so one day last week I logged onto johnlewis.com, charge card gripped firmly in hand and set about virtual shopping. What a delight, two hours later, no crowds, no Hark the bloody Herald Angels and no fuss, it was done.....90% of what I needed was purchased leaving only a few odds and sods left to be found.
The down side of course was that given recent experiences I was not entirely convinced that my order would be delivered without fuss or on time. 3-7 working days was quoted, it arrived in 4! How impressed am I? I know, John lewis of all retailers were going to get it right if anyone was but 'Ms Sceptical' here still harboured doubts! Not only did said parcel arrive within the specified period but also, on finding no one at home, the delivery driver, proving to have an IQ above that of a peanut used his nouse and left it with a neighbour!
Christmas shopping 21st century style, it may be cheating not to suffer the crowds etc. but it's the way to go for me.
All I have to do now is the wrapping and distribution. That involves a 600 mile round trip to my sisters in the Midlands a day or two before Christmas if PG and I have a day off together, I can't say I fancy the drive alone. The one thing I overlooked in my excitement at finding a route out of the shopping nightmare was to buy gifts of a 'postable' size! At least I get to see my nieces for a few hours near to Christmas this way..... we might be shattered after the journey but it will be happy shattered.
"Haaark the herald angels siiiing, glooory tooo the new born King"............
Tuesday, 30 November 2004
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7 Comments:
OMG! I just did a post 2 days ago on internet xmas shopping. I had read this year was going to be huge for e shopping. I hope to god everything arrives safely for you, and pleeeeeeeeeeeese check your statements. There are so many people getting ripped off by using their credit cards on line, especially now that phishing has become popular.
WTph? What's "phishing"? I phear I'll never phully phathom these new-phangled frases, phphs.
(Pardon my Phrench)
Looooove shopping online! Have done it ever since I started having tiny little snivling creatures to take care of all the time.
Right - I'm gonna go to the mall with three kids if I can possibly help it!
Speaking of online, don't hate me - just installed my DSL - oh yah!
You know what though - Blogger's still slow!
Michelle: I'm useless at checking statements, I really must start doing it! The phising thing is getting bad, I get at least one mail a day at the moment! Grrr
Dale: Lol....that is so phunny!
What is Phishing?
"Phishing attacks use 'spoofed' e-mails and fraudulent websites designed to fool recipients into divulging personal financial data such as credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, social security numbers, etc. By hijacking the trusted brands of well-known banks, online retailers and credit card companies, phishers are able to convince up to 5% of recipients to respond to them."
Scarlett: I e-shop alot for almost everything else, how I didn't consider it for Xmas before is peculiar! lol
Kids and the mall...........noooooooooo! lol
Ok I wont hate you...much! hehe. Blogger would be slow with a 50gig connection methinks!
As a shopping purist, it breaks my heart to see how many people are resorting to online shopping to avoid the hustle and bustle of malls. But then I'm a student who can go shopping in between classes in the middle of the day. I also have my iPod on at all times while browsing. :->
Jack: Yayyyyyy.....'all the young dudes' you would have been my hero too! :o)
HA! So guess what list I am compiling at present... a "get to know everything about digital cameras list"... even the stores compare them..... all I have to do is print it out... now that is shopping at it's finest!!!... and I can listen to my own Christmas Music of my choosing if I so desire..... even nicer... oh, and of course... no screaming children... because there's always screaming children when you don't want them (my children NEVER screamed EVER in department stores. EVER.) Seriously. I love shopping!
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