Food was in the oven, table was set, champagne was on ice, fireplace was roaring, friends were on their way over...yes tis the season to remember 2012 and say "goodbye", "see ya", "out with the old and in with the new", move on looking forward to ringing in 2013 and most importantly...celebrate all the sales happening now such as "after Christmas sale, "year end sales" "new year's day sales" and very soon the "great white sale". Yes tis the season to get out, spend your Christmas cash, catch all the bargains you can, seize the day!!!
Back in the day, things sure were different... lets take a short trip down memory lane...
*nothing was on sale prior to Christmas, no complaints, no arguments, that was the way it was!!!...it was full retail the whole way!!!
*the mall was packed elbow to elbow with Christmas shoppers!!!...long, long lines at check out, mad dashes to get that special gift hoping it wasn't sold out and hours were spent shopping.
*special kiosks brought in just for the Christmas season with all kinds of unique things, last minute ideas...yeah you get the idea!!!
*the mall had decorations way over the top...it was really something to see and enjoy!
*there was always a certain part of the mall designated as a Christmas wrapping area, for a few bucks you got a fantastic present wrapping and you also helped out a local charity( I use to volunteer for the American Cancer Society)
*there was a huge "Give a Gift Tree", you purchase gifts for underprivileged children and they hung your name on their tree(my children did this).
Okay...my memories, good memories!!!
And now in the present, how have things changed...?
*everything in the mall is on sale...no need to pay full price for anything, retailers have no problem luring in Christmas shoppers from the 80% off racks to the buy one get second one 1/2 off!!! Now that sure feels good on our wallets!!!
*Christmas season...shopping at the mall, consider yourself lucky if you could find a parking space! Now we can Christmas shop online, take our time, have that second cup of coffee, in your jammies, pandora music in the background, free shipping...yeah exactly, we don't even need to leave our house!!!
*yeah...because of online shopping I guess why bother with unique kiosks, if you think unique, it can be found online.
*don't get me wrong...the mall decorations are very pretty, just not over the top(like back in the day)
*the present wrapping area is surely missed...from the customers to the charities!!!
*yes...we also miss the big "give a gift tree"
So what does a shopper (like me) do in this crisis...learn the tricks of the trade and convert to online shopping?...but wait, I like to see "in person", I like to "feel it" and I like to "try on", I like the sensation of holding a shopping bag or bags, I like to see a receipt with my savings, I like to window shop at the mall...so now the truth comes out...yes I am and always will be a mall shopper, the free shipping is hard to resist online but the window shopping has got that beat!!!
As 2013 begins, I can only see more and more bargains in my future...I can only see VIP parking spots for me at the mall, I can hardly wait to feel the weight of many shopping bags gracing my body and the razzle and dazzle of the mall...nuf said!!!
But my inquiring mind wants to know...what ever happened to The Christmas Club Savings Account?!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment