If you were brave enough to have ventured out to any local mall this past weekend, you were probably thinking what I was thinking: Recession who? Everywhere I turned, I was hit by, stuck behind, walking uncomfortably close to or trying desperately to fight off hordes upon hordes of Christmas shoppers with that crazed look in their eyes. You know that look. The anxiety-ridden, wild-eyed look of consumerism that continues to plague America's malls not just during the holidays, but on most days (if we're really gonna be honest here).
A quick pitstop at any store quickly turns into a shoulder-grazing, shopping-bag bumping, sideways-stepping mad rush to get in line before the next customer.
Indeed, in a nation where after national tragedy strikes, we are told by our leaders that "it's okay and safe to go shopping now", it's no wonder that even in hard times, consumerism would still be the last value standing. Though it is a rarity to see anything substantial -like say, an entire way of life- change overnight, there are ways to keep the purse strings tight this Christmas. And you thought this was going to be a rant with no remedies.
Take, for example, the act of gifting. Before heading out the door with your wallet and list of who's been naughty or nice, plant your feet firmly inside the doorway and take a good look around. Regifting takes a lot of heat for being an un-kosher way of getting away with not having to purchase a gift, but that's because it often isn't done correctly! Let a pro show you how it's done! On a side note, regifting has also become a way of raising money for charitable causes - puts a different spin on the infamous fruitcake that also takes a lot of flack during the holidays, doesn't it?
Another option is to give your knuckles a good crack or two and stretch your arts and crafts muscles. Go through your mental rolodex of basic arts-and-crafts skills that might come in handy this Christmas. Even if you don't knit, you can at least wield a hot glue gun. And there's nothing wrong with cotton balls and Elmer's glue for some good ol'-fashioned grade school Christmas card sentiment.
After racking your brain, you might decide that a trip to the mall is still necessary. Make it count by following these helpful tips on how to be a bit more frugal this holiday season.
Some last minute tips: But be sure to lace up those sneakers because tottering on heels or limping around in tight, uncomfortable shoes at a crowded mall will only heighten your irritation with the millions of other Americans who are trying to snag the same deals you are. And give the employees a break: they're getting paid close to minimum wage to help you pick out a gift for someone -the least you can do is keep the ranting and complaining to yourself (or within the confines of a blog).
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