The Last Minute Shopper

One of our oldest Christmas customs is the last minute gift. Possibly
not the noblest of traditions but certainly common enough to raise a
comment or two from anyone who has had to brave the check out counter of
any retail establishment.

As long as we've been buying presents for family and significant others, there
are loved ones who just can't seem to get any serious Christmas
shopping finished until the last possible minute.

Truly, I would wager that the money side of Yuletide counts on the last
minute gift buying craze for a serious component of their sales. As for my reasons, I blame my brother...

You see, my brother lifted last minute Christmas shopping to an art form.
To see my brother weave his way through the multitudes was absolute poetry in motion. It was
mesmermizing. And since he's my older brother, I admired him
in every way.

If that is how he did it then it must be so. Mind you, not all of us
are 6'4"and 225lbs so here a few hints to help you make your own last
minute miracle:
Get prepared. You're going to be waiting in line in a short while
so fight back the urge to rush out the house. Make a list, don't worry how
general or short.

Understand precisely whom you are going to be buying for. There's hardly any time left and
you may actually have to crop your list. If you must shorten, you can
give them a New's Year gift as an alternative. It will still be appreciated.

The biggest question, of course, is what to get. Let's begin with where
not to go. Beyond question, stay away from the "Big Box" superstores. By
now, they'll be picked clean and full of exasperated Shoppers.

By snubbing the superstores, you must now think a little differently.
Consider the likes and dislikes of whomever you're purchasing for. If
that goes poorly, think of their friends and the activities they have in
common between them. If that doesn't make an idea or two, think about the
work they do. If you're absolutely out of ideas, you can always count on old
faithful. That is, you can go with male or female.

Stop for a just a second right here. If you've not began a list, start
over! If you do, awesome! You're on your way. Take your list, which must
include names, gifts and possible stores. Your journey can begin knowing
you've done most of the hard work already!

One thing before you hit the stores. Get some hard currency! You can count
on credit card machines and ATM terminals not working at the most
inopportune times. And besides, there's nothing like real cash to
speed-up check-out.

Once you're in the store, don't browse. Remember, you're on a mission
and the clock is working against you! Either it's there or not. Your list should be
fresh in your mind so if you see something that is close to
something on the list, go for it!
Of course, a little practice goes a long way. By the time you're in
your second or third store, you'll have it all figured out.

The best part of shopping for a last minute present is the experience itself.
There's not much to remember about purchasing a Christmas gift in October! However
you'll bump into all kinds of characters if you venture forth sometime
following December 21st. Oh, the stories you'll be able to tell!

And what better present can you give than a smile?

Be brave my fellow procrastinators! There's no need to make haste - You've
still got plenty of time...

Carla Brumwell is a beat writer for Christmas Recipe Ideas and a recuperating last minute shopper.