RateItAll: The Opinion Network

Always a migraine-inducing annoyance, one that only gets worse the older I get. Even when I was younger, and went to NY a lot, I tried to stay out of the city during the entire month of December, as the crush of aggressive shoppers was maddening. Now, you can't even get around in NJ during December. Shopping malls, which I hate in the best of times, are bestial this time of year, especially in NJ. Thankfully, the people I do have to shop for in my life know I don't have a ton of discretionary income to blow on such frivolities as "Christmas gifts" and make allowances for me. On-line shopping has made my life a hell of a lot easier, I must say, as my Dad is happy with a book or DVD from Amazon. I have the adoptive mother who raised me and a birth mother who contacted me some years ago to shop for, and that can prove difficult. My adoptive mother is happy with a box of diatetic candy, which means I have to venture out amongst people as they only sell it in a specialty candy store, but at least the candy store is in Morristown and not Manhattan (once I bought her some pottery at a shop up in Nyack, and she was very happy with it, but how much pottery can you buy?). As for my birth mother, she'll hopefully be happy with a nice meal out or a book. My last girlfriend was happy enough with a night out at the bar (which was a lot more expensive than one might initially think; my ex liked elaborate Vodka drinks, and she liked a lot of them). Quite frankly, the "joy" of Christmas wore off long ago in my childhood, and no one is more thankful than I am when the season is finally, mercifully over. Bah, humbug!

Number 1, I recently got it through my head, that christmas is pagan, and therefore, there is no need for me to do any last minute shopping. Number 2, I won't let it stress me anyways, It's dumb that people run and rush to do christmas shopping, most of the stuff that they buy will end up collecting dust in a month, Things!...If you want to give a gift, and share with friends and family, that is great, but no more making christmas a "priority" for me, loving and sharing with friends, and family, is a needful thing.

to each their own. I for one do not do my shopping at the last minute. I try to be at least 95% done within a week of Christmas. I tend to prefer to be done and ready.I know of some who do last minute shopping for all their shopping if they do not mind okay for them. Not Me.

I usually start after lunch on the 24th.

That's why you shop WELL before Christmas so you can get it out of the way. I used to shop ON Christmas Eve but then I realized it's better to plan ahead and enjoy more time with family!