Last Minute Christmas Shopping
We had to go eventually.
With the amount of holiday illness in our home lately, we were a little behind when it came to our Christmas shopping. So today - of all days - the child and I went looking for a gift/stocking stuffers for BW.
First, stop: McDonald’s. We needed to have energy before we went, and of course there’s the toy. The current promotion is with Disney and they have 70 toys from which to choose. Her happy meal came with two toys so this means we only have to go 35 more times1 to get the complete set. For more than one reason, that’s not going to happen for us.
Next Stop: Off to the strip mall, because nothing says I love you like some crap from the Dollar Store.
I want to note that of all the stores we visited today, it was the Dollar store that was the busiest. We popped into the craft store, and it was a ghost town and even Target was not super packed, which is odd. Maybe it’s the economy, or maybe people just shop online but for the last Saturday afternoon before Christmas there were a lot of empty parking spots for this time of year.
Shopping with the child is the biggest time suck ever because she wanted to look at every item at every store. I like to shop, so I get it - but it’s hard to shop with children. I knew that already but this was the reminder that if you actually want to be able to browse - go alone - because she wants an audience all the time of all the neat things she finds.
This is unlike back in the day when you could leave your child in the toy dept and come and find them later, while you actually shopped. Now you’re expected to have them hang around with you all the time so you can you know: Parent in real time.
Oh, the shopping - We did actually end up finding a few trinkets to toss in some stockings and we were back on the road home where we already have enough crap as it is.
It was a good day for her and she needed to get out of the house and with both BW and I sick there’s been a fair bit of screen time lately. It was about time she went outside, even if it was just to the mall.
I think I can say that we are now as ready as we are ever going to be for Christmas 2025.
Bring it on Santa. We’re ready.
TH and Co.
this assumes you don’t get any duplicates, either.