For those last minute shoppers!

I wrote this one last year:

A Dollar’s Worth

By Alisa Dollar

If I hear “only x amount of days left till Christmas” again, I’m going to scream!  It’s a frantic “I haven’t gotten all my fill-in-the-blank” done yet!”  The shopping hustle and bustle is interesting to watch.  I wish my bustle was in gear.  I’m a “wait-till-the-last-minute” shopper.

Shoppers try to talk over, around, and through children when deciding what to buy, while kids appear to be distracted but with an eager ear directed expertly toward whispering voices.  To really annoy, they turn quickly only to see parents go into an undiscovered form of sign language.  I’ve always wondered why kids don’t just point to the desired object and say, “Wow, isn’t that one neat?”  They could watch mom and dad either sigh with relief they were correct in their choice or frown because it won’t be a secret.

The games we play at this time of year.

Husband particularly irritates me.  First, he can always guess what’s in a package.  I used to be convinced he paid one of the kids to tell him.  Since they’ve left, he still does it.  I’ve looked everywhere for a little x-ray gadget, but haven’t found one yet.

Secondly, he knows I can’t stand a wrapped package with my name on it.  I shake, rattle, roll, smell, listen (just in case it’s ticking) and guess a lot.  To no avail, he’s a “Christmas morning and not one day before” opener.  Easy for him since he guessed his!

I read the end of a book first.  I know it’s a bad habit.  My theory is if it is a good ending I have something to look forward to.  If a bad ending, I have to know why.  That’s my reason and I’m sticking to it!  One year I’d been waiting for a book by a certain author I enjoy and was surprised that he even knew about her much less this book. I was so happy to open the gift until I found the last chapter missing!   A note was attached to see husband.  Needless to say, I wasn’t as appreciative as I probably should’ve been.  What a mean thing to do!

Memories are often swept under the carpet to fly out with the dust bunnies after all the hoopla’s over, but if one sits to ponder events that took place in their lives with family and friends makes shopping more fun at Christmas.