Holiday Shopping

[DragonHeart]

It's that dread time of the year again for all of us retail employees. I am so glad I'm not working today, although I will be out and about later.

So, has anyone started their shopping yet, and if so, are you getting any sweet Black Friday deals? Though honestly I didn't see any really nice deals in the mountain of fliers we got yesterday. Even Amazon doesn't seem to have much for decent sales. Side effects of the recession, I suppose.

I'm actually almost done with mine already. I'm not buying for a ton of people this year. I got a new vacuum for my brother cause his is broken and I figured I'd get something practical since I only buy toys for his baby son Braylon. XD

I got Joe, my future stepfather (no they aren't married yet lol) a retro-style hot air popcorn maker and kernels since he really likes that style of popcorn. Plus he'll stop making it in the microwave, he always burns it and the stench lingers for hours. >.>; I hate the smell of burnt popcorn.

For my mom, an electric griddle. Cause she told me that's what she wanted. I even bought it while she was shopping with me. No surprise for her, but she insists that I still wrap it. Blarg.

I'll probably get another gift card for my best friend and maybe something for my coworker Amanda, if I see anything nice she might like. Everyone else is getting cards. Sans money, cause I don't have that much to spare.

And conversely, what's on your wish list?

Personally I'm sick of the commercialism of Christmas. So overblown. I don't even want anyone to buy me anything. A day off and a nice dinner, that's all I really want out of it. Basically Thanksgiving redux, hah. Unless someone wants to be nice and pay for my car's registration, since I have to do that next month too.

~DragonHeart~

[OceanEyes28]

Actually, I've come across some awesome deals as a result of the recession. I've been on and off Victoria's Secret buying their sweaters and pajamas because they're so discounted. Got a free scarf for my stepmom with a sweater purchase. It's a damn fine scarf, too. I hopped onto Bath & Body Works today and got a discounted bag full of stuff with a purchase and got two of my brother's presents out of the way (aromatherapy stuff). I think I'll probably get some additional aromatherapy stuff for Dad and the moms, and I think I'm going to adopt a wolf for Mom (like, you "adopt" one, get a cute stuffed animal and a certificate, and know you did a good thing) as one of her presents. And Dad might get a couple books. I plan on putting together a disk full of pictures for Mom and Jennifer. Maybe a flash drive. It's a work in progress, I'm making it up as I go.

I think we've decided that Dad will just give Adam and me a clothing budget along with some other thing he might want us to have, and that'll be it. Mom and Jennifer enjoy the unwrapping process (as do I), so I'll give them a list of options if they need ideas. Or they can surprise me, I'm fine either way.

I just heard that there is apparently something called Cyber Monday, the Monday after Black Friday, during which all the online deals appear. I've never been aware of it. But being the online shopper that I am... I will be on the lookout.

Oooh sweet! 10% off Adagio stuff! This post is over.

[Chez Daja]

Now THIS is a worthy thread!

Actually, I'm really smug that I have started AND finished my shopping. I bought a few things in September, then had a whole week of shopping in November and managed a hefty few big gifts each.

I don't have a job (there's nothing left in times of recession), so I had to be very careful. Some of this came out of my meagre savings and for the other money, I did undesirable oddjobs. It was worth it. I got my mum some things she really wanted, like Marjong DS and that Scouting For Girls album she keeps going on about.

I'm relieved I finished early. Gave my time to have a cold and get over it and then go Christmas food shopping with my parents. They've already started. They're buying dry food and freezer food and then the day before Christmas Eve, they get all the veggies and fruits and stuff.

You've made me feel festive, DH.

[Rikkuffx]

I just worked 5am to 11am. We were busy since we opened the gate(i'm in the mall) It wasnt as busy as it usually is on Black Friday. We did have a line but it wasnt too bad. Plus there was me and liek 3 other ppl on registers so we got through the line quickly.

I'm not shopping much thsi year. I'm making gifts,its easier on my bank lol. I'md oing picture frames or albums for a few family and friends. The guys i'm just gonna get giftcards for,its easier and that way I dont spend too much.

[DragonHeart]

I'm also a big fan of gift cards. It's easy, relatively painless on the wallet, and gives the giftee the ability to pick what they get. Wins all around. I did mostly gift cards last year though so I'm doing actual gifts this year. I don't like giving the same thing multiple times in a row, even if it is something as versatile as the gift card.

I think I'm going to hold off on the shopping today though, as the weather is bad. Pouring rain and most stores are still packed. At least the ones I saw on the way to the grocery store were. I hate crowds so I'd rather not make myself put up with that if I don't have to. Besides, despite all the ads to the contrary, holiday shopping is anything but happy around here. Evidently holiday cheer is reserved for the parties after several alcoholic beverages. All I've been seeing lately are scowls n' growls.

~DragonHeart~

[Djinn]

I've technically not started christmas shopping yet haha, although i do have 2 presents for people... one got hers way waaaay early and the other will get hers soon so i don't misplace it XD.

Normally just get my sister a DVD, think she's been wanting to watch WALL-E so i'll get her that and another random one. My dad is weird with presents, he comes up with the weirdest idea's for them haha, probably something car or DIY related (even though he's terrible at it). My mum no doubt wants another Leona Lewis CD haha. If i don't spend too much on my parents i get them a nice expensive bottle of bubbly, or a few bottles of decent wine since they always buy cheap stuff.

On top of all that i believe i'm cooking again this year and i'm going to make an awesome christmas cake. That's present enough!

[SOLDIER #819]

I'm sure this employee really enjoyed his Black Friday. Goddamn.

I got a friend Left 4 Dead for the 360 for $40 at the beginning of Amazon's Black Friday sale. I also tried to get myself Left 4 Dead for the PC for $20 ($40 off, holy crap), but I guess I didn't want it more than the other people who snatched it off the site in under two minutes.

Then I bought my dad a season of Deep Space Nine from Borders, which I managed to get discounted 25% due to a little thing they had going on. I think I'm going to run around various shops and see if I can get anything else...would be nice. My family is the hardest to shop for though.

Edit: I can't stand gift cards, DragonHeart. It feels like a mail-in rebate. Why not cash?! CASH IS GREAT!

[Taco-Calamitous]

I'm sure this employee really enjoyed his Black Friday. Goddamn.

Gosh, that's crazy. Something like that happened last year, too. Like every year. Why is it so important to get good deals that you forget how to be civil and let instincts take over? "Must get inside! Must get good deal!" It's not like it's life or death. (Or... maybe it is. Unfortunate choice of words, I realize now that I look at my completed post.) That said...

I was awake at 4:15 AM. I took a shower, ate a bowl of cereal, a bag of chips, and a string cheese. I even read a little of the Bible before I set out at 4:50 to our first destination: Fred Meyer (it's not just a jewelry store in the northwest.) We were not there when the doors were opened, but my brother and I were getting volunteered to reach up and grab things off the top shelf in the toy isle for these short people at one point because we were tall. "Oh, you're tall. Can you grab this for me?" So we left and went to the electronics. My brother was like, "What do you want, Tom?" So I know what he's getting me I had coffee and donuts there, but bought nothing. Our next destination was...

Target, 6 AM. Target is generally the most packed place I enter. You get stuck in place there, or you have to go in one direction. The lines reached all the way around the store. I got a Micro SD card for my phone and the movie Kung Fu Panda for my nephew. With my brother's discount (he works at the distribution center) I got them both for under $20. And that's all I got all morning, though we also wandered into the rest of the mall for a little while. We went out to eat, and I spent $10.90 for my meal, plus the tip. That was probably the most expensive thing I got all day.

Other than that, I ordered some stuff for my brother's family already through Amazon.com, which cost me a little over $40 for 4 people. That's probably how I will do the rest of my shopping.

I want... things. I don't even know. When I see certain things-like video games-I think "Hey, that'd be cool to get." Although when I got them I don't know if I'd play them for long, given my track record for the past year. Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom

[loaf]

I work at Best Buy. I had to watch everyone get all the good deals. To bad I never went shopping after I got off my shift 40 minutes ago. Black Friday is fun as hell though.

At my store all the customers entered in an orderly fashion. Like Cows entering the slaughterhouse (it's what one of our sales person said when we opened lol)

The one thing I don't like about holiday shopping. People trying to steal.

Tomorrow I do plan on buying a few video games. Maybe some accessories for my camera also. And perhaps a PSP lawl.

[winterborn86]

I brought and wrote all my Christmas cards in September, and I have almost finished my shopping, only have 3 more presents to buy and wrap, all the others are wrapped,tagged and bowed up.
I have started buying bits of xmas food, but alot of stuff likemeat and veg, i prefer to buy fresh so i cant get any of that for another couple of weeks but the little frozen party foods like sausage rolls, mini pizza, eclair's and the cupboard storage stuff like jelly's, cheese savories, potato sticks I have started getting in so I'm almost done with those bit.
I need to but some new Xmas tree lights though I got a 6ft tree the over day and discovered that 1 box of lights are not gunna do any good.

[Meier Link]

We have pretty much got all of our shopping done haha. We have to buy for my mom and stepdad but other then that we cheaped out this year and had a bunch of pictures ordered of my son to give out, but in the end it still cost us a pretty penny for the prints.

As for Black Friday, I utterly despize it. No deal is worth getting out and facing the masses of crazed idiots around here. Might of thought of doing online shopping but then again there really isn't anything that I am overly enthused about right now when it comes to material items.

Maybe I will pick up some new games to play post christmas. I will say that I am still dieing to play Silent Hill 5.

[Lunasa]

I took my sweet little time getting up this morning, and since most of the sales in my mall ended at 1pm, I arrived at 10am, leaving promptly at 10:52. How does a woman get all her Christmas shopping done so fast? Careful scouting. I knew what to get everyone and exactly where to get it and what times that specific mall was busy. You could call it...

Reconnaissance.

[Govinda]

Someone got killed in a sale, crushed by shoppers? That is beyond ****ed up. I really mean it. ****'s sake. The outpour of sympathy has been touching.

I have done none of my shopping. I refuse to acknowledge Christmas before the 15th of December.

[Meier Link]

Actullay Gov, I hear stories like that every year. There is one thing I have learned about black Friday is to stay to your own and avoid confrentation, one of my buddies was telling me how last year he almost got his ass beat because he and this old man wanted the last of the same item. the old man threatened to take him out side and beat his ass.

I hate to think about how unhumane people get just to save a buck on material crap they really do not need in the first place. It is quite rediculous.

Even today I read in the paper where someone got hurt at a local mall over some crap for a cheap DVD player, bleh.

But there was some good in the whole black Friday thing, I was watching the news last night and some guy at the mall of America actually proposed to his girlfriend while being interviewed by a reporter, she obviously screached yes. But it made semi-national headlines( or atleast to the 8 P.M. news on channel 8 here in Oklahoma).

I stand by my first post though, and will forever avoid that day.

BTW I only have like onemore present to buy and thats the one for my step dad, not sure what it will be though.

[Furore]

I hate to think about how unhumane people get just to save a buck on material crap they really do not need in the first place. It is quite rediculous.

It is, but material crap usually costs a good deal these days, and some people just don't make enough, especially with the rises in price of things like petrol and everything associated with it.

Personally, if we had that day here with newer games being 1/3 of their usual price I feel I'd be liable to go somewhat crazy. Even then though, I still fail to see how so many people could be assholes AFTER someone gets trampled or something. Are they all really that heartless? Kind of ironic if some are Christmas shopping to get gifts for others.

[Govinda]

personally, if we had that day here with newer games being 1/3 of their usual price i feel i'd be liable to go somewhat crazy. Even then though, i still fail to see how so many people could be assholes after someone gets trampled or something. Are they all really that heartless? Kind of ironic if some are christmas shopping to get gifts for others.

.w


ALANIS MORRISETTE WARNING

[Yesha]

I haven't gone shopping yet.. 'coz I'm pLanning to do it next weekend or.. I don't know.. my cLasses are keeping me busy.. but I have my Long List of peopLe to give gifts.. famiLy, friends and cLassmates.. whoa.. LoL! I visited.. the maLL.. yesterday after schooL.. so much saLes.. so much cute thing there and there.. it's so confusing.. but the important part is that u can give smiLes to the peopLe u Love! Ohh.. I wish I couLd finish this fast.. LoL! I'm getting excited for X-mas!!

[Priscilla]

I am yet to start my Christmas shopping. I have been busy with graduation and Schoolies. But I usually enjoy Christmas shopping unless there are people there going crazy and ruining the experience.

To be honest I am not sure what I am going to get everyone yet. I have ideas that I am throwing around in my head but nothing is set in stone. I guess I will see what jewellery is on sale closer to Christmas for my mum and I might get my Dad some port. My little brother will be happy with a shirt. I always want to get something really good though so those are subject to change. I am terrible at making decisions xD.

[DragonHeart]

I think the worst part of that whole story is that when they were asked to leave the store because of what happened, the customers refused. Seriously, what is wrong with those people? They don't even care on an individual level that, however directly or indirectly involved they were, they killed someone. That's absolutely disgusting, and as someone who does work in retail, unforgivable. It's also not in the least surprising. Retail workers are treated like shit all year, but customers can be downright vicious during the holidays. I'm just glad that my store is a retail pharmacy and thus does not attract crowds like that.

Anyways, I still haven't done any more shopping. I might wait for Cyber Monday to see if I can find any nice deals on gifts. Even if I don't I'll probably still end up finishing my shopping either online or at work. Just too much of a hassle otherwise.

~DragonHeart~