25 Days of Christmas - Day 5: Holiday Shopping Headache

I do not like shopping this time of the year. I hate the crowds and the crazy drivers and people getting impatient. Right before Thanksgiving, I was in an "upscale" supermarket where I witness this snooty prig chewing a young employee out because they didn't have a specific brand of packaged gravy. Apparently, they USED to carry it, but no longer. I stood back and pretended to not listen to the exchange before I couldn't hold my tongue any longer. As the female Grinch walked away I loudly let out to my friend how much of a witch with a B that woman was acting and that she should adjust her expectations or shop elsewhere for her "VERRRY PARTICULAR GRA-VY!" I swear she enunciated the words like the girl couldn't speak English! Yes, the woman heard me, but I'm not an employee and I'm not exactly someone you want to get into a battle of wits with. She stopped, glared at me briefly, but stuck her nose in the air and kept walking. Yeah, Happy Holidays to you too, nutjob.

Seriously people, get a grip! Your holiday will not be ruined because you couldn't get that one perfect gift to add to your child's ever-expanding mountain of gifts. If after you spent all this time, put a dent in your wallet, and risked your sanity, if your child behaves like this kid below after receiving his/her presents, then you need to reevaluate your parenting tactics. Tell them "oh, you don't like the 15 large and expensive presents that Santa brought you? Guess he won't be coming next year. He'll just take all your presents next year to some poor kid in the barrio who would appreciate them!" Spoiled brats.

The biggest issue with the Holiday shopping season that I will never understand is why so many people would subject themselves to the drama of in-store shopping. Have they never heard of this thing called the Internet? It's that magical place where you can surf porn, look at pictures of cute baby animals, and laugh at people's epic fails. You know what else you can do? SHOP! Amazon.com is the world's largest online retailer and they undercut the retail price on pretty much everything. Plus, they love Cyber Monday deals and doling out plenty of other deals during the Holidays to entice shoppers. In other words, you can spare you dignity by not getting into a shouting match over the last Bratz doll at Toys R Us by simply going to Amazon. 

I have a hard time enjoying the holidays when I'm forced to endure, well, the unendurable. Shopping is a nightmare this time of the year and I refuse to put myself through that. Especially if I have to encounter this dude.