Christmas Shopping

I managed to finish up my Christmas shopping this year this weekend. It did take me about an hour on Friday and then another 2 hours on Saturday. That’s probably more shopping than I do in the course of the rest of the year.

Of course, I took the easy way out and shopped online. I rarely go to the store to shop anymore. Shopping from the comfort of my computer chair is some much easier and relaxing. If I go to a store now, its usually for food. Most things that I buy on the internet are less money than the same product at the physical store. In lots of cases, there is no tax to pay either and shipping can often be free. This Christmas most of my shopping for the kids was done at Walmart, Target and Amazon.

I also had a nice surprise for Suzanne planned, but it has failed. I ordered here a new camera for Christmas to replace the one she lost earlier this year. I picked out the model I wanted and the store I wanted to get it from. I arranged to have it shipped to a neighbors house so she wouldn’t know. The one weak spot in my plan was where to have the confirmation email and any other needed correspondences sent. I would have used my work email, but since I won’t be in the office the rest of the year after Thursday of next week, I was leery about missing something. So, I used my personal email at home that doesn’t go to our normal email inbox. It is auto directed into a personal mailbox for me.

Unfortunately, Suzanne went looking into that email inbox the same day the confirmation emails were sent. Of course, she now knows what she is getting. She was a bit upset herself since it would have been a big surprise to her. I guess I need another private email address not on my machine but solely online for these kinds of things. Not sure I want to go through the hassle though for a once a year deal.

Now, I just have to sit back and wait for the items to arrive and then watch Suzanne wrap them. Thats pretty much how it works for us. I shop online and then she wraps. It may not seem very Christmasy to shop online, but I hate shopping and the crowds and it works for us.

Merry Christmas!