Something to make note of when shopping this holiday season.

Here's something to take note of when you're shopping for The Godless, Pagan Winter Holiday. Christmas never was a Christian Holy day It was celebrated long before Christianity came along, and it has become so commercialized that it is now more a secular holiday than a religious one. But that issue is for another blog posting, another day, and possibly another blog.



Anyway, Wally World in discontinuing layaway. I never used layaway when I did Christmas shopping. I have never been one of much means, and I will not go into debt for someone's Christmas present. If I had to use layaway to get someone's Christmas present, then I didn't get them that. This may sound a wee bit harsh, but materialism isn't where it's at.



My strategy for quick and painless Christmas shopping is:

1. Identify who you're shopping for. My family has practice Secret Santa (wherein you put all the family members' names into a hat, and draw one name, and that's the person you shop for) for almost twenty years. Shopping for that one person (although I do also get something special for my parents and my grandmother as well) does keep costs and stress down.
2. Set a budget. And stick to it. I have my own bills to pay, too. Just because the holiday come around doesn't mean that my/your creditors are going to give a month reprieve.
3. Scout ahead. Before you actually go shopping, go around, look inside, and take a mental note of who has what. This can be accomplished in the off-peak hours, and you can avoid the crowds and find the lowest price.
4. Have a Christmas Mule handy. I don't have a car, so all my holiday shopping is done on foot. My roommate doesn't have a car either so when one does his shopping, the other one comes along with an empty backpack to help carry stuff home.
5. Set a time limit. If you can't find what they want, then get them a gift card (interesting article on that here). I always say that if they can't find it at Target, then they don't deserve it anyway.
   
   

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