So, what does your Christmas list look like this year? More names on it than last year? Maybe fewer names? Is your list edged with candy canes? Smiley faces with Santa hats on them? Do you even know what you getting anyone this year? Are you trying to figure out how to survive holiday shopping when you hate shopping?
If holiday shopping ignites fear in your heart and makes your palms sweat, be aware that you are not alone. If your list is bordered with decapitated gingerbread men or Santa-hat-wearing smiley faces with X’s for eyes, it’s important to repeat:
You. Are. Not. Alone.
To be fair, the internet has made dealing with holiday shopping much, much easier and for that, we must kneel at the altar of technology and praise the gods. However, in the event that you are forced to physically join the masses and step a tentative foot inside an actual store, here's how to survive holiday shopping when you hate shopping.
1. Remember to Breathe
Yoga? Meditative practices? This is the time of year to put all that training to the test. Finding your place of Zen quickly and efficiently may mean the difference between losing your mind when you get yourself run over by a baby stroller and keeping your cool when the person in front of you wants a price check on everything in her shopping cart. Breathing is one of the best answers for how to survive holiday shopping when you hate shopping.
2. Caffeinate Yourself
Whether you prefer your own homebrew or store-bought coffee, it’s important to imbibe its fortifying powers to keep you going to the home stretch. Same goes for you tea drinkers. And if neither coffee or tea suits your palette, indulge in something that will give you a rush of warm, fuzzy feelings, like a piece of chocolate or a salty snack like pretzels or potato chips. Side note: if you’re a fan of Starbucks, take advantage of their mobile app. It’s not a good start to any shopping if you need to wait in line for thirty minutes just to get a cup of caffeinated goodness.
3. Plan Your Trip
Knowing what stores you need to hit first will save you an insane amount of time. Nobody wants to be that person wandering the mall, looking around helplessly, on the verge of tears or quite possibly, a meltdown, hoping for some inspiration because they have no idea what to buy that one impossible person on their list.
4. Listen to Your Own Music
Tired of hearing Bing’s "White Christmas?" Had enough of Helms’ "Jingle Bell Rock?" Open up your music app on your phone and proceed to shop with some tunes that won’t make you go ballistic with the business end of a candy cane. Seriously, a little Metallica never hurt a shopping trip, holiday or no holiday.
But above all, be careful and have a great holiday season!
