Okay, so every year it is my personal goal to avoid malls. Usually, it's just a general rule of thumb, but at the holiday season it becomes a quest. I will start here by telling yousome of my coping strategies of getting things done present-wise without ever entering that heart-rendering, ankle-swelling, mood-smashing, alternate reality known as the mall.
1. Knit stuff. Anything, people will love you for it and it's fun. Guaranteed there are knitters in your town! Find them!
2. Mighty Goods: Maggie Mason finds all the things you knew existed, without having to endure the bright white electronics-boutique to unearth them. I mean, look at this and this and this! Have fun exploring, I usually do. I mean, a fridge magnet/bottle opener! Yes!
** Edited to add: yes and interesting and maybe I do want a house if only for this?
3. www.heifer.net for the progressive gift receiver who actually, basically has everything. I know that socially it is weird to buy someone something where they aren't the direct beneficiaries, but really, this is the kind of thing that is heartwarming gift giving. Slip a $10 share in a basket of bunnies for your loved ones, they won't know the difference but someone who needs it will.
4. Browse and shop online! You save yourself the fuel the time and you can do it naked (if that kind of htng turns you on). And, no salespeople constantly trying to help you while you send off angry 'no THANK you' vibes. AND no jingle bells, on the hour, every hour.
5. Do what Batman's doing and make an event of something, like a cookie exchange or a craft event where you go home with a few gifty items. It's actually fun to do. It seems like it takes too much time, but really if you can knock off a few items from your list in an evening, you're basically on-par with mall wandering. It only feels weird because you're enjoying it.
6. Hit up stand alone stores, and indie stores if you can. There are so many people out thre with small businesses trying to make a go of it, and the craftmanship and heart behind their pieces can't be beat. Think about your doewn town area and go into that quirky looking shop. Maybe it's expensive, but everybody's got a bargain section and just MAYBE you'll find that elusive hand bedazzled miss piggy handbag you'reafter. Also, enjoy better air quality and more access to natural sunlight! Whee!
Okay, that's as good as I'll go for right now. I may run short of 80 million alternatives. Does anybody out there have any other suggestions for mall avoiding and gifty inventiveness they'd like to share? Or maybe everybody likes malls and therefore alternatives aren't worth the time and effort? What are your holiday gifty rituals?
2 comments:
erg, i'm still getting used to blogger beta and lost my comment because it makes me sign in weirdly. ergergerg!
okay, i was going to say that j does all of his shopping online. but he's really lying because we've gotten a few things in stores, but only when it's the two of us.
but, some tips for shopping in the stores:
1 - go early after work. we get off at 3pm so the stores aren't as busy.
2 - park far away from the entrance. try it. you'll thank me.
Hey, rememeber that Christmas where we gave each other experiences instead of gifts? The trip to Quebec city and dogsledding? And last year we went snowboarding! It shows you've put a lot of thought into the gift...made it something personal. I highly recommend it!!
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