Shopping on Christmas Eve Day (SOCED) is the least stressful shopping day of the year. Everyone finished their lists on the 23rd, and now the only people in the stores are those who forgot "one more thing." When it's only one thing, there are virtually no lines, and if there is one, it doesn't take long! *zzzip* Even the traffic is lighter.
Two years ago when I engaged in this little tradition of SOCED, I had coffee at a popular espresso place with a dear friend, and there were only a couple of people at the other tables. Right off the bat at the first store we hit, they were giving away real wreaths for free. At the mall, I bought all the 18 people on my list their gifts at the same prices I would've paid the day before, but without the blood, snot, and migraine, and was helped by sales clerks who were thankful I was not a family. (Y'see, one shopper on the 23rd represents an average of 4 other shoppers who are also in the store somewhere with their own lists and armloads to check out. They recognized me as an SOCED-er, the rare and coveted breed of customer.) I'm glad to see them--they're glad to see me--the beautiful symbiotic symmetry of capitalist consumerism at its best!
Ah'm a happy girl with this little gift to myself... Merry Christmas to me! And to y'all, too!
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