Armchair shopping gets the job done

Okay, I'll admit. I'm having too much fun shopping online this year.

Mall decorations are worth the trip.

Yes, the mall decorations were fun to see the other night, and I did enjoy watching some young boys chatting with Santa Claus, but I just couldn't get into all the piles and piles of merchandise and swarms of panicked gift seekers everywhere I turned.

Nothing looked good to me. It all just reeked of excess.

Hubby and I took a spin around the mall to say we saw the signs of the season and I had a bit of fun using some store coupons to bag a few good deals. You know, those $10 gift cards the stores send where you only need to spend $10. Free stuff! I'd be a fool to not use them, right? But the trick is to find something useful and not bring home anything you don't need just because it's free.

Well, I managed to get my fill at the mall, we made it home tired, and I thought about the night, realizing that I didn't want to do much more of that this holiday season.

I thought about alternatives. Although I don't like getting a lot of snail mail, I do appreciate a fresh catalog just delivered. Piled in our mailbox, they always hold a promise of good stuff to ponder with all their artful and creative pages, yes, enticing you to buy. And catalogs usually lead me to company websites, since I like to search and browse online also.

Now, don't get me wrong. I have done and still do my fair share of reality store shopping. Yes, sometimes there's nothing like touching and feeling a purchase you're considering. But I've found that if you get to know the quality of a store's merchandise, online shopping can be a satisfying experience. And you can always read reviews from other shoppers to get a sense if what you've found will work for you.

So what's this weary shopper to do? This holiday season, I'm virtually shopping, online, that is. It's a good thing that's working for me and many others too.

Here are just a few reasons to consider trying this out yourself if you haven't already:

1. You can still experience the thrill of the hunt with plenty of bargains to be had online. 
2. The world is at your fingertips with easy access to unique gifts for everyone on your list, including you. (I'm a charter member in the one-for-me, one-for-you club.)
3. You're not spending time and wasting gas driving all around from here to there.
4. More time for family, fun, and relaxing since there's no need to stand in long lines and fight crowds for the gifts on your list. 
5. It's always nice to have a delivered package waiting for you at home after a long day at work, especially if some are for you. 

Not sure if online shopping is for you? Maybe try it for at least some of the gifts you want to get this year. See if shopping from your armchair or kitchen table works for you.

Then when you do make it to the mall, enjoy the sights and sounds, have a bite to eat, and take a stroll through the crowds, knowing that you don't have to be there, but you're having fun because you want to be there.

Good luck! Let me know what works for you.

Until next time, yours in fun and stress-free shopping...Therese

A good reason to visit the mall: To see the man in red.