A Destiny USA parking lot in Syracuse, N.Y., yesterday, from the pedestrian bridge.
Two big boxes, one strip center, one old-school mall and a mega entertainment, dining and shopping cooooomplex!
I started and finished my Christmas shopping yesterday. When I got home, I quickly addressed the cards to my significants ahoy, stuffed them with the gift cards, affixed stamps and walked in the rain with Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle to drop them in the mailbox. Maybe they will get to Long Island by the big day. I am hoping. If the breaks fall right they could. I am so notoriously consistent at this that they will happy if they get there before New Year’s.
OK, I don’t have to buy for a heck of a lot of people by this stage of my life. My family is not huge. My friends are good with outings and meals and drinks …
Yet still I must do things right to accomplish this spree in one big day. I planned my route carefully, knowing that I wanted to hit X store first, Y store second, the strip mall third, old-school Shoppingtown fourth and the big-dog Destiny USA last to minimize travel time.
I plan ahead of the big day. I make mental lists every time I see something that would be perfect for my dear wife Karen. I ask her probably too much what she wants for Christmas. I buy a lot of gift cards for the grown kids, figuring they like to pick out their own stuff. I bring a pad and pen with me and write things down as I go throughout the day because, you know, 57. I wear my most comfortable shoes.
I am friendly to all of the workers on my shopping day, and I always say yes to their offer of gift receipts.
The last stop included gift boxes, wrapping paper and Scotch tape. Wrapping commences later, door closed to the bedroom.
What is your strategy for holiday gift buying? Do you keep gift receipts in case one of your gift choices is an obvious stinker? What do you consider the best and worst gifts you’ve ever given?
Mark Bialczak 
Hola mi amigo! I am coming out of hiding today. Boy, have I missed a lot of what you have to say! You’ve been saying (writing) a lot, I’ve got my work cut out for me. I am done with my shopping but not as early as you were. I’ve got a full house tomorrow night and I’ve been cooking and preparing like a mad brickhousechick. It should be a lot of fun, though. 🙂
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Eat well, drink well, enjou the whole damn house full, my dear Mrs. B. Merry Christmas to you, Mr. B, the chickletts back on the wing, and all. 🙂
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Way to go, Mark. My strategy is on-line, on-line, on-line. It works, so far.
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They wrap and ship. Good strategy, Ann.
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You made your shopping adventure sound so simplicit. I do all my shopping on line. Except for the candy I get for the kids and wrapping paper. I planned a trip to Walmart tomorrow. I am not a happy camper because I know it’s going to be insane.
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It is going to be a zoo out there, Kim. Be careful of all the different species. 🙂
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I’m taking my disability bus and only gave myself an hour. The major issue will be the parking lot.
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Be careful.
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That is exactly what I did Wednesday – right down to the Destiny stop at the end and the wrapping paper purchase last. Haven’t done all my shopping in one day for years, but it was fun! Great minds think alike.
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We sure did yesterday, Barbara. We probably passed each other on the councourse or the parking lot, too! Good shopping job. 🙂
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Actually, the hardest part of my “holiday shopping” is grocery shopping (or as you call it “food shopping” in NY) for ingredients for holiday candies I make and give to not-so-close friends. The second most difficult part is shopping for my picky son. He will either love or hate what I get. I never know which. I’m actually done now except for the stocking stuffers for my kids… Again, my son’s is most difficult because he only likes certain types of candy, hot sauce, etc. and his brands are not always easy to find. I definitely like your strategy, my friend! I can’t wait to hear what you got Karen and Ellie B! 🙂
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You’re funny, Rachel. You are right. I call it food shopping. Karen, from California, calls it grocery shopping!
And you give a lot of things to a lot of people. Wow. Wonderful you. I should have known, with that big heart of yours. 🙂
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Aww, you’re so sweet! ❤
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I don’t think you could have possibly planned out your day any better, Mark. Wow. I’m impressed. Wrapping gifts with the door closed is a must. Christmas music playing? Or not? Not, for me.
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Not, for me. Football or hockey on TV works best for this guy for wrapping, Aud. 🙂
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i buy things as i see them throughout the year, if i think it will be perfect for someone, and have a giant box i keep all my gift giving stuff in. i also have a giant gift wrapping drawer, filled with paper, glittery tissue, boxes, tape, padded envelopes and all things gifty. i love to give gifts even more than receiving them, so it’s all good. i’m very impressed with your organization skills, getting it all done in one day, hard to match. and i do keep gift receipts, though the ones bought earlier in the year could be a challenge to return )
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Your plan is hard to match, the all-year, two-drawer method, Beth. Wow! That’s very enthusiastic. I am impressed. 🙂
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ah, probably much less organized than you, it’s a hit or miss, ongoing system, but it works for me )
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I do try to get and keep receipts for all gifts. ANd include them. I’ve found receipts years after I’ve given the gifts. 🙂 I’m not sure what my worst gift has been, I’m sure I have a few up in that category. And since my brother doesn’t read blogs….I feel safe in saying one of the best things…. While I was helping my brother paint my mom’s living room I mentioned I was taking guitar lessons he stopped mid step and said “what? how long have you been taking lessons???” I told him and he said he’s ALWAYS wanted to take guitar lessons. And he even hoped to use his daughter’s guitar to do so. Then his daughter gave her guitar away! So we bought him a guitar!!!! I’m so excited I can’t stand it! 🙂
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That guitar will make your brother so happy, Colleen! Way to go. Ding ding ding. You win again. Too bad Captain Poblano is so bad with addresses. Hahaha. Really, what a great gift that is. 🙂
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Captain Poblano is still at the top of my favorites list. 🙂
And I’m really excited to get him this gift. He only, then, has to find an instructor and commit to lessons!!!! Ha! 🙂
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Talk another sibling into commiting into THAT as a gift? First five lesson?
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I believe, shhhhhhhh, the wife and daughter are on that one!
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Awesomeness!
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Impressive! I shop online throughout the year for gift giving to everyone under this roof. For my loved ones away, we arrange grab bags so that we all just need to send one gift out and we each receive one gift. And, I admit, that one gift will be purchased online, wrapped online, and shipped online. Oh, I send cards too. This year’s card will happen after Christmas because I want to send a pic with all my kids ❤
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You have a great plan there in AZ, Angie McFly, as I knew you would!
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Marvelous! You got it all done and efficiently at that! Wow! What a man! 😀 I pick out really cute Christmas cards and put money gifts inside and mail. Done! (I know that isn’t very personal but my kids and grandkids seem to prefer the money to anything I would pick out for them! Haha! 😀 )
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Money speaks loudly, PJ. It says HELLO!!
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Hahaha! True!
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Oh wow, you have a Plan with a capital P, Mark! Nice work 🙂 My plan (see, no caps) isn’t much. Buy stuff during the last month or so, sit down with a list of giftees and try to match things up. Find the holes and fill them. Just came back from a big Trader Joe’s run and also have things purchased from holiday craft fairs and my kids’ school fundraisers. So now I need to sit down with that list. So what am I doing here? Must be off now…. but kudos on your Plan, Mark. I have much to learn from you.
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And I from you, Liz. There are days for Capitals and days for no capitals, you know? The sound of sitting down and matching up the got’s and the need’s sounds pretty cool.
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I have no doubts that you were friendly to the workers. Getting it done efficiently is the name of the game, or the rizzle for the sizzle, as they say. I only bought about 6 gifts this year TOTAL, so I’m done as well. I don’t think adults need gifts, unless they are your spouse, but I don’t want anything except maybe some cheese straws. You are clever to plan ahead for Karen.
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Adults deserve the BEST gifts, Kerbey, says the old guy. 🙂 Cheese straws? Really? How about another year back of Life magazine?
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My first gift for my husband was a muffler for his ’58 Chevy. I wrapped it up and everything. I have yet to top that one for the “what the heck is this?” expression on his face.
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That was a good one. Bet it was a b—h to wrap, though, Barara!
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Best advice it ‘get it done early’. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that those special things you want to buy won’t be available.
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Well, there is that risk, Marissa. You are correct about the availability factor. It helps to have a spouse who won’t ask for the latest techno gadget as a Christmas gift, though …
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That’s true. Actually, for my mother and sister, we’re more on the clothes/makeup/jewelry side of things and it’ slim pickings in those areas too.
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Yes, I see how that would be so, Marissa.
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My strategy – I buy most gifts on-line. I ‘click and collect’ to save postage. Then I do some ‘happy shopping’ – because I have bought most stuff and can relax! This year I got Amazon to wrap and post a gift to Canada – abosulutely brilliant!
I admire your organisation Mark getting it all done in a day.
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I like your organization, too, Rachel, letting the online folks do the leg work for you!
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57 and comfortable shoes. Yes.
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We gotta do what we gotta do, brother. 🙂
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bravo mark. huge gold star for that effort.. i love your strategy…used to do the same but this year just hanging to last mo’
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That’s a strategy all its own, Louise, last mo’! Good luck with that!
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actually i am taking a leaf outa Austins book and not going to bother.
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