Shopaholic does christmas

So I gotta say, christmas present shopping is the only time I actually dont like to go shopping. And i know what you all are thinking. Manik?? Not enjoy shopping? Am I dreaming? Is the world imploding? Has Manik been replaced with an NS-5? Did she finally crack and get drunk? Actually none of the above. I am perfectly sane, and not a robot. Christmas shopping, is not fun. And not because I have to buy things for other people instead of myself. I love buying presents for people. Birthdays are great. But christmas....arg.

I have however gotten smarter. I have learned through many a years of experience, that you avoid west ed at all costs, unless you have a death wish. (I opted for downtown instead, much less insane crowd, but also much less store selection, unless you only plan on going to Holt or club monaco. Note: ever since the club monaco at west ed was renovated, the inventory has decreased dramatically. I think downtown has a bigger selection, but you may have to go to both if you're a big die-hard CM fan like me...which i dont think anyone is, but just in case.) It is inevitable, that the second you find that shirt that's perfect for whats-her-face, some shorty with over-plucked eyebrows wearing a mini-skirt with ugg boots in freezing cold weather will jump you from behind and scratch you until you bleed and cry and surrender the garment. Also avoid west ed unless you have no problems walking behind some 240 pound woman in sweatpants moving painfully slow right in front of you, and you cant pass her because she waddles side to side and the oncoming traffic just never ends. I dont mean to be mean or anything, but you know what people Im talking about. They very much do exist. And you always seem to be right behind them ten minutes before the mall closes.

But unfortunately, no matter how smart of a holiday shopper one gets, you still cant avoid the pain of not finding a single darn thing...for anyone. Is it that I become particularly picky? No. Is it that there is absolutely nothing good in the stores? Partially. But i think mostly its the sensory overload. There is just way too much stuff. And maybe I am particularly picky, but when everything is in a massive pile on a counter and you have 15 people huddled around it like hyenas around a lion carcass (I know its some nasty imagery, but can you deny it?), things just dont look quite as appealing. And the only stores that look appealing, are insanely expensive. Yes, I have expensive tast. Try as I might, there is no denying it. And I sincerely wish I could buy everyone great presents, but when you have to shop for 17 people, you get a little limited.

Thats the other frustrating thing about christmas. The sheer volume of people. Seriously, Im an only child. You think that would come in handy at times like this. You think that would mean less people to buy for. Therein lies the downside to the close extended family. And it just does not stop getting bigger!! My family needs to take some advice from those genius chinese...one baby per household, or we sell the extras.

Furthermore, after hours on end of shopping (still not done by the way, hitting the dreaded west ed tomorrow) and you're exhausted and cranky and all scratched up by ms. loves-her-tweezers always manage to see someone you know. Or worse, someone who knows you, and that you just cannot for life of you remember his name, or far that matter, where on earth you know him from. This is roughly how that goes.
"Hey Manik!" Oh god, he knows me well, he can pronounce my name right.
..."Hey!...there!"
"Hows it going? I havent seen you in a while."
"Ya I know eh? Its good, how are you?" come on long term memory...do that thing you do!
"Im good"
"Thats good. But Oh I gotta get going. It was great seeing you!" stupid useless LTM.

It is exhausting. Physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. But yet, I just cant enough of shopping. And even though the christmas season at the mall scares the bejeesus out of me, I cant stop myself from going. It has to be done, and no one else can be trusted. Im addicted. Its like an abusive relationship. Right now Im in the abuse phase, but come january ...the honeymoon begins.