It all begins when you go to a store with the plan to discover the perfect gift, even though you have no idea what you’re looking for.
Once you’ve made a lap around the entire store, not finding anything worth giving as a Christmas present, you decide to make another lap…with lower standards.
You make that second lap, seeing a few things that aren’t ideal but could work if you’re desperate.
Snuggie, maybe?
Standards have been lowered yet again, and lap three begins–you are now desperate. You go back to those less-than-ideal gifts, and stare at them for way too long, trying to figure out if there is any possible hope at finding something better.
After spending a ridiculous amount of time in the store, making those laps and lowering your standards, you finally buy the gift and leave, convincing yourself the gift isn’t really that bad.
Once the time comes to give your gift, you realize just how unfortunate it is and hope the person is good at humoring people.
This is how my Christmas shopping goes every year for me. Anyone else experience this standard-lowering? Just me?
Usually, several stores are involved, and standards are forced lower and lower at each one. Sometimes, though, I do find that awesome/perfect gift and deem it the best day ever.
This Christmas I will be giving gifts that have been bought with excitement over their perfection…as well as gifts that were purchased with standards that…were not where they started. You win some; you lose some. I didn’t have to settle on gifts too much this year, so I’m not too worried.
Hope you all had / are having a decent time with the Christmas shopping and don’t have to lower your standards too much. Worse comes to worse, there’s more hope for amazing gift giving next year!
Here’s a little tip to help make shopping easier:
Every time someone points out something they’d like to have, write it down—immediately. I have a note in my phone for each main person in my life with things I think (or know for a fact) they would like. These notes help so much when it comes time to find a birthday or Christmas present. I also jot down ideas that randomly come to me, no matter what time of the year it is. I’ve found having the lists removes much of the stress of shopping for gifts, especially since you know the person actually wants a lot of those things.
Hope that helps…at least…in the future!
Have a great Christmas Eve Eve and stay tuned for a list of my favorite Christmas things on Wednesday.
Also, check out my post from last year about the science behind gift wrapping—you might just need to lower people’s expectations if you’re giving them a gift that was bought after several laps around the store (and super low standards).
