It seems like yesterday I was seeing people taking down their holiday ornaments and Christmas lights. As this was being written it's not Thanksgiving yet and the lights are back up already. I'm not complaining because it does look pretty at night and is very festive. It just reminds me how quickly time passes.
It's Christmas shopping time again and as always, I'm not prepared for it. For one thing, I hate to shop. Some people live for it, but I hate it. When I go shopping I'm on a mission. Get in and get out. Have you ever walked into a room and then stopped and asked yourself what you came in the room for? That's what I go through when I get into a store. I try to get a mental picture of what I'm looking for but I usually end up walking around the whole mall four or five times while growing increasingly frustrated. I tried writing things down but for some reason the store I choose to go to never has what is on the list. It is either sold out or discontinued or whatever.
One of my bad shopping habits is to see something that I would really like to have myself and end up buying it. I know I'm not the only one who does this. If you see something in the store you really like, you will walk out the door with it, even if you already have one such as a VCR or a better stereo. That's why we have so many garage sales around here in spring. They are a result of impulse buying and having extra "stuff" around. My problem is that I never have a garage sale, so all my "stuff" keeps piling up.
Did you ever see the lines at the return counters the day after Christmas? I learned early on that you never buy clothes for anyone you care about. What you think looks good on them is not what they think. And I don't think that I have ever bought anything that was the right size. Sometimes they even seem a little offended. If you bought a size twelve for someone who wears a size eight, well, you get the idea.
When anyone asks what I want for Christmas I tell them performance car parts and racing stuff but they have no idea what I'm talking about. The car nuts out there know what I'm talking about. Sitting under the Christmas tree and opening up new carburetors and racing camshafts. Now that's Christmas!
Okay, I'm getting carried away here. I want everyone to have a wonderful holiday and I hope they get what they asked for. If all I have for Christmas is good health for my family and friends, that's good enough for me because even Santa can't deliver that. Merry Christmas!
The Community Press