Christmas in July!

That's right folks, my Christmas Shopping is done! Tah- DAH. Say it out loud. TAH DAH.

I recently visited my family, and one suitcase was all Christmas Gifts. Crazy you say? Do you realize how much shipping all that would of been? Hellloooo.....Southwest flys bags for free! There was also a few fall birthday gifts in there as well.

I make a list of people to buy for every year after Christmas for the next Christmas and it begins.....

Why you might ask? Well I love Christmas and love season. I love walking around the mall watching kids with Santa, people with too many bags, drinking cocoa and driving around looking at light displays! Sooo if I have too much Christmas shopping to do....these fun activities get interrupted. Anyway, searching for the perfect gift causes too much stress. I like to enjoy the holidays not stress them away. It's a lot more fun to attend all the parties, gatherings, and events knowing I've bought all my loved ones a great gift!

You have 365 days a year to shop for the perfect gift for someone. And trust, that 30% off during Christmas is not a sale (they marked it up 40%). You really have to realize if you "need" it the stores know it and mark it up! Now the after holiday shopping is an entire another blog.....

I love collecting things for people I know they will love as I find them on sale. Don't wait, if you do you'll be searching for the perfect gift and it will probably be overpriced!!!

Now when to wrap? (Please, of course I already have the paper got it after Christmas last year!!!)

Retail Therapy

Well... not a lot of posts lately. But funny enough, there has been A LOT of shopping. Tonight, I decided to talk about Retail Therapy.

Myth, Truth or Excuse to Shop?

I really think it's a truth. I mean, if you hate to shop you are not going to suddenly love shopping when you become sad, depressed, or stressed. But if shopping is something you love, obviously much like a good friend it can bring you comfort when the rest of the world seems to not.

According to Wikipedia: Retail therapy is shopping with the primary purpose of improving the buyer's mood or disposition. Often seen in people during periods of depression or transition, it is normally a short lived habit. Items are "comfort buys."

Look as long as it doesn't turn into oniomania (yes, compulsive shopping is a disease) you aren't really doing the worse thing for yourself!

Other things people turn to in transitions periods: Danger Sports, Drugs, Drinking, Promiscuous Actions, Quitting Jobs......so now how bad does Shopping look? seriously. (again...don't go get into debt and then go ... I was depressed! but a few nice items that make your eyes sparkle aren't going to hurt you either!)

It takes your mind off things, a hunt for a great deal is a focus, a hard job....a distraction.
A Few Rules:
1. Set a limit for your Retail Therapy trip.
2. Don't make MAJOR purchases, but little things that make you smile.
3. Bring a friend to help you sort through "what is really needed."
4. Keep the receipts, because.....THIS TOO SHALL PASS!! In the bright sunlight, the purchase might not seem as wonderful.
5. Buy something for a friend or an item to donate to a local shelter.
6. If you really are having a rough time, opt for real therapy to accompany your retail habits.


So in closing...yes, Retail Therapy is real!!! It was actually coined by Chicago Tribune in Christmas 1986" "We've become a nation measuring out our lives in shopping bags and nursing our psyhcic ills through retail therapy." Pish Posh, Come on!!!

First, that was the 80's and everything was done in excess. Now we are helping the economy! :)
Second, your psyhcic ills will come out if you shop or not.
Third, please we as a nation measure ourselves by how cute we look in what've brought! :)

Wear a Smile - one size fits all! :)