Confession: I'm a Procrasti-Shopper

Here it is, December 22, the day I freak out that I still need to pick up some Christmas gifts. It happens every year -- I think I'll come up with a better gift idea or come across a better sale or feel more in the finish-my-holiday-shopping spirit if I just wait until the week of Christmas...

Nope. Nope and nope. I am a procrasti-shopper.  

But here's the good news:

  • Two-day shipping is still an option (slightly risky if all doesn't go as planned with shipping and handling, but waaay more pleasant than joining angry, aimless procrasti-shoppers at the mall, wondering why the checkout line is 25-minutes long)!
  • A world of online shopping is still at my service. This ToyFInder is a savior for finding last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers -- and I don't have to think because it's broken down by kid's age (like tough-to-shop-for babies, tweens, and teens), price, and type of toy (from blocks and games to dolls and electronics). The "Buy Now" links for each item bring you straight to the Amazon page -- and we all know Amazon is a last-minute shopper's mecca with speedy shipping options.
  • I'm giving a (very) last-minute boost to this year's economy! Lots of people wait until the 11th hour, and this year, last-minute Christmas shopping sales are looking strong (up 15% from sales in the week before Christmas last year -- a good sign for financial trends, I hope!). And I'm not alone: 25% of Americans still have some shopping to do this week.
  • Even Santa has to make a mad dash for some last-minute gifts (or so the new Target commercial -- which shows him, in slow-motion, sprinting through a Target parking lot toward the store -- leads me to believe; it's cute).

So, these procrasti-shopper facts and glimmers of hope don't make me proud to be scrambling for gifts right now. But they do make me feel like I can do it. I can finish my shopping on December 22, 23, and 24. And it will be just painful enough that next year at this time, I will look back and think, it wasn't fun -- but it wasn't so bad. It's fine to do it again. 

:-)

Merry Christmas!

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