- Carlington Wilmot/Courtesy of Answers for Children, Tropical Plaza
Shopping, one of the joys of Christmas.
IF YOU are a true shopoholic, then you need no excuse to break out the credit cards and to burn your bonus on new things in the stores. But, the temptation will be so much more this season, the biggest shoporama of all.
We advise you to be wary, not just of the pickpockets out there, but of your own weaknesses which can turn the holiday shopping experience into a nightmare. There are also the bad habits of people around us that can be so frustrating.
AINSLEY RICHARDS, 42.
My wife never seems to know what she wants until the minute it is needed. The holidays are always very frustrating because I am the one she pressures to go get this and that and then she acts as if the world is coming to an end if I refuse.
CHARMAINE BELL, 27.
Whenever I go shopping with my fiancé, the sales ladies are always smiling and sucking up to him and then they treat me like sh... I can't understand it. I am right there and they treat me like that.
JANICE SINCLAIR, 28.
When I go shopping, if I buy 10 pairs of shoes they are all going to be brown. If I buy clothes also, they are all going to be in different shades of brown. Help!! I need to find a way to break into other colours.
MARIE BROWN, 33.
I went into the store to buy one blouse which I needed. I liked it so much that I bought four blouses of the same kind in different shades. It also happens to me with shoes. I really want one, but will end up leaving the store with two in the same style but of different colours, if I really like it.
LEICA WRIGHT, 32.
Shopping with a certain friend is a horror story in itself. He chats up the store clerks for hours and takes an equal amount of time to select what he wants. I thought women were supposed to be the ones who turned shopping into a nightmare.
We pass on following tips so you can keep your calm and your cash in your pocket this season.
Be prepared for the emotional traps of the season. This is one time to avoid going out with those who do not know what they want. Ask for lists before you go out. Be quite clear that you will not be held responsible for anything outside of what is on the list. Announce well in advance the two afternoons or other allotted time when you will be willing to go shopping. There are more rude sales persons out there than you would believe. Do not hit anyone over the head or unholster your gun. Simply take your patronage elsewhere. If you know that you are a shopoholic, i.e., the type who will buy six of the same things in different colours, then only take the cash that you need to get one. Call in advance to find out the price of what you need. It is more convenient and safer to use debit and credit cards. However, for the shopoholic, this is way too much temptation. Carry cash instead. If you fear being robbed, take a friend with you to use as a bodyguard. If you know you have no taste, then it might be a good idea to get the opinion of someone whose taste you admire in the selection of gifts. Failing this, you can discreetly find out what people really want. Never carry children with you on holiday shopping expeditions, unless they are as big as Santa's reindeer and can carry an equal amount of gifts. Leave toddlers at home with mutant ninja turtles that can take their abuse. Never go shopping after a quarrel or on an empty stomach. Either state will result in overspending. Cards with some good thoughts penned inside are as good a gift as any. A beautiful card is preferable to an ugly mug. Half an hour in the card section can solve all your gift giving problems. You are not obliged to act as chauffeur or package carrier for anyone. It may also be best to pay someone to pick up barrels at the wharf and visiting guests at the airport. Have a stress-free and merry season!
All names changed as requested.
-Outlook Team
