Gifts: 4 Ways to Skip the Mall

You could say that I am the complete opposite of the Grinch. I LOVE Christmas! “The whole Christmas season”.   If it were up to me Christmas lights would go up in October, the baking would begin as soon as cooler weather hit and everything would get a coat of glitter.  There is only one thing I do not like about Christmas: the mall.

It’s not that I dislike shopping.  Quite the contrary, choosing gifts is one of my favorite things to do.  But stepping into a mall in the month of December sours my Christmas joy.  It’s as if someone has pulled the plug on Christmas and I stand there empty, grumpy, impatient, cranky and generally unpleasant.

By the time I head back to the car I can barely stand myself. A couple of years ago I decided I needed to take better care of myself and so adopted a strict No Malls in December policy.  For me, malls are  just not healthy that time of year.  Fortunately, I’ve found plenty of ways to avoid them.

The first step, always, is planning.  Think before you shop.  It’s especially important when you’re not going to the mall and need to plan your route.  Mall shopping tends to be more of an “I’ll just walk around until I find something” experience.  I like to be more intentional.

When I think of gift giving, I think it terms of luxury. Not luxury in the sense of a diamond encrusted watch, rather the luxury of an unusual treat.  What is something this person would never spend money on him- or herself for?  Is there equipment for a hobby that they wouldn’t splurge on? Can you upgrade something they already have?  Can you add to a set? Have you seen something that made you think of them? One you’ve got your ideas, you’re ready to shop.

Here are 4 ways to avoid Christmas shopping at the mall:

1.  Shop small, shop local. Take a look around your town and I can guarantee you have some beautiful stores and they are not in the mall.  Stepping in a specialty store in December is a delight.  You can actually see the decorations, it’s quiet enough that you can hear the music.  Some of my favorites stores even smell great this time of year.  The staff have time to smile, and the gift options are often more interesting.

2. Shop experiences. Often we think of gifts as something you hold in your hand, but they don’t have to be.  Experience gifts can be tickets to show, a pass to the zoo, a gift certificate for a manicure, tickets to a sporting event.  A friend of mine once received a gift certificate to Ticketmaster – good towards tickets to any show, concert or event.  Years later it remains one of her favorite gifts.  She spent hours deciding which concert to go to.

3. Shop online. Obviously this is not new but there are lots of ways to make online shopping really work for you.  If you have relatives who live far away, you can shop from an online store in THEIR neighborhood and really save on shipping costs.   Many online retailers have better shipping rates than sending something in the mail. (Trust me on this.)  Also, the “shop small” idea really works well here.  There probably isn’t a Star Wars boutique in your town, but that Boba Fett Christmas tree ornament you’re looking for is easy to find online.

4.  Shop custom and handmade. I know “shop online” was #3 but etsy.com deserves it’s own listing.  Etsy.com is an online market for all things handmade.  You might think that means grandma’s doilies and kitschy things involving cats, but you’d be wrong.  Etsy.com is home to thousands of artists who make everything from stunning jewelry, handbags and paintings to toys and even wall decals.  Almost anything on the site can be customized.  Sounds expensive, right?  It’s not, but it is certainly beautiful.

Once the Christmas crowds have passed, I’ll make my way back to the mall and do my part to support that branch of the economy.  But in the cozy days of December, I just can’t bear to squander my Christmas delight in a crush of cranky shoppers.  Here, you can have my parking spot.  Merry Christmas.

Hang on to your Christmas spirit:
Life Lesson: Stories behind the carols
Find some peace on Earth

Tags: Christmas, Christmas traditions, gift, gift ideas, gifts, shopping

One Response to “Gifts: 4 Ways to Skip the Mall”

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• Debbie Ogrodnick says:

  December 5, 2009 at 11:26 am

  What a GREAT article!!!
  I discovered many of your ideas/suggestions about 5 years ago when the need to simplify / evaluate what I do and why I do it (Christmas related) became essential to staying healthy (mentally, emotionally, physically and even spiritually).
  Thanks for your clear thinking insight in helping people everywhere celebrate the Christmas season with pure joy!