FYI hubby and I already found and purchased 97% of the gifts those we love put on their lists for bargain prices. Contrary to what our leader and his honchos say, this economy is playing sheer havoc with retailers.
Sears had a sign in front of the store (mall entrance) reading "Black Friday sale NOW." If the economy doesn't pick up soon, I fear many retailers won't be here for the next Black Friday. Some of the bargains we found could not possibly have given the retailers much, if any, profit. Also noted (and the first time we've ever seen it, Target had a Merry Christmas sign on their front doors. My eyes almost popped out of my head at the vision of that store finally becoming sensitive to local shoppers.
You’re welcome MamaDearest.
“...this economy is playing sheer havoc with retailers.”
OPINION:
Ditto.
I went to the mall today and bought my three youngest grandchildren (six, four, and two years old) some toys that were high on their list. The other five grandchildren and their parents will all get Eddie Bauer pajamas for the guys and Victoria’s Secret pajamas for the girls. We will also do kind of a fun thing with store gift cards. I buy a whole bunch of $50 and $25 gift cards from Cabela’s, Best Buy, Harley Davidson (lot of bikers in our family), Home Depot, Target, WalMart, Bath and Body, etc. I wrap all the cards and put them in a Christmas stocking. Each person draws one out. After the drawing, we have a little auction. If you don’t like the card you drew, you can bid on one that you want or auction off the one that you do not want. All the money collected on the auction goes to the Salvation Army. (My eldest son, last year, bid $75 to get the $25 Harley Davidson card from his little brother!) It gets pretty lively, we have a lot of fun, and the charity benefits from our family auction.....we wound up giving them over $200 last Christmas.
Afterwards, we all put on our new jammies, have hot chocolate, sandwiches, soups, snacks, etc.
For all our friends and neighbors, I have an open house reception on the Sunday afternoon before Christmas with home made eggnog, hot buttered rum, home made cookies and snacks......lots of snacks. We usually have about 50 to 75 people “drop in”. A very good friend has a Christian Rock band and he and his group always attend and lead us in a Christmas Carol sing-along.
I can hardly wait.