But being in a mall makes me feel like I've taken a solid punch to the head. I feel dazed and I don't know which way to turn. And yes, perhaps I'm a Scrooge, but Christmas music over store speakers drives me nuts, making me recall the Christmas breaks I spent working in a grocery deli. I wanted McCartney to stand there and make pizzas with me, to understand that I was not having a wonderful Christmas time because of him. The simple solution to my problem is getting started early, giving myself enough time to search for the right gift.
Some people are gift-giving pros.
They think ahead, making mental notes all year long on what their loved ones want and need. Around Thanksgiving, they hit the stores, but I stay away. And I did again this year - I have yet to purchase any gifts. Basically, I'm a sad sort. And if there was a group I could join, I'd gladly take the podium to tell about my gift-giving blunders.