Post Christmas frenzy!

I hope it was a happy Christmas for all. I had a wonderful, if not totally crazy time. It was so busy, it went by like a blur. After it's all said and done, all I want to do is exhale. But for others, the day after Christmas is a day for shopping, deal hunting, and spending more money. Here in Canada, it's called Boxing Day (origins of said name are not quite known) and it's a statutory holiday for many, including banks, government agencies, post offices and some other businesses. But for retailers, the name of the game is SALES. So the after Christmas sales are designed to entice people who have just spent their buns off for months to reach into their pocketbooks and spend yet AGAIN, this time not for gift giving, but simply because the deal is irresistible. Here where I live, people braved subzero temperatures to stand in line for 3 hours at a major electronics retailer to buy televisions, DVD players, laptop computers and assorted accessories at major discounts. At another local lingerie retailer, I was told the manager had to CLOSE THE DOORS of the shop, as the lines had snaked right around the store, and the staff could not handle the bargain shopping crowds.

For many it's fun, it's a big score, it's part of the holiday season. I personally loathe the post-holiday sales. I am so sick of shopping after December 24th, that I barely darken the door of any stores for the next month, except the essential ones (grocery stores and pharmacies). Part of my issue is that I am tired of the constant unyielding advertising and I just don't care to even peruse the flyers, no matter how promising the deals may be. Another issue is that I am usually cash strapped after Christmas (this year is much the same) and I am not going to run up my credit card, regardless of the discounts. (If you can't afford it, you can't afford it! That's the truth!) The last part of the problem for me is that I work in retail, so I am exposed to Christmas advertising from November 1st until the 25th of December, and by that time I am pretty sick of the whole thing. But mostly I just want stay home with my family, enjoy the gifts I received for Christmas (which I love) and just leave the whole retail therapy thing alone for awhile. Exhale.