Shopping Fixes Everything

Well, not really, of course, but it made a good title.

Today, I'm having a down day. I'm female, we're allowed to have them with no reason. Or with reason. Or both.

So I took the kids to the mall and stood it line to buy pictures with Santa. Cha-ching!$$

Then I took them to the new taqueria that opened down the street. That is now one of my favorite places to eat. Let me tell ya. We got two juices, an horchata, a quesadilla, a pupusa, and a tamale, with chips and salsa before the food arrived--and it cost half as much as pictures with Santa. Cha-ching! $

And it got me all excited about Christmas shopping. We have a budget, and it's pretty stingy budget, but I just love the wandering the mall, the stores, looking for the perfect item. I don't make a list. I ask what people want, but most say, "Nothing."

Uh-huh.

So I wander. And I get all giddy inside, because I know when I see it, I'll recognize it. That's it! The perfect item for Dad/Hubby/son/fill in the blank. I'm so excited to let the kids stay with Grandpa while Grandma and I make a date of Christmas shopping. Seriously, it doesn't get any better than that!

I realized that last year I didn't do any shopping until Christmas Eve, thanks to my erratic work schedule. And then I only hit Walmart. It wasn't nearly so exciting. And the year before, I did most of my shopping online. That was before I realized that buying in the community helps people I know keep their jobs, and now I try really hard not to buy things online. But sometimes, it just can't be helped.

Then my mother-in-law called me last night and asked what I want for Christmas. Of course there are things I want. But it suddenly felt so selfish and snotty to list those things. So I said, "I'll get back to you."

Maybe I'll get some ideas when I wander the mall with my mom.