my thoughts on christmas shopping:

1. obviously i buy everything i can online...IF they will give me free shipping.  duh.  i've...

2. been to the mall, and lines are no fun.  in fact, i went to the mall on saturday to buy a couple last presents, and that was a dumb move.  i got my usual awesome parking space (in a sneaky parking garage that apparently few people know about), but that was the only good thing about the trip.  people walked slowwwwwwly, carrying their huge bags of stuff and taking up as much space as humanly possible.  i darted around them as best i could, putting my speed walking skills to the test.  but the saturday before christmas at the mall?  ridiculous.  i waited in line at one store for 25 minutes, and when i left the line was twice as long as when i got in it.  THAT IS A 50 MINUTE LINE, PEOPLE.  BE WARNED.  yes, the stuff in this store is great, but just consider the lines.  the woman behind me appeared to have brought her husband to the mall just so he could wait in line for her.  i think he got in line as soon as they entered the store, and she joined in the last five minutes.  genius, actually.  anyone want to be my line-spot-holder?  i'll buy you an orange julius!

3. when i was little, my mom wouldn't allow me or becky to buy anything for ourselves in the month of december.  we were supposed to be thinking about other people, not ourselves.  good lesson, really.  we also weren't allowed to be grumpy, or my mom would (/still does) say, in one breath, "ho ho ho merry christmas!" as an admonishment.  (that is the first time i have ever typed the word "admonishment."  i hope i am using it correctly.)  as a grown up, i am allowed to (a) spoil my dinner, (b) go to bed late, and (c) buy things for myself during the month of december.  i didn't do that on saturday at the mall (probably because i couldn't imagine waiting in any more lines than i had to), but when amazon.com is giving free shipping for orders over $25, you better believe i add some items for myself if the order doesn't get to $25 on its own.  this is the great perk of being a grown up.