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the thread for venting about holiday shopping
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Cap'n Tightpants
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Nov 26, 2015, 11:14 PM
 
This year I'm doing the shopping for our kids at the home (I drew the short straw, literally), so that adds another 42 people to my Xmas shopping list, which was already kind of longish. Oh, and I can't do gift cards or bulk buying (give them all the same thing), my usual strategy, it has to be more "personal". WTH? Seriously? Don't kids usually like itunes cards and Gameboys? Not sure I'm going to survive this.
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
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subego
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Nov 27, 2015, 01:33 AM
 
It wasn't the sole reason, but once the number of gifts required for my mom's family topped 30, I just stopped talking to them.
     
mindwaves
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Nov 27, 2015, 06:33 AM
 
Wow, you have 42 kids!
     
Waragainstsleep
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Nov 27, 2015, 10:21 AM
 
Look on the bright side, you could have no money to buy gifts. Or worse, no-one to buy them for.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
Cap'n Tightpants  (op)
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Nov 27, 2015, 11:17 AM
 
Originally Posted by mindwaves View Post
Wow, you have 42 kids!
It's the local children's home (mostly orphans and the abandoned), we sponsor them. They're good kids, generally speaking.

I don't mind getting them gifts, I like doing that, but usually I get them itunes, Amazon, or Steam cards. Well, a few are getting Steam cards regardless, because that's the only thing they ever ask for.
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
     
BadKosh
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Nov 27, 2015, 11:25 AM
 
I hate the careless impatient drivers screaming all over the roads, blowing stop signs and failing to yield.
     
Cap'n Tightpants  (op)
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Nov 27, 2015, 11:49 AM
 
Neither love nor money could have gotten me out into the shopping sh*tstorm this morning (or last night). Speaking of last night, the local Best Buy had a line 300 meters long, just for a chance to get a (very) crappy $99 HDTV. How many do they think are in there, anyway? 10? Maybe 20?
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
     
andi*pandi
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Nov 28, 2015, 07:07 PM
 
I only briefly stopped into my local gamestop, because damned if I was going to try driving near any big mall.

42 gifts? Could be fun, if they are non-specific "A doll, a board game"d. I miss shopping for little kids for whom everything is awesome and there are no wrong choices.

What's stressful about shopping is finding out the thing they've asked for is suddenly a "hot toy" and only available on ebay for 5x the price. #$%^&* that.
     
Cap'n Tightpants  (op)
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Nov 29, 2015, 03:45 AM
 
These aren't little kids, for the most part, most are 12+, so their wants are a bit more complicated. I sent out a bulk email to get some ideas, a top 5 list, and it's extremely varied.

Ex. One girl wants:

1. Rhinoplasty (!!?)
2. Louis Vuitton bag (!)
3. iPhone 6S Plus
4. Apple Watch
5. Money

Heh.

The boys?

1. Steam card
2. Steam card
3. Steam card
4. Steam card
5. BB-8

"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
     
subego
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Nov 29, 2015, 07:18 AM
 
Originally Posted by Cap'n Tightpants View Post
These aren't little kids, for the most part, most are 12+, so their wants are a bit more complicated. I sent out a bulk email to get some ideas, a top 5 list, and it's extremely varied.

Ex. One girl wants:

1. Rhinoplasty (!!?)
2. Louis Vuitton bag (!)
3. iPhone 6S Plus
4. Apple Watch
5. Money

Heh.
This one will be easy to troll. Get her the Apple Watch but no iPhone.
     
Atheist
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Nov 29, 2015, 08:19 AM
 
I honestly don't give gifts. I gave up buying things for my fiancé. His immediate response is to ask how much I paid. He cares more about the budget than receiving a gift. If he wants something I just have him buy it himself.
     
ghporter
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Nov 29, 2015, 04:04 PM
 
WHY do stores crank the heat up to 80ºF when it's cool outside? These are of course the same stores that crank the AC down to 65ºF when it's hot out. Like nobody actually dresses for the weather or something? I guess...

Today it's in the 50s in San Antonio, and my wife and I were wearing windbreakers because of the breeze. We went to Target, and I broke out in a sweat within minutes because the place was way too warm. I will grant that here, people tend to wear parkas when it's less than 70ºF outside, but that really doesn't have anything to do with making stores too darned hot...

One thing this practice does: it keeps me from hanging around very long, which will cost such places sales. If the place hadn't also been super busy, I'd have found the manager and let him know why I was leaving.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
iMOTOR
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Nov 29, 2015, 06:09 PM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
WHY do stores crank the heat up to 80ºF when it's cool outside?
I don't notice it too much here, but I definitely notice it at stores in the Midwest. It's 17º outside, and seems like 80º inside.

I have a theory that it happens due to complaints from employees of a certain gender.
     
andi*pandi
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Nov 29, 2015, 07:06 PM
 
I was going to say it was complaints from people of a certain age, who are always cold, even when they move to warm climates. In the NE it is annoying to go shopping in winter wearing a warm coat, and end up sweltering in the store. Sometimes I leave it in the car, freeze from car to mall and back, just to avoid hauling the thing around or being hot.
     
ghporter
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Nov 29, 2015, 08:10 PM
 
Those "certain age" customers are the main demographic for my patients. Yes, they may gripe about how the store isn't warm enough inside. But most of the time they are satisfied with an assurance that "it's warmer farther in the store" (where they may actually shop for something instead of griping). Too bad store managers aren't bright enough to figure this out.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
subego
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Nov 29, 2015, 08:12 PM
 
Layers?
     
Waragainstsleep
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Nov 29, 2015, 11:00 PM
 
It might have been because they were busy. Shops play dance music when they want to keep people moving through fast, classical when they want them to browse. Makes sense they play with the thermostat too.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
osiris
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Nov 30, 2015, 11:39 AM
 
Meh. My family tree has been shriveling up and dying lately, each year there are less gifts to buy. This year was the worst (lost 3 dear relatives this year). But I will focus on shopping for some of the kids in the family and my wife.

I was not inspired by black friday - never was and want no part of the crowds. For me and my family it was a day of relaxing and setting up the Christmas lights. Last night I bought a tree, today I awoke to the smell of pine.

My holiday shopping rant: the new LED lights come in lengths far too short, but they sure run cool and look great.
"Faster, faster! 'Till the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." - HST
     
Waragainstsleep
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Nov 30, 2015, 01:26 PM
 
I'm down to one family member I'm on regular speaking terms with.

If you can't be arsed to but 42 individually tailored gifts for the kids, can't you throw them some kind of party? Take the boys to play laser tag and hit a couple of guys in Stormtrooper costumes or something.
Not sure about girls. Don't you have showbiz friends? Get Bieber round or something.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
osiris
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Nov 30, 2015, 01:29 PM
 
42 gifts. Pfff. Obviously none of yous ever had Christmas with Sicilians.
"Faster, faster! 'Till the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." - HST
     
Cap'n Tightpants  (op)
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Nov 30, 2015, 02:37 PM
 
After getting replies that were, by and large, worthless (if not wholly obnoxious). I sent out a more simplified request.

Please select one of the following:

1. Amazon card
2. iTunes card
3. Steam card
4. coal

If you do not reply within the next 7 days you will automatically receive #4.



Tick-tock...

Happy Holidays,
Scroogie McGrinch
"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
     
Cap'n Tightpants  (op)
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Dec 2, 2015, 03:43 PM
 
Not about shopping, per se (though it was made by a German supermarket), but I'd be kicking some wrinkled, octogenarian ass if this was pulled on me (right after hugging the old bastard).

"I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr
     
   
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