UNITED STATES—Time is running out. You only have limited time to get those final gifts for family, friends or co-workers. Sorry, the budget is tight this year, so the focus is only on immediate family. With that said, I think I find so much joy during that final week of Christmas because there is so much hustle and bustle and people just tend to be in a jolly mood.
I saw this most recently over the weekend during the wee hours in the morning before work, I had to go to the local mall to pick up a few gifts. When I say early morning, I mean just that, the mall opened at 8 a.m. and I was there by 8:30 a.m. When I shop, I prefer to do in the mornings, as I’m not a fan of the big crowds. I used to be when I was younger, but nowadays my patience has waned significantly as I have aged. When you get there in the mornings, the foot traffic is a lot lighter and you can find the items you want and need without having to pick and reach over people to get those items.
In addition, if you need help from a store associate you are more likely to get it and they are pleasant in the process. I happened to stumble into a department store that had a big sale, hell, I will just the name it, was Macys and guess what they were offering these gift card to the first 100 plus customers in stores. Had no idea that was happening, but I was able to save $5 bucks on my order. It might not seem like a lot, but any money you can save is better than no money at all.
The store associates greeted every customer that came in the store, people were just pleasant and there was a joy in the air. That joy was like a wave of positivity that just made my absolute day. I was able to get boxes, I saved quite a bit of money, as I found some nifty deals that I did not expect at all, and I wasn’t waiting in massive lines for long periods of time. That is the absolute worst. I do not like waiting in lines unless I absolutely have to do so.
People were holding doors for others, helping those in need and it was just pleasant. I don’t know why we treat Christmas like a different day than any other day because think about it; you go to the mall just like any other day, but around the holidays the giving heart just lifts people’s spirits in the best possible way. You can dine at a restaurant with family and friends and share a ton of laughs in the process.
Even if you’re not in the best mood, seeing others happy can brighten your mood. Hell, you’re seeing people who would never place money into the red kettles, or donate to the needy, actually doing just that. You help those who are less fortunate around the holidays. It is something we should be doing more of throughout the ENTIRE YEAR, but we don’t always do it, but we are getting better. I love the Christmas holiday, the more I think about it, Christmas is indeed my favorite time of year.
Written By Zoe Mitchell
