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Christmas Shopping in One Day
Your Mission: to get all your Christmas shopping done in one day. You’re going to lick that Christmas list, like Tom Cruise licked that tall glass building in Mission Impossible.
8 am: Today, you are on a mission that will be executed with military-style precision. You need a good breakfast, and yes, you need pancakes. Write a list of who you’re shopping for, a budget for each person, possible gifts and where you’ll find them. This list is your compass, and will keep you safe from brain explosions and other dangers.
9 am: Go online to all your favourite shops, as if you were at the mall. Online shopping has so many advantages: bargains are easier to find and you’re less likely to make impulse purchases. Order early and it will be delivered in plenty of time. Even if you don’t want to buy online, use it to get ideas and find out where the best sales are.
11 am: Leave your credit cards at home and head to a cash machine. Get out the amount of money allocated in your budget and use cash only.
11.30 am: Okay, you’re ready to hit the shops. Buy the cheapest gifts first—this means you won’t be setting the standard too high, too early.
1 pm: Time to re-fuel and re-group. How far through your list are you?
1.30 pm: Continue your shopping mish, avoiding common shopping pitfalls. Queue in less popular departments—like menswear—to avoid strategically-placed impulse products. Avoid attractive people at all costs, as psychologists say you’re more like to buy from them. Look on the lower and higher shelves, where less expensive products are kept.
3–5 pm: Depending on how many you have to shop for, you’ve bought most of your gifts. Allow yourself some spontaneous time—going into shops that appeal or making an impulse gift purchase (maybe for yourself).
5 pm: Time to head home with your arms and heart full, brain still intact and your list ticked off. Mission Impossible accomplished!
by Ingrid Barratt(c) 'War Cry' magazine, 28 November 2015, pp 8.
You can read 'War Cry' at your nearest Salvation Army church or centre, or subscribe through Salvationist Resources.