Tis the Season....

So, the one thing I hate the most about the Christmas season is shopping. It is sad really because most of the time it would seem like a good time.....actually being able to spend money instead of just window shopping, buying the perfect gift for someone that you care about, the excitement of finding the perfect gift. Unfortunately all of that potential fun gets ruined when you have the share the shopping experience with MANIAC's! I've decided that although the Christmas Season generally brings out the best in people as a whole, the Christmas "Shopping Season" almost always brings out their WORST. Case in point..... yesterday at work I read an ad for ToysRus that stated it was having a "doorbuster" sale that morning at 7am. There was one item on there that I wanted to buy for Ian and it was normally $40 but this Saturday morning at 7am it was only $15. Bargain right!~ So, I figured I would stop by and get one considering that I got off of work at 6:30 and it would be perfect timing to swing by on my way home. I got off early (luckily) and showed up in the parking lot at 6:45 and waited. Suddenly 5, 6, 7 cars start pulling in to the parking lot. I start getting nervous and anxious and as soon as one person got out of their car to stand in front of the door, the rest of us did the same. I was 2nd in line. Turns out they were all there for the same thing I was with the exception of a few who were checking for Nintendo Wii's.....I will get to that story in a minute. So, the door opens and suddenly Im being pushed out of the way by a mob of people literally running to get this toy! Ive never experienced anything like it. Grown adults running like little children for a toy! I am humiliated to admit it, but I ran too....I had to or I wouldnt have gotten one. Ugh.

So, Ninendo Wii. For those that dont know this....because until I tried to buy one I didnt know it either.... this video game system is THE THING to buy this season. So much so that Nintendo cant keep up with demand and people are buying them and selling them on ebay for $200 more than they bought them for. This makes it impossible for the average consumer/parent to purchase one for their kids. My step-son Alec wants one for Christmas....in fact it is ALL he wants. So everyone in the family pooled their money together and sent it to us to help out with the hefty price tag. That was 2 weeks ago and I cannot find one. People are showing up at stores at 4am to stand in line in hopes of getting one but the stores are only getting shipments in of 6-10 machines at a time again making it impossible for the average parent to get a hold of one. I had intended on buying Alec a giftcard and wrapping it with a picutre of the Wii so that he would know that I tried because I refused to participate in the game... We would just have to buy it after Christmas. However, it was rumored that a lot of the stores got large shipments in (by large I mean about 20 of them) and were holding them until Sunday to sell. Ding Ding Ding.....I get off work early on Sunday morning, so I could stop by and wait in line for a little bit right? Something I swore I would never do for a toy......but I did it. I got off work at 4:30 this morning. First I went to Kmart and the people that were already there told me that they only got 6 of them in (one of the people waiting works there) So, then I went to Shopko and the 15 people standing there said Shopko only got 10 (again an employee was there) but they heard Best Buy had the largest shipment. So, I went down to Best Buy and got in line because someone said they heard Best Buy got 80 of them! So, I grabbed my blanket and my extra coat and got in line at 5am...I was number 36 in line and I stood there for 3 hours (they opened at 8am) in 16 degree weather! It was the longest 3 hours of my life but...... I GOT ONE! We are now the proud owners of a Nintendo Wii.....that is until Alec opens it and takes it back to Phoenix with him. It's bittersweet really, although we dont have a "gaming system" at our home and probably wont for a while, I feel like I deserve to at least play with it considering the sacrifice I made to get it. Oh well, Im just glad that Alec will get to open it on Christmas. Im excited to give it to him. Thankfully there were no news reporters there to capture my stupidity on film. Today, now that it is over, I swear never to do it again......never say never.

Merry Christmas