Learn How Shopping Small Can Help Big with Christmas Stress
Christmas stresses me out.
I love Halloween. You just buy candy, and you are pretty much set.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the Christmas lights on Main Street, the music, spending time with family, the food … but the shopping!
I am typically the last-minute shopper, and I am typically the stereotypical customer that uses my shopping cart as a battering ram in a big box store as I attempt to grab the last pre-packed gift idea, so my family has something under the tree.
This year was a little different. As I am working in Downtown Gloversville, I made a point to shop on Small Business Saturday, which I have not done in years because of the cranky crowds, the cranky clerks … the cranky me.
I took my 12-year-old with me, who is my biggest critic and lets you know exactly what she thinks, and we walked Main Street Gloversville, going in and out of the shops. We had a great time as we found unique gifts for our family, and everyone was so nice and helpful. Her tween comment of “These places are so cool,” is a positive review!
Could it be Downtown Gloversville is changing my Grinch heart?
Was this experience an anomaly?
I went back to the shops the next Saturday, just before the Christmas parade and found
some more fun and personalized gifts. Again, the experience was not stressful and quite pleasing with the cheerful clerks and owners giving me great advice and assisting me with my purchases. I took my time with each shop and each purchase rather than make a bee line to the door. I also stopped at several places for some goodies and hot chocolate to keep me going.
It’s down to the wire with Christmas a few short days away and while I am ahead of the game this year, I still have stocking stuffers to get. I typically go with the generic gifts cards that push the responsibility of getting my family’s presents off me and back on them as they essentially shop for themselves.
I have been spending my lunch hours this week procuring these items and as I can’t get into too many details as my family
monitors this page, but I have found yummy treats, pretty sweaters and cool gadgets.
If you are like me and you are searching for that perfect gift and you have no time left before
family arrives on your doorstep, take a minute to just breathe and walk into the shops in Downtown Gloversville. You may find more than just a box to shove under the tree.
Stay. Play. Explore. Live.
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