Simone and hubby finished shopping early this year. This isn't a novelty: both of them abhor the full shopping malls, endless line-ups and general feelings of ill will that permeate the air at Christmas. Too much traffic and tempers flare.
This isn't to say that the pace slowed down any. There were meals to be prepared, children to be entertained and presents to be wrapped. The four year old increased the wrapping paper portion of the pre-event prep tenfold by the simple expedient of wanting to wrap presents himself. Even when the multitude of presents was wrapped and ready, the little guy STILL wanted to wrap presents.
And then in spite of their parents' preparations, many of the other kids did not in fact finish their shopping in time...
"Mom? Can you take me to the mall this morning?"
"I need to go to the mall this afternoon."
"I didn't do my Christmas shopping yet and I'm working today. Can you take me to the mall tomorrow?"
"For crying out loud!" Moaned Simone. "You don't need to buy anything at all!"
The kids looked at her as if she'd grown horns.
Ugh.
No wonder tempers flare.
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