Holiday Mall Shopping: Stuffed with Sameness

This article was about how every year when it comes time to buy gifts for the holidays, everything gets to be the same. We tend to shop in the same stores no matter what malls we go to because there a lot of chain stores. 

We also tend to buy the same types of presents every year and sometimes it gets difficult to find new presents that no one has ever received before. The author of the article also said that we sometimes end up getting gift cards when we can't think of anything better to buy and when we're running out of time to buy something. 

The article goes on to say that because of the same routine that people go through every year when they do their holiday shopping, they end up getting tired and bored of it. When people get tired of doing the same things every year, it takes the excitement out of going shopping for the holidays.


Do you go through the same routine every year when you have to do your holiday shopping? Have you ever become bored because of your routine?

11 comments:

Harlz said...

Yes, I do tend to shop at the same places every year because usually I am buying for the same people. It does get boring because it seems that I am buying the same thing for everyone every year.

Kristen said...

Yes, every year it's the same place, with the same stress. I always say to myself that next year will be different. I'll plan somewhere else to shop instead of Westfarms mall, and I'll know what I'm getting everyone. Instead I seem to still go to Westfarms, without knowing what I'm getting everyone, at the last minute. Therefore, of course I get bored with my routine.

Unknown said...

This is really interesting, because for the first time ever, this year I had no clue wat to ask for for Christmas. I do think that every year people ask for and purchase the same types of gifts. Whether its a Coach purse, pair of uggs, a Northface, Pandora bracellete or charms, a new cell phone, a laptop, and ipod, or a camera. What happens when you have it all? This year I had absolutely nothing to ask for. I ended up asking for a funny gift, and asked for a kids easy bake oven because it was something i never got when i was little. This year Christmas wasnt as fun, and there wasnt as much joy for me. I definatly agree with the opinion the article forms.

Anonymous said...

Do you go through the same routine every year when you have to do your holiday shopping? Have you ever become bored because of your routine?

I tend to get people the same thing every year. Not just for Christmas but for birthdays too. I fear that they will grow old of what i get them so i ask what they would like. When they respond by nothing, or saying whatever you feel like, I resort back to the same thing I get everyone. I go into different stores, but I want more of a personalized gift that I know the person will find a value for. That is hard to do for some people.

Zach said...

No I don't have a routine when I go Christmas shopping, I always try and get something interesting and original for each person whether they'd fully want it or not. I do not get bored of shopping because I always change the routine.

Unknown said...

Yes i think i have a routine for what i am shopping for because it is always for the same people each year and you usually no what to buy them. SO you find yourself in the same stores as last year buying the same things. But when kids grow older they may want different things so as parents you might have more of a varietey depending on what type of child you have.

LaurenZenzie said...

Yes, I have certain stores that I visit when it comes to the crazy shopping season. I don't get bored of these stores because they're always being shipped in new things, so every time I go to those stores, there's different items that I want, as well as what my friends/family want. So yes, I tend to shop at select stores every year, but I don't get bored of them at all.

xContractorx said...

I haven't had a routine because this was only my first year but it was boring. I think it was more stressful than it is boring; trying to find something that might not be their, what will they like, will they like what I got them... When it happens every year I would imagine it would get very annoying and too stressful to be worth it. That's why people should make a list of what they want instead of always guessing.
-David Kusinski

Anonymous said...

Taylor Tufano

Every year I leave it up to my older brother to get the gifts for my family. At the end of the holidays, he tells me how much I owe him. This year I owed him $230. I guess it can be stressful because of the money, but since I don't shop for the gifts, I luck out a little. But if I were to go shopping, I'd probably shop at the same stores.

Jazmin Ortiz said...

For me I do find it difficulty to find good gifts that people have never gotten before. But I never do gift cards because they are in personal and thoughtless. I would rather go and be stressed out then give a person a card. But I do realize that people do shop at the same stores no matter what mall they go to. I think it has to due with there style and they are hesitant to go to other stores that they never shopped in before.

Marianna said...

i hate holiday shopping because everything is so generic - there is a bath set or a makeup set for everyone, and yet how many bath sets do you need? i like to mix it up every year. going to the mall or something hugely generic like that is pointless - every store has the same thing reproduced in every location across the country. i prefer places like pier 1 or marshals because every store has something at least minutely original.