Oh, the Joy of Christmas Shopping

The kids had been complaining they didn’t have any shopping done. Apparently, every time we go into the city, hubby and I go to the places we want, while the kids wait for us. So, a couple days ago, I picked the kids up at school, took them to the city and chauffeured them around.

It was 7:30 when we hit the 2nd mall and the kids took off as soon as they passed through those entrance doors. Fine by me because the teen has a cell phone and the boys stick together and share one.

They didn’t want me with them and I knew where I wanted to go, so I headed opposite to their direction and finally came to the store in mind which was exactly diagonal to where I’d started. Surely, the kids were off shopping somewhere else...

I spotted the gift I wanted for teen and had it in my hands when she walked around the corner. I thrust it away and jumped back. Her eyes didn’t look at what I’d been holding. She just said, “Oh, there you are.” And she smiled.

I love her smile. I’m so blessed to have a teen who smiles at me and unlike most teens, my girl doesn’t seem to mind standing or walking beside me – as long as I don’t talk to anyone about her, you understand. So there she was. And she wouldn’t go. Finally, I told her flat out that she was supposed to be shopping and maybe I was shopping, too.

She glanced at the store we were standing in front of and her eyes flared wide. She opened her mouth as if to speak. I raised my eyebrows. “Okay,” she said and wandered off. I waited all of 6 seconds before I ducked into the store in question to keep searching for her size – that alone was a mountain to climb because she’s so skin...er...slender.

And no, I’m not going to tell you if I bought the item or not because she can read and sometimes she even reads my blog. :-0

I didn’t run into the boys until they ran up to me at the entrance to Zellers. The 10 yr old looked concerned. The 13 yr old happy. Hmm. The older one immediately started prattling about his shopping but I put my hand up to stop him. Something wasn’t right. I looked down at my youngest whose whole face drooped as if it was melting away. When I asked him what was wrong, he said he thought he lost his wallet.

I looked at my older son. He looked back at me in horror. Indeed.

Frantically, younger son searched all the pockets of his snowsuit. Nothing.

Older son now looked panicked as well.

I calmly told them to retrace their steps, stopping everywhere they’d stopped, and ask the store workers if anyone had found it. The boys nodded and rushed off.

Of course it crossed my mind that I should go with them. But you know, they’re old enough, now. They don’t need a panicked mama hovering over them. What they need is to concentrate on where they’ve been. I walked through Zellers as if I wasn’t worried that someone had picked up my son’s wallet with his cash, debit and library cards. I prayed the boys would find it. Then, I texted home to tell hubby to pray, too.

About 20 mins later, the boys found me as I walked back out into the mall. The youngest triumphantly held up his wallet. While they’d been looking, they’d heard his name over the loudspeaker telling him to go to the mall Customer Service. Yes, someone had found it and turned it in. Cash and cards intact. Phew! Thank you, God.

A quick text home to mollify hubby and a reassurance to teen who rushed up to ask why someone wanted said brother, and everything was fine. Yeah, except my nerves. Although I’m sure you couldn’t tell from the outside.

It was at this point that youngest son said, “This is nice, Mom, but it’s too expensive. I wanna go to the Dollar Store.” The others agreed. Smart kids.

A few mins later via Ring Road that hugs the outskirts of the city, we enter a spanking brand new Dollarama and shopped until they closed the store a half hour later. Back in the car, the kids were tired but grinning. I asked if they were ready to go home and mentioned that WalMart and SuperStore were open all night.

Nope, they just wanted a pit stop at 7-Eleven. They were shopped out.

Fine by me. And, unlike the blowing snow we’d encountered on our way in, the drive home from the city was gorgeous. With the full moon only a couple days away, there was enough light to spot a deer before it ran onto the road. With the wind barely noticeable, a clear night, carols on the radio, and the kids sleeping in the back, I really enjoyed the hour drive back home.

So, do you have any stories to tell about Christmas shopping, either lately or in you’re your past? Forget your kids in a shopping cart? Run into someone with your potential gift in their hands, or vice versa? Lose your purse or wallet? Surely we can’t be the only ones....