The Shopping Fast

When I was in college I had several ideas about how my family could make Christmas less commercial and hopefully more meaningful.  There was the one year that mom and I declared everyone could spend a maximum of $10 per person in the family.  It resulted in a variety of clever and often homemade gifts.  That worked out pretty well.  Then there was the year that I declared we would not exchange Christmas gifts until January 1 and all Christmas shopping was to be conducted between December 26 and  31.  This was to allow us to catch the after Christmas deals and savor the holiday.  Okay, so that one did not work out very well.  As I left college and matured, I pretty much left behind my crazy notions of messing with Christmas shopping traditions.  That is until this year.

Thanksgiving had yet to arrive and I realized that I was already engaging in the Christmas shopping frenzy.  I was spending time and money at a steady pace and my head was already beginning to whirl.  I was stockpiling groceries for anticipated Christmas baking.  The gift closet was beginning to bulge with possible gifts.  I was gathering craft items for potential Christmas crafts.  My heart had already begun to race with the thoughts of being completely overwhelmed by shopping, projects, and future credit card bills.  I decided that something had to give.

Although I do not consider myself a shopping diva, I do enjoy shopping.  I live on a fairly tight budget and work hard to stay out of debt.  However I do  enjoy seeing what is out there and where I can find a bargain.  I actually  love grocery shopping.  I consider it a game to see if I can make my "you saved" amount equal to or larger than the "you paid" amount. I know that I can end up spending a lot of  time looking and considering when shopping.  With  the extra holiday expectations and added Christmas paraphernalia, I know that left unchecked I am sure to increase my shopping time, financial obligations, and stress level this holiday season.  Like I said, we had not reached Thanksgiving yet and I could tell it had already started.

So I have been thinking about it and as of today I am embarking on a shopping fast through Christmas day.  Before you begin to panic and start planning meals to send over for Peter, let me tell you it is not a total abstinence.   I have given myself parameters to allow opportunities to secure what we need without engaging in the shopping frenzy of the season.  There is to be no more random shopping for the next month. I have enough craft items, stockpiled gift items and food to participate in Christmas giving and celebrations.  I decided that there is no reason to buy more "maybe I will need" items.  My shopping fast guidelines provide room to purchase items that may be needed to complete a current project as well as food so that we don't starve. There are also guidelines that allow me to obtain yet purchased Christmas gift(s) for Peter. Everyone else will just have to take their chances from the gift closet and craft bin!  I have made a detailed list of an acceptable number of shops including which stores are acceptable and the maximum amount I can spend per shop.  The list actually looks like something out of  Leviticus in the Old Testament.  "I can shop at one particular store once a week yet at another store only every other week. And there are other stores that are not permissible.  I can shop at one store once when I pick up my prescription but if I spend anything beyond the cost of the medicine it has to come out of money allotted for a permissible shop at another store."

I know it all sounds a little crazy but I am really excited about it.  It has only been one day and I am already realizing how much time and energy I put into shopping or even thinking about shopping.  I am excited about challenging my normal mode of operation.  I am looking forward to having more time to actually be at home to make some of the crafts and food for which I have already gathered items.

Now I don't want anyone to read this and feel guilty for going Christmas shopping.  If it were me, I would.  That is not why I tell you my story.  I tell you because like I said, I am really excited about the potential that this shopping fast has to effect my Christmas enjoyment this year.  I also tell you this because if you see me in the store, you might want to ask me how the shopping fast is going.  And if you see me in Wal-Mart just tell me to repent because it is not on the permissible list.  Well unless it is part of Peter's weekly 2 hour shopping opportunity because then it would be permissible.  Yeah I know maybe I should spend some of my free time  in therapy. Oh yeah, I already do.