Black Friday shopping anyone?

Black Friday shopping anyone?

None for me, thank you.

Yes, surprisingly, I did not do any shopping on one of the biggest days for the retail industry here in the US - day after Thanksgiving. From experience, you can get really great deals on this day but you will have to be ready for long lines.

This year, I did not shop and I may be regretting it already! I knew that there wasn't a need for shopping that much. I was making most of my presents for friends and family. What I had forgotten was that I still needed to buy gifts for my kids! LOL! Sigh. I had not bothered to pore over Thursday's newspaper where ads for Black Friday sale were inserted. In previous years, I would have planned my shopping day according to what I wanted to buy and where. This year, however, I simply glanced at them with no excitement whatsoever. Maybe because times have been tough and there really isn't much to play with? I wasn't planning on buying certified diamonds or any big ticket items at all but difficult times call for more reserved spending, don't you think?

Only, I'm now really regretting not going out and buying the kids' presents. I'm looking at the calendar and see that we've got about 3 weeks left before Christmas and I have not even started on my Christmas shopping yet! Argh! There seems so much to do and so little time.

I gotta learn to slow down though and remember the reason for all the celebration. The kids won't mind if they don't get the "perfect" present. I think we've taught them well to appreciate whatever they receive. If they should be disappointed, it would be the perfect time to teach them the lesson to be grateful for everything and anything.

This week is particularly stressful for me because I'm doing last-minute stuff for our community Christmas on Sunday. I think that once I get through that, everything else will slow down.

Hope you're enjoying the season and not as stressed as me.