Christmas time is one of my absolute favorite times of the year. I love seeing the decorations, the lights, and the snow, gently falling down to blanket the ground.
There’s a magic in the air with the wonder of miracles, lines of children waiting to talk with Santa, and families trudging through the snow, searching for the perfect Christmas tree.
One of the best aspects of Christmas time, at least for me, is the gift giving.
As a self-described introvert, I rely heavily on online shopping to get me through the holidays. While ordering gifts from the comfort of my home keeps me out of the crowded stores, it does come with its own set of limitations.
There are both pros and cons to online shopping.
Benefits of Online Shopping
- No Interaction with People – I can’t hear very well. Talking with others in crowded stores is not fun. I only hear half of what someone is saying to me. Even if I could hear perfectly though, I would still list not dealing with others as a positive.
- Easy to Order Online – It’s quick. It’s low-stress. Did I mention that it’s quick?
- Availability of Products – If I want to find a yellow blanket with cats on it, I could enter the information into my search bar and find exactly that. (I don’t want to. It was just an example.) If I’m looking for something specific from my childhood to order for my brother, I can go to ebay.com and find it.
- Saves Time – When you go out-and-about to shop, it takes time. Sometimes a great deal of time. Shopping online is quick – especially when you know exactly what you are looking for.
- Reviews & Ratings – Some people really enjoy reading reviews and looking at a product rating. It’s not something that I immediately think about, but online shopping does offer available reviews and ratings for products.
- Price Comparison – While shopping online, it’s easy to compare prices for the same product quickly.
Drawbacks of Ordering From Home
- No Window Shopping – Sometimes, you are out shopping and an item catches your eye. It may even be the perfect item for the perfect person. You can’t get that same feeling from shopping online.
- You can’t Touch it/See it – Every now and then, I’m shopping for something that I really want to see in person. Buying a necklace for Khloe, for instance, would be a situation where I would want to pick it up and check it out for myself.
- Security Concerns – I really don’t worry about this, so much, but I know it can be a concern that people have.
- Shipping Issues – Honestly, I almost listed this as a benefit for online shopping. Usually, items I buy online arrive quickly, directly to my doorstep. Every now and then, however, shipping costs and the time it takes can be a real drawback.
Mix of Both is Best for Me
While online shopping helps me survive the holidays, I do enjoy the occasional night out on the town, shopping with Brian in the Plaza, while Christmas carols are playing and Santa is handing out miniature candy canes.
I need a mix of both worlds to enjoy the holidays. While I don’t always like interacting with others while I’m out in public, I do occasionally enjoy people watching.
It’s also nice to arrive back at home, after a night out maneuvering around packed stores, to relax in front of the fireplace with a large cup of hot coco – marshmallows floating on top, of course.
I may even be able to top the evening off by watching Home Alone or National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Goals for Today:
- Watch Football
- Work on Laundry
- Update my Christmas List for the Kids