Sunday, December 17, 2006

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

After yesterday's adventures at the Women's Library, this morning I had to face an unfortunate truth.

Christmas shopping.

As of this morning, I had only three presents ready for Christmas and a list of over twenty people to buy for. Is it me, or do couples do better out of Christmas than anyone? They get a present each - at least, they do in my world, it's ridiculous to buy things 'for the house' every year and any present for both of them is going to be crap, because I'm usually only really friends with one of them - but they only have to buy everyone else one present 'from both of them'? That sucks.

I was dreading today. The G and I headed down to Consumer Road in town, which is one of my least favourite places ever, and I was moaning within three seconds (I don't know how she puts up with it - if I was her I'd punch me).

"You know what I hate most about Christmas shopping, that you're forced to choose from so much shit! That's all there is in town to choose from - boxed sets at twice the price the goods normally are and seven times more than they're worth."

The G kept very quiet and interested herself in the pavement. I did about ten more 'And another things' and then got bored with myself. My mother has the virtue of silence well under her belt.

I thought the centre of town would be exceptionally busy, but oddly, it wasn't. I think more people must be taking Miss C's example and shopping online this year. I was right about the stuff being crap though. BHS' Christmas store is to be avoided at all costs unless you have an exceptionally heightened sense of irony and you're looking for a laugh.

I got everyone's present. Everyone's. Ok, not G's but that's not the point, she was with me. I got everyone else's presents, and in one day. I'm so pleased me with myself that I can hardly stop singing Santa Baby.

I intend to spend the rest of the evening drinking white wine with Scott, who has sweetly brought me two bottles of Chardonnay for Christmas. This generosity is only tempered by the fact that he fully intended to drink this wine when he gave it to me, but that's ex-boyfriends for you - every contact post-breakup has its cost. Fortunately this time it won't be the cost of a pregnancy testing kit.

Today's Beautiful Things

1. Enjoying Christmas shopping


2. The good humour of shop assistants (irony much?)


3. I can hear my ex singing in the kitchen. It reminds me why I love living alone.

4 comments:

Lisa Clark said...

You are a braver lady than I miss Chev! Town on the weekend before Xmas? Craziness! You will receive your internet bought presents that have been wrapped for weeks now coz I'm smug like that, on Tuesday!

Anonymous said...

In a kinda masochistic way I enjoyed the Sunday shopping trip (and I think it's in my Long Suffering Parent job description anyway!). And wasn't there a 4th beautiful thing? Clue: series 2. xx

Anonymous said...

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

Dill xxx

Anonymous said...

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

Dill xxx