This may seem a little out of the ordinary. . .an article about Christmas shopping from someone who detests it. I mean, I absolutely hate to go to the mall or a department store during the year, much less during the holidays. If I don't have a list made up so that I'm in and out of the store in 20 minutes, I'm not going. Period. You have to have seen the recent medical study showing that shopping significantly increases stress and blood pressure in males. So, ladies, now you know why your significant other reacts to the prospect of Christmas shopping like a five year old faced with having to eat brussel sprouts–it's harmful to our health. So, men, here are some tips to lessen your stress as well as some suggestions for gifts. God knows the second most stressful thing to going shopping is picking something out.
Tip Number One: Shop on the web.
The latest craze is shopping on the internet. It's fast, it's
easy, it doesn't require you to sit in a mile long check out line
with a crying brat behind you and it allows you to do something
trendy.
Tip Number Two: Buy one of the following on the Web. These three areas offer the best web sites and choice of items. Plus, there are quite a few new items this season.
1. Clothing. Check out these sites: www.llbean.com , www.gap.com
, or
www.patagonia.com . Clothes for men, women, and children at the
same prices, but you can view the clothes and purchase them without
having to explain to some high school kid working during the holidays
that no, you aren't interested in the five for the price of three
special on boxers and t-shirts.
2. Books. Check out www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnoble.com for books, music, calendars and such. Tom Wolfe has a new bestseller out and I'm sure there are plenty of new titles from which you can choose the appropriate book. Note to all guys: your girlfriend/wife/mother will not find it amusing that you purchased the Hooters calendar for your uncle, dad, or brother, so don't go there. Buy that for yourself.
3. Music. Go to www.cdnow.com , or, even better because it
specializes in used discs,
www.secondspin.com . There are some great new discs out this fall/winter.
New releases by Hole, REM, Ice Cube, Method Man, and Metallica,
a live disc by Pearl Jam, and U2's greatest hits make this a great
season to buy a music fan a new disc. I apologize for the limitation
of the available titles to various alternative or rap music acts.
There are bound to be other acts from the fields of jazz, classical,
and R & B with new discs out. . .hopefully they don't include
A Kenny G Christmas, Part Two.
Tip Number Four. Be prepared to use a credit card over the web. Just something to remember, as it's the only way to shop on the web.
Tip Number Five. Now that you've finished your shopping thanks to the web, figure out any way/reason/excuse for not going to the mall to shop with your parents/significant other so that you can recuperate from exams, watch inordinate amounts of football, and generally vegetate like you used to before you entered law school. But most importantly, have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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