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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006 General Board Posts >> Holidays in Retail land
        
(Message started by: kayarr on Nov 16^th, 2006, 7:36am)

Title: Holidays in Retail land
Post by kayarr on Nov 16^th, 2006, 7:36am

Hi- hoooooooo,

The Holiday rush is upon us.....yikes! In the last month I have had a Thriftway Store white glove inspection, the Store holiday show and now it is the Big weekend before Thanksgiving that is looming! God, give me strength.

Give a piece of chocolate to your local cashier or deli worker during the holiday season. They really are over worked and under paid:)

Gobble-Gobble

Title: Re: Holidays in Retail land
Post by Cathi04 on Nov 16^th, 2006, 8:19am

OOOOHHH, Kimberly! I feel your pain! Beginning next Fri, my husband will be officially MIA till New Years Eve. Retail really does suck........

Think of all the people who will be overjoyed by your pies.....err, and if that doesn't work, make your husband massage your tired tootsies!

Happy calm-before-the storm, Kimberly!

:-*Cathi

Title: Re: Holidays in Retail land
Post by nani on Nov 16^th, 2006, 8:43am

My sympathies, Kimberly...
I've worked grocery and retail... talk about killing the holiday spirit!
I'm always especially nice to those poor folks, and I enjoy making fun of the PITA customers with them. ;)
I never give them chocolate, though...the chocolate is MINE. Just a smile and an empathetic kind word or two.

Title: Re: Holidays in Retail land
Post by BarbaraD on Nov 16^th, 2006, 10:26am

If it's any consolation - my shopping is done -- all I've got left is baking... and mailing, and ...... Geezzz, I need a massage too.... ;;D

I just take my grandson with me when I do go shopping. He TALKS to everyone - even the grouchies (and usually gets them to smiling before he's thru). One clerk at the grocery store refers to him as the "butt pincher". For some reason, one day he decided to pinch her butt and has been doing it ever since. Even the store manager cracks up on that one.

I think the chocolate is a good idea. If Caleb doesn't eat it first....

Hugs BD

Title: Re: Holidays in Retail land
Post by sandie99 on Nov 16^th, 2006, 10:29am

Vibes of strength are on the way! :)

The holiday stress is looming over my head as well; both friends and mum ask me for present tips and I have no idea. Aguess I have to find time to do some window shopping some day soon...

Best wishes,
Sanna

Title: Re: Holidays in Retail land
Post by Cathi04 on Nov 16^th, 2006, 11:37am

We have decided, as we are all adults in need of nothing.........well, except my grandson, Michael...at 9 yrs old, ya need EVERYTHING!
Annywhooo.............this year, we are putting the old Choo-choo train around the Christmas Tree, and we are not exchanging gifts. We have everything we want/need. We will be writing a check to the Oregon Food Bank, and, with luck, we will all gather in health and love and enjoy each other.
It seems strange, right now, with everyone soo busy, but I think it'll become a tradition around here.
I can't imagine the tree being empty, but this makes sense to us....we'll see how it goes.
Cathi

Title: Re: Holidays in Retail land
Post by LeLimey on Nov 16^th, 2006, 12:03pm

on 11/16/06 at 11:37:10, Cathi04 wrote:

...I can't imagine the tree being empty, but this makes sense to us....we'll see how it goes.
Cathi

Last year all Jasper wanted after watching "The Polar Express" was a bell from Santa's sleigh in a box. Well, thanks to Lizzie who knew nothing of it at the time but who's good heart allowed more than one christmas miracle - he got it.

It made me think though that the best presents come with a bit of imagination so I wrote letters to the three kids telling them each something I really loved about them and something I was really proud of them for.

The toys are mostly broken and those bits of paper are grubbier than the knees of Jaspers jeans but they still have them and I sort of think they always will.

I'm going to repeat it this year and every year, its going to be my Christmas legacy to my kids to add to all our other christmas traditions.

I thought you might like to share it too. You can have "presents" under the tree then, wrapped up boxes for all the grown ups with priceless treasures in them that will mean more than any shop bought present ever.

love
Helen

Title: Re: Holidays in Retail land
Post by BarbaraD on Nov 16^th, 2006, 1:51pm

It's said that you can never have too many friends, but Christmas was just a week away and I had five people left to shop for on my Christmas list and only three dollars to my name. How do you tell your mother, brother and three friends that you can only spend sixty cents on each of them?
"Let's set a price limit on our gifts this year," I suggested to my best friend, Joanie.
"That's a good idea," Joanie agreed. "How about nothing over five dollars?"
"How about nothing over sixty cents?" I felt like the biggest cheapskate in the world.
"I guess this is where I'm supposed to say it's not the gift, it's the thought that counts," Joanie smiled. "But don't blame me if all you get is a stick of gum!"
It is almost impossible to buy anything for under sixty cents, so it was really going to have to be very small gifts with very big thoughts. I'd never spent so much time or effort trying to come up with the right gift for the right person.
Finally, Christmas day arrived, and I was worried how people would feel about my "cheap" gifts.
I gave my mother a scented candle with a note that said, "You are the brightest light in my life." She almost cried when she read the note.
I gave my brother a wooden ruler. On the back of it I'd painted, "No brother in the world could measure up to you." He gave me a bag of sugar and had written on it, "You're sweet." He'd never said anything like that to me before.

For Joanie, I painted an old pair of shoes gold and stuck dried flowers in them with a note that said, "No one could ever fill your shoes." She gave me a feather and a Band-Aid. She said I always tickled her funny bone and made her laugh until her sides ached.
To my other two friends, I gave one a paper fan and wrote on it, "I'm your biggest fan." To the other, I gave a calculator that cost one dollar and I painted a message on the back, "You can always count on me." They gave me a rusty horseshoe for luck and a bundle of sticks tied with a red ribbon because "friends stick together."
I don't remember all the other gifts that I got from people last Christmas, but I remember every one of the "cheap" gifts.
My brother thinks I'm sweet. My mother knows she is the most important person in my life. Joanie thinks I'm funny and I make her laugh, which is important because her dad moved away last year and she misses him and is sad sometimes.
I was worried I wouldn't have enough money for Christmas gifts, but I gave gifts to five people and still had twenty cents left over. We all still talk about our "cheap" gifts and how much fun it was to come up with a gift that cost pennies but told someone how we really felt about them. On my bookshelf, I still have a bag of sugar, a feather, a horseshoe and a bundle of sticks...and they are priceless.

Thought this might fit Helen. I loved it when I read it.

Title: Re: Holidays in Retail land
Post by Cathi04 on Nov 16^th, 2006, 2:00pm

Helen,
I have been thinking of this, kinda drafting my letters in my head.
We plan to go out for dinner all together one night between Xmas and New Years. It would be nice to have certificates for everyone for dinner, and some heartfelt words as well under the tree. Gifts come in many varieties, the gift of love being just 1.
I'm all for the idea of staying away from the malls and such. Michael is done already, so my time can be dedicated to this kinda special stuff....aww, who am I kidding?? I will goof off till the last minute, and then try to redeem myself.
Gil's got it easy. Each year, he writes me a love letter, so he's in the habit already. :-/ I buy him "lingerie" and such.....
As we enter this wacky wonderful season, I wish you all a wonderful time, PF and full of surprises....and, do please remember, the gifts are NOT the most important part.
Happy Holidays, 2006
Cathi

Title: Re: Holidays in Retail land
Post by LeLimey on Nov 16^th, 2006, 2:01pm

Barb I love it too - thank you [smiley=hug.gif]
You know what? There's nothing nicer than reading stories like that and knowing the world IS full of love after all the horror we read day in day out is there?

Title: Re: Holidays in Retail land
Post by kayarr on Nov 16^th, 2006, 7:05pm

Do you guys know how much you all ROCK! The love and empathy makes the day worth it:)

Jeff and I are probably going to do some sentimental things. My youngest daughter and I are getting together and making some gifts. (that is a gift all it's own:) I think I'll bake and do a little sewing and I have a wooden box I got from wisconsin cheese council that I am decorating and filling with princess dress up stuff for the only granddaughter.

I think a foot rub is totally appropriate:)

Title: Re: Holidays in Retail land
Post by kayarr on Nov 16^th, 2006, 7:10pm

on 11/16/06 at 14:00:25, Cathi04 wrote:

That indeed is the true spirit:)

Peace filled Holidays to one and all!
Kimberly