Two Old Men Shopping

We start the day after Thanksgiving, rushing toward the 25th of December with purposeful shopping; I mean, shopping like a machine. We worry about making sure our gifts are equally and fairly distributed so no one gets their feelings hurt. We worry that the receiver will like the gift and we hedge our bets by leaving a gift receipt so they can return it if they don’t like it. I don’t really understand what good a gift receipt does, since if they return it, they will still see the price.

We worry and stress over the meals and baking, wanting not only to feed our families, but to deliver on an impossible standard of quality and flavor. Often we are visiting with friends and family that we don’t see much during the rest of the year, and that additionally can cause some anxiety.

One of my family's long standing traditions that is pretty special to me is that each year, my dad and I get together for a day to shop for Christmas presents for our wives. We take the day off and head to the mall and to whichever store that have the (sometimes very specific) gifts that our wives have asked for, or at least expressed some interest in. We get a chance to talk on the drive and catch up on all the important stuff. We shop like two old men, which is how we like it.

It’s not a stressful trip, because we know what we want before we get there and we usually know where we are going to buy it and how much it will cost us. We eat, talk, and take it easy; walking and resting as needed. It is not so much about the gifts, the food, or even the season as it is about having fun and enjoying each other’s company.

So this Christmas, we at Rebel Herbs would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas. May you have a day filled with eating, walking, and talking with those you love, without stress or discomfort.

#merrychristmas #stress #gifts #christmas #family #relax