Member-only story
Maybe Happiness Shouldn’t Come from A Store
That Doesn’t Mean I Want Holiday Retailers Knocking on My Door
“Maybe Christmas, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more?” (The Grinch from How the Grinch Stole Christmas)
I thought I was safe in my home from the annual Holiday Shopping Attack. Years ago, I vowed to scale my shopping back in an attempt to lower stress and reduce overconsumption. I avoided Black Friday like the plague and stayed away from malls during the entire month of December. I assumed, once I made this annual retreat, I’d be safe and snug in my home — reading a good book in front of the fire while sipping on a cup of hot chocolate — waiting for the new year to arrive.
And then the attack came to my front door, busted through it, and decided to take up permanent residence in my home. The holiday frenzy was no longer out there — it was inside my living space, my computer, my phone, and my brain. And there was no place left to run or hide.
Once upon a time, I welcomed Cyber Monday. Internet shopping was better, or so I believed, than ordinary brick-and-mortar shopping. It allowed me to make my holiday purchases quickly and conveniently from the comfort of…