Today I decided to use my lunch-break for some more last-minute Christmas shopping - Destination HMV. I walked in full of purpose - one new James Blunt album for my sister, that's all I need, In-Out, 5 minutes max. But there I was on my way to row "B" in the Rock/Pop section, battling through the hoardes of shoppers, adrenalin rising, when I got sucked in - suddenly corralled by the "Gift" section. Next thing I know I'm pondering whether to buy some album involving Celine Dion singing Christmas carols for my mum. At no other time would I consider this. I'm even bopping to the music belting out over the overhead speakers wondering if I should find out who the artist is. The potential for gift buying is overwhelming. The same thing happened at Borders two days ago. They were offering 50% off all book purchases that day and the queue was literally pouring into the streets ,which meant you were forced to take in all the wonderful books on display as you snaked, at a snail's pace, to the cashier. I had to physically clamp my hands round my copy of Letters of Noel Coward (luckily a hefty tome enouraging a two-handed grip) to avoid undulging in another coffee-table book, stocking-filler, cookbook... But back to HMV - I think I would have lost myself in The Overpowering Buzz of The Xmas Impulse-buy had I not suddenly spotted one of our books right by the door. There it was: The Ultimate Book of British Comics - beautifully displayed, a familiar and calming sight in the midsts of the mayhem, and a reminder that there are some things worth buying spur of the moment, and others not. I gently placed the Celine-Dion-Sings-Carols album back on the shelf and went on my merry way. (After purchasing the intended James Blunt CD of course.)
Wednesday 19 December 2007
All I want for Christmas....is to buy it all!
Today I decided to use my lunch-break for some more last-minute Christmas shopping - Destination HMV. I walked in full of purpose - one new James Blunt album for my sister, that's all I need, In-Out, 5 minutes max. But there I was on my way to row "B" in the Rock/Pop section, battling through the hoardes of shoppers, adrenalin rising, when I got sucked in - suddenly corralled by the "Gift" section. Next thing I know I'm pondering whether to buy some album involving Celine Dion singing Christmas carols for my mum. At no other time would I consider this. I'm even bopping to the music belting out over the overhead speakers wondering if I should find out who the artist is. The potential for gift buying is overwhelming. The same thing happened at Borders two days ago. They were offering 50% off all book purchases that day and the queue was literally pouring into the streets ,which meant you were forced to take in all the wonderful books on display as you snaked, at a snail's pace, to the cashier. I had to physically clamp my hands round my copy of Letters of Noel Coward (luckily a hefty tome enouraging a two-handed grip) to avoid undulging in another coffee-table book, stocking-filler, cookbook... But back to HMV - I think I would have lost myself in The Overpowering Buzz of The Xmas Impulse-buy had I not suddenly spotted one of our books right by the door. There it was: The Ultimate Book of British Comics - beautifully displayed, a familiar and calming sight in the midsts of the mayhem, and a reminder that there are some things worth buying spur of the moment, and others not. I gently placed the Celine-Dion-Sings-Carols album back on the shelf and went on my merry way. (After purchasing the intended James Blunt CD of course.)
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2 comments:
The only kind of shopping I do is on impulse. It makes Christmas that much more surprising. And expensive.
Last minute shopping for the cutest 1 1/2 year old yesterday caused me to behave like a kid in a sweetshop. Hands up, yes that was me in Waterstone's Gower Street finding every children's book that included somekind of musical button... I'm sure the staff loved me!
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