Christmas time, however, is another story. I'm "one of those people" who gets their shopping done early and all their presents are wrapped and under the tree weeks in advance. I love the thrill of the hunt for the perfect gift. One thing I do not love, however, are the malls at Christmas. It's not so much the last-minute shoppers who scurry by you with that harried look in their eyes, nor is it the line-ups at various change-rooms and registers...it's the kids.
Don't get me wrong, I adore children. I love watching them climb onto Santa's lap to whisper their list and have their picture taken. I love hearing the little giggles in the aisles where normally the only sounds are bad pop music and cash registers. It just seems that Christmas-time at the mall causes the city's population of children to quadruple. I'm scared of hurting them, and I'm scared for them that they'll get lost in the crowds. I remember one time, at West Edmonton Mall, I didn't want to hold my Dad's hand and he looked at me and said, "What if you get lost? What if we don't find you? And then the last thing you will have said to me is that you didn't want to hold my hand." Maybe that's where the pre-occupation with kids and shopping comes from...thanks, Dad, you've scarred me for life. :)
3 comments:
Walking through the mall yesterday Megan and I noticed the same thing. I am usually one of those people who tries to walk through the mall as quickly and possible using my peripherals to pick up what is going on around me. The problem is that many of the kids coming out of a store do not get picked up right away and I find myself scooping them up in the 'superman saving child from train' technique but I am only saving them from myself. So I slow down for a while...but it is a recurring phenomena so I must have a short memory of such things.
Have a wonderful holidays.
Aaron
I had to save a lost child in west edmonton mall once. It was highly stressful.
That sign is hilarious.
I can't imagine what would posess parents to take thier kids to the mall. Leave them at home and go in the evenings. I've on;y taken my kids to the mall twice in thier entire lives. It wasn't fun!
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