Get Ready Santa, It's a Military Strike!

A fine tip for the Holiday Season:

Don't plan your shopping as a browsing experience in the store. Fighting crowds and trying to think clearly are not two things done well at the same time.

Plan a Military Strike: Pick it, stack it and then buy it!

All those catalogues that come your way at this time of year can be useful!

Now go get comfy, get a pen and your favourite catalogue.

Before bedtime, on the days when you don't have much brain power left, have a browse through a Holiday Catalogue from a store you frequent. Pictures before bedtime... not too hard on the brain. Circle the items you think are worthy or have potential as gifts and write the name of the person for whom you'd like to purchase beside it. Then, dog ear or rip out those pages and make a stack of those ideas keeping all ideas from one store together.

Planning! It's a beautiful thing!

Try to pick a day or time when that store is likely to be emptier. First thing in the morning on any given day, later at night for those stores that stay open until 10pm. Remember Mondays and Tuesdays are likelier to be emptier than Thursdays and Fridays. And of course, if you can, avoid Saturday and Sunday shopping like the plague! AND TAKE YOUR IDEA STACK WITH YOU! Having pictures when you can't find the right words will help if you are describing the item to a clerk. ( It's a good idea to bind your stack and place it right by the front door in readiness for the day you plan to attack that store!)

You'll find staff, on those empty days, more available and friendly and supply much more ample! It all makes for a pleasanter shopping experience!

Happy Holidays!