[Every year in December, comes a time that strikes fear into the heart of
every husband and father: Christmas shopping. Men are by nature conquerors, and
the shopping experience of many is the same as visiting an art gallery, museum,
or sight-seeing. There is nothing to do, no sense of accomplishment, and no
trophies. The stress we must endure is as high as when I first proposed marriage
to my wife, only I get to live through it again every year. Through deep
analysis, I have decided that the problem is one of attitude - how you approach
the situation. Instead of “Christmas shopping”, I call it “Christmas hunting”.
Instead of gathering presents, I “hunt and kill” them. Here is how it works…]
The Prey
In order to hunt something, you must have a prey, something to hunt. With a
normal hunting expedition, this would be deer, rabbits, ducks, geese, etc. Even
when you go fishing, there is something to catch, kill, dress, and eat. At
Christmas time, the prey is the GIFT. The nature of the GIFT is what determines
the hunt. If, for example, you decided to go Buffalo hunting, you would make all
the necessary preparations - special permits, gun, travel plans, etc. Bagging a
GIFT is the same. The GIFT must be something personal that only she can use.
Although she may need a new kitchen appliance such as a blender, for every
kitchen appliance bought, you must spend at least double to ten times that
amount additional for her personal GIFT. Just as a fish is different from a
duck, GIFTS come in various forms, from jewelry to clothing to knickknacks.
Impracticality is the rule here. In order to understand the nature of the prey,
you must do some homework. This may involve actually looking or listening to
your wife. Find out what ‘who knows where they came from’ earrings she is
wearing. She will often give you hints that you are supposed to hear and
understand. It may come in the form of “I wish”, or “it would be nice if...”,
such as “I wish I had a watch to match my shoes”, or it may be that page from
the department store catalogue that she wrapped your sandwich in. Look for the
item circled in red. Pay attention during some of those ordeals you are made to
endure with her when you hold her purse as she moves clothing on a display rack
in a department store. See what catches her eye. Another source is the
television shopping channel. Stop for a few more seconds and take note of what
they are pedaling. This part of the process can be related to when you learn
about the best fishing lakes, hunting forests, etc.
The Weapon
The biggest problem with the Christmas Hunt is the weapon. In order to “kill”
your prey, the GIFT, you must use a paper or plastic weapon. A check book or
credit card just don’t look as ominous as a 12-gauge shotgun. There is nothing
to wield. When you go fishing there is the pole, hunting has its gun, and even
when you are golfing, you have a club to carry. Merchants frown on customers
bringing and carrying firearms around in their stores. I have yet to find a
suitable substitute. If the problem is acute, finding and carrying around a
pole-like device (spear) may do. This may be in the form of a shower rod, mop
handle, or umbrella. A coffee cup or beer mug may also suffice if you don’t mind
carrying one around a store, as this is similar to the scabbard on a sword. Some
stores have large plastic candy canes filled with candy or bath oil beads that
could substitute for the weapon. This may help you during your hunt for the
GIFT. You don’t have to purchase, just borrow it for a while until the real game
has been tracked and bagged. There has yet to be invented a weapon- shaped
object that would appeal to women.
The License
If you can walk in the store, you have a license to hunt there. Your driver’s
license, or whatever identification you use to get beer and tobacco products can
be used for the Christmas hunt. This will be displayed to the game warden (store
clerk) when the weapon (credit card or personal check) is used to get the GIFT.
The prey may then be dressed (gift wrapped) or put in a bag for protection. The
receipt compares to the deer or duck stamp. Unless you have a lot of experience
wrapping things, this is best left to the professionals in order to be more
attractive when it is presented to your wife. Your limit is determined by the
balance left in your account.
The Site
Just as you would not hunt deer in the middle of a lake, where you go depends on
the prey you are hunting. Hunters and gatherers have always shared space. The
same field used for getting plants has been the roaming place for pheasants. In
the forest where berries are found, the deer and elk roam. In order to get the
GIFT, you must go alone into the dark, scary forest called “The Mall”. If this
is too drastic, a “Department Store” may help ease you into the experience. At
each entrance of a Mall, there is a totem called a “kiosk”. This will help
narrow down the hunt. The various stores are listed by item sold, so you can
proceed directly to the quarry, avoiding the quick-sand and cliffs. Each store
in a mall is divided as are department stores into specialized areas. Just as
some fish like deep water, and others prefer shallow, the items sold there are
separated as to type and size. There is usually an extra area designated for
jewelry or electronic devices and cameras. Signs on or near the ceilings can
lead you to the proper area.
Rules and Regulations
Getting a personal GIFT for your wife has specific rules, like a size limit on a
fish caught in a lake. Here are some that will help keep you out of trouble:
(1) Buy her something she already has. Then she can exchange it for something
she really likes and “you will never know”;
(2) Avoid sizes. If you have to get her any clothing, get a size or two too
small. This translates in her mind as a compliment;
(3) No underwear, Teddies, or pajamas. This is interpreted as a gift for you,
and also conflicts with rule two above;
(4) If it comes from a store you are comfortable in, get something else. There
are no personal items for women in sporting goods, hardware, liquor, or
fishing/tackle stores. The possible exception is if you are building that
romantic porch swing she has bugged you about for years. In this case, have it
finished before Christmas, or you will have to go back into the forest for
something else;
(5) No plants, flowers, or cards. These are for other occasions, weddings, and
deaths. These are interpreted as make-do gifts, such as those things you grab at
the last minute at the airport, the gas station, or the check-out stand;
(6) The GIFT must personal and impractical. The breadmaker and blender are used
by everyone in the house, not just her. It must hers and hers alone. An
exception would be an automobile. Compact - yes, Mini-van – no;
(7) Things that enhance her personal hobby or collection are sure winners. If
she collects Barbies, an expensive ceramic version would be an excellent trophy
to give her;
(8) Expensive candy is OK, but does not constitute the main GIFT. Put this in
her Christmas stocking with the plastic candy cane you forgot to put back.
The Perfect Hunt
The best way to turn “Christmas shopping” into “Christmas hunting” would be to
organize a hunting trip. Treat this the same as any other hunting expedition.
Get together some buddies. Drive to the other side of the next state and camp.
Drink and play poker until you all pass out. Wake up before dawn and walk at
least a mile to the forest (mall). If it’s not open yet, have breakfast. Malls
open earlier and stay open later as Christmas day approaches. Divide into two’s
and hunt for the GIFT. Admire each other’s kill. Unless the GIFT is a car hood
ornament, it would be tacky to tie the GIFT to the hood of the car. Only
something too large, such as exercise equipment, can hang out of the trunk with
bungee cords. Spend the rest of the day in the sports bar or golf course. I have
had a lot of success with this attitude toward getting the GIFT. On one
experience, I tackled the greatest of all forests, Mall of America. I arrived on
Christmas Eve morning at 7 am, parked right outside the door, and I was back in
the car with her GIFT in 45 minutes. I wouldn’t recommend this to an amateur
hunter. Once you get the hang of the “Christmas Hunt”, you can attempt the
“Anniversary Hunt” or the “Birthday Hunt”, once you figure out which days those
are.
see also
Christmas, Hunting & Shopping Sections
 Church Dinner |
 59 Chev Boat |
 Urgent World War I Message |
 An Iceberg Floated Into Town |
 Walk Sign Timing |
 Family Hands |
 Chocolate Bed |
 Crocodile Floor |
 Texas 911 |
 Walk Sign Ending |
 Mower Handle Extender |
 Dentist Waiting Room |
Voted #1 Humor Site
