Grinch No More

I was going to whine about my bouts of holiday depression, but that would be too, uh, depressing, and besides, I haven't felt that way in recent years. I think I have finally figured out at least one of the reasons I was so Grinchy at Christmas all that time. Having to shop!

When you live in a town the size of Harrison, that is totally Wal-Mart-dependent, you almost have to go out of town to do your Christmas shopping, especially after the kids are grown. That means making plans to go to Springfield, Branson, Fayetteville or Little Rock. Not only do you have to decide when and where to go, but you have to have a pretty comprehensive list of thing to look for. Most times, multiple trips are necessary because you can never find everything you want in one town, let alone one store. It can be incredibly complicated, let me tell you, especially when you're not getting any younger.

But, nowadays, I hardly give Christmas presents a second thought. Sometime around Thanksgiving, I sit down in front of my trusty computer on a Sunday afternoon and shop my chubby little fingers to the bones, humming "Jingle Bells" all the while. It is hugely satisfying to send my purchases to my shopping carts, then on to Checkout, clicking on the option that assures me that my gifts will be wrapped and sent to the doors of the recipients, along with little cards enclosed, carrying the messages I dictated.

When I think of all the years I agonized over having to go into the stores, so many stores, searching for the right gift, I could just weep. All that stress and anxiety and for what? I'll tell you for what. Just so I could take them home and spend a day or two wrapping them and putting them under the tree. And, counting them over and over again, to make sure one person didn't get more gifts than another. And, of course, I always had to rush out for one more for someone.

No more. Now, I click, click, click and check off my list, and I'm through. I can go and sit down with a good book and a glass of egg nog and feel superior.

I have a friend who believes that computers are the devil's spawn and that, at the very least, if she purchases one, some day the black helicopters will land in her front yard and take her away.

She just doesn't know what she's missing.