It’s time for this week’s Willberg’s World column confession: I’m not the greatest Christmas shopper in the world.
Remember a few weeks ago when I lamentably reflected on my lack of creativity when it comes to Halloween costumes? Well, that lack of skill extends to Christmas shopping.
My Christmas wish list and my Christmas shopping reflect the mentality of somebody who is a self-described realist and pragmatist.
Want to know what’s on my Christmas shopping list? A couple of nice pairs of pants, some nice shirts, a copy of Jeffrey Archer’s latest novel, a few scratch and win tickets, and maybe a copy of The Growler – the craft beer guide that Glacier Media publishes in B.C.
(Hey, I have to be ready for when I make my next trip to B.C., right?)
There’s nothing fancy or stylish on my Christmas wish list.
And it’s the same way when I go Christmas shopping. Gift cards and gift certificates are my wheelhouse.
They say it’s the thought that counts. Well, my thought is if I suck at Christmas shopping, then maybe I purchase a gift card, and let someone take care of the real shopping for me. I’m not being lazy. I’m thinking ahead.
I’ve purchased some great gifts in the past, but it’s like a blind squirrel finding an acorn.
This brings me to Black Friday. In the U.S., it’s the biggest shopping day of the year. It’s the Friday after American Thanksgiving, most people have a four-day weekend because of the holiday, and it’s about a month until Christmas, so they’ll take advantage of the timing, and go shopping.
You could likely take all the money that Americans spend on Christmas shopping on Black Friday, and use it to end the world water crisis.
It’s one thing to go Christmas shopping on Black Friday. It’s another thing when you’re camped out overnight in front of the store, with a bunch of other people, waiting for the doors to open so you can get in on the door-crasher specials.
You have to wonder what’s going on in the minds of some people. Black Friday in the U.S. is like Boxing Day on steroids. And if you get in someone’s way when it comes to Black Friday shopping, then you’ll get a healthy helping of shopping roid rage.
Due to the popularity of Black Friday sales, we started to have Black Friday weekend sales, and Black Friday week sales.
Needless to say, I won’t be heading to the U.S. for Black Friday. I can think of better things to do than to sit in line at the North Portal border crossing, encountering traffic along the highway to Minot, and then spend 30 minutes looking for a parking spot at Target.
But I will look at shopping opportunities in Estevan.
Not surprisingly, Black Friday has made its way to Canada. Thanks to our proximity to the U.S. border, retailers in Estevan and across the country now feel the need to have Black Friday sales. It makes sense. And it was a particularly prudent idea when the Canadian dollar was close to parity to the U.S. greenback, or even worth more than the U.S. dollar.
I’ll drop by a few retailers in town, and see what the shopping options are on Black Friday. Or Black Saturday, if you will. I might put my abysmal shopping skills to the test, and see if I can pick up a few gifts. Or I might just buy a few things for myself.
I have no problem with paying the going rate for quality merchandise. But like anyone else, if I can get that quality product at a slightly discounted rate, I’m going to capitalize on it.
And my preference is to always make my purchases locally.
If you’re like me, and you need help with your gift-giving, you might want to check out Estevan’s Christmas catalogue, found in this week’s edition of Lifestyles. Lots of businesses are participating, and it also shows the diverse business community in Estevan.
Shopping locally is the right thing to do. It sustains businesses. It creates jobs. It puts food on the tables of retailers and their employees. It’s important to support small businesses, and national retailers that are locally owned and operated.
I have never seen Amazon, Facebook or Google donate to a single fundraiser, sports team or cultural event in Estevan. We never saw Target spend a dime in our community during that company’s ill-fated foray into Canada, which will be a case study on how to botch moving into a new market.
But do you know who does support those events? Local retailers. Local small businesses sponsor atom hockey teams, donate to fundraisers that make a big difference for the community, and help families in need.
Black Friday in Canada isn’t as big of a deal as it is in the U.S., and hopefully it never will be. But it’s here. And I’d much rather visit our local retailers on Black Friday than venture to the U.S.
