Last-minute shopping

Christmas is almost here, just around the corner.

For me, when I was a child, Christmas Eve was closely connected with family, with the dinner we had in our small circle, decorating the Christmas tree in the afternoon and the anticipation of the presents under the tree after dinner. I don't know how, but somehow the gifts always appeared there under the tree without us noticing that someone had put them... parents really are beings with superpowers. Back in time, I didn't realise how much work or time it took to acquire the Christmas gifts.

It is not just the skill to place them under the tree unnoticed. It is also wrapping them, hiding them from the curious children, but first of all, the presents had to be made or bought. Easy task, right? 😂

Well, all this gift hunting is maybe easier today when we can access some shopping malls that are ready to sell you everything you need. Clothes, perfumes, chocolates, accessories, toys or games for the youngest ones, books, gadgets and electronics, kitchen items or home decorations... almost everything, if you can afford it. The businesses also thought about outlet stores or special offers, but still... many times I find myself disappointed by the shopping mall visits as either I didn't like anything or I didn't like the price.

Anyway, we managed to find a few things yesterday while browsing among the stores in a shopping mall close to Alicante. The young man will be the winner, I guess. After spending some two hours here, a few gifts were acquired, and the rest was online shopping from home.

Apart from the gift hunt, this visit to the shopping mall served as a good walk. From one store to another, or just passing by the windows of the shops I skipped, as I knew I wouldn't find anything interesting in them, the walk through the halls of this place made me feel exhausted.

Slowing down and forgetting for a moment about the gifts, I took a few photos of the decoration. It was quite modest, nothing special, but it gave a few hints about which season we are in. Letters, tin soldiers, reindeer, carriages, toys (dolls, trains, horses), lights, Christmas trees, stars, and hanging Christmas balls - ok, we are definitely in the Christmas season! 🎄

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Somehow, I felt sorry for this guy. I mean, just look at him - hanging from the ceiling... I think I will even hide the photo, and those who want can check it:

not suitable for sensitive people

I am just joking, of course, but it was indeed weird for me to see it hanging from the ceiling... I am curious whether the designer of the Christmas decoration of this place had the same thoughts as I. 😆

A few Christmas trees also found their place there, which I found much more suitable and nice, even though they were made in a, let's say, minimalistic way.

Maybe this tree made of lights is not here just for Christmas, but I found it cheerful and definitely festive.

Although gift hunting can bring excitement and joy, it does have another side. We can feel a bit of stress and pressure to find something that the person who will receive the gift will like. I don't like running out of time either, another thing to make the whole experience more exhausting.

Before this shopping Wednesday walk becomes too stressful, we could take the opportunity to use this armchair as a perfect place to rest a bit, right? Hopefully, I won't need to say too many times that I am not Mrs Claus to those children who come and ask for a gift. 😁