Sometimes the Target weekly sales ad stresses me out. We receive our sales flyers (fliers?) and coupons on Saturday, separate from the Sunday paper. This may sound totally lame, but I never read the paper. We only receive the Sunday paper for the coupons, but since they come separately, the Sunday paper usually goes untouched. I'm not out of the loop news wise; I keep up. I just prefer to get my news from other sources: TV, Internet, Twitter. I'm so tech savvy. Erm, or not. Besides, when I read the Washington Post, which I've heard it referred to as the Washington COMPOST (heh!) I feel dumb. As capable as I am of keeping up, I do have problems comprehending all the big words. I need bullet points and Cliff's Notes to retain any of that info.
Anyway, back to the stressful Target ad. This morning, I opened up the ad and saw that Target has a bunch of cold weather clothing on sale: jeans, sweat pants, sweat shirts, long sleeved shirts, etc...
Even though it's awfully warm outside, I found myself thinking that I needed to go to Target to buy some winter clothing. The truth is, I don't need any winter clothing. Aside from a new pair of snow boots, Caroline doesn't either. She could use a sweat suit or two, to wear on the weekends, but at this very moment, we need nothing. I know this; I can look in our closets and have this info reiterated to me. But the lure of $5 sweat pants and $7 long sleeved shirts is mighty strong. I hate how glossy ads with pictures of happy children, flittering about in their comfy Hanes sweat suits makes me feel like I must drop everything and run to Target, with debit card in hand. Because if I don't buy them NOW will they have the sweats, shirts or whatever when I actually NEED them? If I don't buy them now, will they go on sale again? I hate paying full price.
But is it better to pay full price for something I need, as opposed to buying something, that I might or might not need later, just because it's on sale? I wish I could say that I'm more inclined to the former, but in all honesty, it's the latter.
I'm an advertiser's dream.
It's a lot like how the stores put out Halloween candy as soon as the back to school items are sold out. Halloween isn't for several weeks, but every time I pass the aisles of candy, I feel like I'm behind. Like I'm unprepared. Ditto for Christmas. I simply cannot think about Christmas until I've prepared the Thanksgiving turkey. And yet, I'm already seeing the store aisles peppered with Christmas stuff. I can't say that I feel behind yet, but I'm sure it'll happen the moment Christmas music is piped into the local store's speaker systems. If I recall correctly, our commissary started playing Christmas music on November 1st last year!
They don't ever let us take a moment to breathe. To enjoy and find contentment in the present.
I can't blame the stores. It's their job to convince us to buy things. It's their job to prepare beautiful displays; to make us think we need the appropriate colored dishes, towels and heck, even storage bins, to coordinate with each season.
Anyway, this just happens to be what is on my mind right now. We're leaving in a bit for Caroline's soccer game, then we'll be home so she can shower and head to a birthday party sleepover this evening. Tomorrow morning, Craig and I are attempting our first run together and then Caroline has another party to attend tomorrow afternoon. It's hard work having so many friends!
I hope you're having a great weekend. Anything fun planned?
3 comments:
I used to hate feeling "late for Christmas," but now since we don't "do" Christmas anymore, I let that bit o' stress go.
What I get a kick out of is the weekly Macy's TV commercial about the "lowest prices OF THE SEASON." Every week they say "of the season" but they never mention what season it is.
They must mean the Buying Season, which is year-round.
I just got back from a trip to Michaels for beads and the Gap for the softest gray T-shirt of the season. Har har.
Have a good run tomorrow.
When the Christmas stuff started coming into Michaels in August, I got sucked in as usual. I try to limit myself to just a couple of new ornaments for the tree, although I may have to make some of the ones like you did last year, with our favorite stars.
Any plans to come to NC for thanksgiving? Hint, hint.
Right now, Lucy is asleep, curled up on the couch and Phoebe is in the front yard and I am watching Friends episodes and checking in on my peeps. And making a list of things I want to buy, like a new bathmat, toothbrush holder, decorations for my bathroom walls, kitchen trash bags, and we have a BBQ to go to later. And maybe shoe shopping after that.
Well, it's a Michaels kind of day. Caroline and I went this morning to get birthday gifts. I saw the Christmas ornaments, but didn't really look because I was trying to hurry.
Sissy--I think I'd get in serious trouble if I worked at Michaels.
Mom--I agree with the "of the season" stuff. They're just doing what they can to get dumb suckers like you and me (ha!) to buy stuff.
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