Christmas shopping
Growing up, Mom taught me that Christmas shopping was more the shopping we do FOR Christmas than the shopping we do AT Christmas. Throughout the year she kept her eyes open for Christmas gift ideas. Consequently, except for the perishable stuff, Mom usually finished her Christmas shopping in August. Now, as an adult, I am the same way. Most of my holiday preparation is finished by early autumn, and I have little regard for people who whine about holiday shopping when the pinch comes. They're doing it wrong. Or not.
This year, many people are distracted by the rising price of gasoline, or the threat to holiday shopping by supply chain interruptions (partly related to the global coronavirus pandemic). Although the price of gasoline concerns me, it doesn’t affect me because I don’t have a car. And, I don’t care about year-end shopping disruptions and shortages related to supply chain woes, because I finished most of my holiday shopping months in advance.