Christmas Shopping

[kerravonsen]

I'm really rather amazed that I managed to do this. But I realized on Thursday night that if The Toe got worse (it is infected again) then the doctor could take a knife to it when I see him next, on the 17th. My previous intentions had been to rest The Toe so as to encourage its recovery, and not try very much Christmas shopping until later, but I realized that I might actually be more mobile on this Friday off than I would be on the next one, so I'd better shop while I could, and shop as quickly as I could, so as to reduce the amount of walking needed. So I brainstormed with my mother, and then on Friday I hit the City.

This year has more presents than usual, because the entire family is going to be here for Christmas, not just one sibling+family, but all the siblings and all their families -- which makes two parents, two aunts, three siblings, three siblings-in-law, three nieces and four nephews to get presents for. Fortunately, I'd gotten the two eldest nieces presents months and months ago, because they were books I'd had to mail-order, so I did it well ahead of time. And I had some Paua shells I'd bought in New Zealand with vague present-y intentions, but I couldn't figure out who in particular I'd give them to, but Mum helped me work that out. Then a further conversation with one brother helped me figure out what to get for him, and for the youngest niece.

Anyway, on Friday afternoon I hit the city with my lists, and went to four different stores and came away with 90% of the presents after about four hours of shopping. (The four stores were The Reject Shop (which failed me this time), The Body Shop (which didn't), Target (the most fruitful store) and Minotaur Books. Two people are going to get dried fruit, so I bought some nice containers for that, and decorated them with pretty stickers this afternoon. I will fill them with the dried fruit later, though I actually have it now, as I ordered it from Coles Online; I'll be making a custom mix from assorted packets (and probably eat the leftovers myself). Two people are getting Lindt chocolate; if I'm going to break down and get something so banal as a box of chocolates, I'm jolly well going to get lucious ones -- especially if they cost less at Target (grin).

There will be two substitutions. The book I'd intended to get at Minotaur cost $55 (!!!!) so I didn't get it. I got another book which I like, but I have a nagging suspicion that I might have given this book already. So I bought another book as well, that I hadn't read but sounded interesting; I will try to read it before Christmas to see if this person would like it, just in case. The other substitution is because I've fallen in love with the present for my youngest nephew, a cuddly floppy black labrador stuffed toy with the softest fur you ever did stroke...
(mine, mine, mine!)
I shall have to go back to Target to see what animals they have left on Monday; or, if that fails, I could get him my original first choice, a penguin from The Australian Geographic Shop. Actually, it might be better to just go with the penguin, because the Australian Geographic Shop is closer to my place of work than Target is, since this would have to be a lunchtime dash. Hmmm.

I wonder when I'm going to wrap them all?

In other news, I have discovered that Candy Corn and cheese is an... interesting combination. 8-P

Comments

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

The other substitution is because I've fallen in love with the present for my youngest nephew, a cuddly floppy black labrador stuffed toy with the softest fur you ever did stroke...
(mine, mine, mine!)

Oh, no, we're not too much alike, not at all. ::g:: Often I tend to buy two of things - one to keep and one to give.

In other news, I have discovered that Candy Corn and cheese is an... interesting combination. 8-P

LOL! Er... you don't have to eat them in the same bite, I hope you know. Do as my dad with pickles and chocolate cake; alternating bites makes the pickles sourer and the cake sweeter. Or so he tells me; I certainly wouldn't try it. :)

[kerravonsen]

Often I tend to buy two of things - one to keep and one to give.
I tend to do that with the cuddly toys. (sighs over the fact that the 4th nephew is the last remaining child young enough to give cuddly toys to) The books are usually stuff that I've already got for myself earlier.

alternating bites makes the pickles sourer and the cake sweeter

Well, it did. Though in my case it was Fetta cheese and Candy Corn. But it was your idea!

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I forgot to say, congrats on the shopping! I've ordered most of the bought ones, but I'm a bit worried about finishing the made ones. But there's still time. :)

[tptigger.livejournal.com]

*adds Target to the list of stores planning global domination*

[kerravonsen]

But are you sure that the US Target and the Australian Target are the same chain? (Goes and looks at www.target.com.au) Hmmm, all that tells me is that it's "Target Australia". Ah, but another page has a reference to "Coles Myer" and that's an Australian company; and I seem to recall that Target (Australia) is owned by Coles-Myer.
(Kathryn goes and looks at www.target.com) Hmmm, they certainly have the same trademark red-and-white-target. However, it also has this funny-looking dog that I've never seen Target Australia use. Then I find the history page, and note that the US Target is definitely a US company, and seems to have no connection with Coles-Myer.
(Kathryn goes and looks at www.colesmyer.com.au) Well, yes, Target (Australia) is definitely owned by them. Looking at their history page, we get this entry in 1969: "Myer: Announcement of Australia-wide network of discount shopping centres to be known as "Target". Each centre to provide 120,000 sq ft of single level merchandise space including Discount store, Discount Supermarket, Restaurant and Takeaway Food Service."
This as a contrast with the US Target's history page, which had this entry for 1962: "The Dayton company enters discount merchandising with the opening of its first Target stores."
Considering that earlier on in the same page of the Coles-Myer history page, there's mention (on the Coles side) of K-Mart being a joint venture with "S.S. Kresge Coy" of the USA, then the water is still muddy, since no mention is made on the Coles-Myer page of any US company in connection with Target, not even the Dayton company.

Still, this research has established with at least some certainty that Target Australia has been an Australian store from the very beginning -- it isn't a recent US import, like Subway or Starbucks. However, there does seem to be something fishy about the name and symbol, but neither party seems acknowledge the existance of the other.

[tptigger.livejournal.com]

See, that's odd. See, Target here is the same thing.

One wonders if there's a licensing deal somewhere...