This is a random post, but just indulge me.
-ball point pens
-erasers
-highlighters
-notebooks
-folders
-hair ties
-combs
-brush
-makeup
Once we got to the store we would all split up. It was probably the only time we were allowed to wander around a store by ourselves. The older kids would help the younger kids. We ALWAYS had a jacket or sweatshirt. We would put the coat in the bottom of our cart, and then if we ran into one of our siblings (which always happened) we could keep things covered. We had so much fun trying to keep things secret from each other. It was always scary to be putting something in your cart, and worry that the recipient might come around the corner at any moment.
Buying things at Pic-N-Save also required a lot of creativity. The store had a little bit of everything, but you never knew what would be there. Gifts like scotch tape, and a ball of twine were not unusual, but they were always perfect for the recipient. (Don't boys always need tape and twine?) I think my dad probably got fifteen hammers over the years from the store, but we kept losing his hammers so he didn't mind. I still have a porcelain jewelry box from one of my sisters. It's white with little strawberries on it. There were also a lot of puzzles, games, ceramic figurines, and calendars given through the years.
After we all made it through the check-out process (that was an event in itself...) we would then pile back in the car for home. Usually we were anxious to start wrapping right away.
Even though the gifts were sometimes silly, weird, or cheap I think we all loved that tradition. I hope that in a few years we can start something similar. My parents fostered a lot of love and frugality in those Christmas shopping trips.
3 comments:
i have similar memories of walking to bartell's drug store with all four of our siblings and audrey and i helping ray and beth buy gifts for the other siblings without them seeing what we were shopping for. candy bars were often purchased, along with other similar gifts.
this post is cracking everyone up! we read it out loud!
Pic'N'Save! I remember that store. Maybe it was a southern Calif. thing. It would indeed be the perfect store to shop for 10 siblings in.
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