Did everyone have a good weekend?
Yes! My good church friend and I went to what might be the only holiday craft show I'll be able to get to this year (not counting the one I'm participating in, on December 6). I was adamant about attending, and work was almost an issue (long story), but ultimately, gcf were able to spend a little over an hour wandering the craft show and buying the things we always buy from the vendors we know are always there. We even had time to squeeze in brunch at Scrambler's; it was extra nice because not only is their food great, gcf had never eaten there. She loved it! I *did* have to go in to work for about 6 hours Saturday evening but we were just the right amount of busy, so that was fine. And then yesterday I went to church, came home, had lunch and spent part of the day doing a few crafts, only one of which was for a potential sale.
i don't have any BIG craft shows near enough to me, but we have a LOT of smaller ones. I like it when 3 or 4 are on the same day because then I can make more of day out of it. I'm usually doing that by myself, so no balancing out the day with a good meal!
I used to call the best day in retail "steady." not too busy and not too slow. busy enough to make the time pass quickly but not so busy that you're spinning in circles.
How is your workweek looking? will it be busy or slow? Any vacation time planned?
Ugh. This is my very first time working retail and thus also my very first time working BF. Last week I worked 5 days instead of the usual four; this week I'm working 4 days but both weeks, I had/have longer than usual days which is good for the paycheck but bad for the soul. But honestly? God is good (as always)...we have had many incredibly busy days since I started at this job but not once have I been at work during the busiest times. Today was no exception; in anticipation of a lot of holiday shoppers due to certain deals (and some phone calls to the frequent flyers), there were five of us scheduled to work...we only had maybe a half dozen people in the store in the 7 hours I was there. At least one person was one of those frequent flyers who always buys a lot, and before she left for the day, SM took a call from another who ordered about 20 items, so the day's final sales wasn't too bad.
As for vacation time...yeah, not unless you count the store being closed on Thanksgiving. I *did* somehow get scheduled off Saturday for the first time in MONTHS (and the other two Saturdays I didn't work were only because I told them before I got hired that I needed those days off). I'm really looking forward to a "traditional" 2 day weekend this week!
for me, that was one of the worst parts of retail - the loss of the traditional weekend. i had Mondays off and every other Saturday night and Sunday. even having the Sunday/Monday combo wasn't great because no one ELSE that I knew had Mondays off, and no one wanted to do anything too late on Sunday.
I hope you aren't too busy on Black Friday. Unfortunately, most of the women I know in the age demographic you describe love a Black Friday sale, and like getting their shopping done early. Hopefully it will be STEADY for you!
Are you traveling? Staying home?
Staying home and just cooking a small Thanksgiving meal for Dad and me.
that will be nice, you can gear up for Friday.
Making your lists and checking them twice?
Grocery list, yes. Holiday shopping list, no. This is going to be a weird Christmas...Bro's family and I agreed last year we were DONE giving each other gifts for Christmas. I *think* Sis' family and I did the same but it was less absolute; I'm planning on sending them the usual Christmas crackers (the British party traditional kind, not the Keebler or Saltine kind) and that's it. Good church friend and I are exchanging gifts but she's already mentioned her gifts will be more...modest this year, as she's not working enough hours, and I'm thinking bff might be doing the same. Her favorite musical group--Il Volo--is coming back to town next March, and I offered to get us both tickets as a Christmas gift (and frankly probably also a birthday gift since I'm not making a lot of money either). I was both surprised and frankly a little relieved when she declined...she said she still loves the group but has seen them often enough in concert and doesn't really want to see them in March. Part of me was glad--tickets are pricey, and I'm not nearly the fan that she is--but part of me worries she declined because she's much more of a homebody these days and doesn't like to do much of anything beyond meeting for a meal.
the buying is really tough. it's a lot of time and thought. I'm sure as the kids get older, we'll transition out of shopping for each other....hopefully. LOL
Have your shopping cart stacked on Amazon ahead of Cyber Monday?
Nope, though the wish list continues to grow...
that's pretty much what i use my cart in Amazon for - stull I want to get, but probably won't. its in the 'save for later' part. LOL
Are you decorating this weekend? Is your tree up already? I'm jealous if it is.
No and no. Dad gets stressed out by the decking of the halls, even as his only jobs are to haul boxes of decorations to the top of the attic stairs (I bring them down--he just slides them from the rafters to the main part of the attic) and to put up the tree. So I usually wait until the weekend after Thanksgiving weekend to decorate. But a lot of my neighbors already have their outdoor lights and displays up, and it's lovely!
SAME - there are at least 6 people up and down the main street near me that are fully decorated, and they just look SO nice!
growing up, we NEVER used to decorate until 2 weeks before xmas. it was mainly because we had a real tree and my mom didn't like clutter! when i finally got my own place, it didn't even dawn on me to put the little fake tree up ANY TIME I WANTED TO!
