The gift rule: Six for me, one for you
Life used to be so simple. There were the holiday shopping season and the end of the year sales, which had the good taste to wait until after Christmas to begin. Then, clever merchants had the notion to start offering marked-down merchandise when customers were most likely to be in the stores. The boundaries blurred, and the road to gift-giving became a minefield of temptation.
This is not the case for single-minded altruists intent on finding treasures for their loved ones. But for those of us whose hearts beat faster in the presence of a great deal, who believe that the best of Dolce & Gabbana belongs in our closet -- but not at full price -- the conflict is obvious. Are we sullying the season if we shop for ourselves and others at the same time?
In a word: No.
Experienced shoppers know the importance of a positive attitude. The first step toward combining successful bargain-hunting with the hunt for gifts is to make peace with your inner selfishness. According to a recent survey by American Express, three out of every four adults admit to purchasing presents for themselves when shopping for friends and family. And anything 76% of the public does automatically moves from the naughty category into the realm of a societal norm.
A week before Christmas Eve, Patti Berman, who rules the Chanel accessories department at Saks Fifth Avenue, says, “Shoppers come in looking for a handbag or a piece of jewelry for a gift and they bump into something else and say, ‘Oh my God. I love this. I wasn’t looking for it, but I have to have it.’ That happened several times yesterday, and the day before. Sometimes, they’ll find the gift they came in searching for, but more often than not they’ll walk out with just something for themselves. And although they sometimes say, ‘I shouldn’t be doing this, but ... ,’ they don’t return it.”
Guilt profits neither you nor the economy. Don’t you just hate reading those gloomy reports of disappointing sales figures in America’s stores? Of course you do. Unless your pregnant cousin’s baby turns out to be triplets, there are only so many presents you can buy your friends and family without spoiling them. But being your own Santa has infinite variations, and other purposes.
Most important, it’s a stress reliever. One of the things that makes holiday shopping so difficult is agonizing over whether a gift’s recipient will be delighted by your choice. When you buy for yourself, you know instantly that your purchase is a hit. Finding fabulous red ankle-straps in your size at 50% off is calming, and it buttresses your confidence. Of course your father will like the sweater you’ve just dropped in your shopping bag. Anyone with an eye for superlatively sexy shoes can surely pick out a heck of a Perry Como cardigan.
It helps if those on your list understand you well enough to know what type of stores you most enjoy cruising. There are people who hope to receive toys, electronic gadgets, luggage or housewares tied up with a bow. Housewares! They are anathema to those of us who consider clothes our drug of choice. The only good thing that can be said about the housewares department at Bloomingdale’s in Century City is that it’s on the same floor as the lingerie.
Dee Lattimore works at the Kiehl’s flagship store in Santa Monica, and she is used to shoppers who choose scented candles, body lotions and bath gels as gifts while stocking up for themselves as well. “December is a very expensive month for me,” she says. “I only buy gifts that I would like to receive, so I wind up shopping in stores full of stuff that I want to buy.”
It is possible that not everyone approves of this most efficient gift-acquiring system. A salesman at the Tommy Hilfiger store at Beverly Center helps a woman find workout pants in two colors. (They’re not on sale, but they’re a steal, even at full price, and here’s the beauty part of this time of year: If she weren’t in the mall looking for gifts, she never would have encountered them.) While contemplating whether to purchase both the red and the black, she says, “Well, I don’t really know if I need two, but they’re so well cut.” He sees her try the pants on, so he must know they’re for her. Yet he slides a gift box into her shopping bag. Is this a silent reprimand? Does he think “two for me, none for you” is not in the holiday spirit?
Well, bah humbug to him too.
