I woke up in the middle of the night last night and had a mini panic attack- HOW many days till Christmas??? Let’s just check in with Snoopy.
Every year, it seems like it goes from “way too early” to panic time, with nothing in between. You know what I blame? Thanksgiving. What is Thanksgiving doing there at the end of November??? It confuses everything. I say we follow Canada’s lead and move our Thanksgiving to October.
Now, logically nineteen days should be enough time to prepare for Christmas. But my sister reports that she was buying some books as gifts for her husband and was trying to avoid Amazon. So she started to order from another bookseller, but the books weren’t guaranteed to arrive before December 25th. So it’s ALREADY too late to order from some places. Amazon it is!
I’m fine with Amazon, and I’m happy with them 99% of the time. But the other 1% of the time, I’m very UNhappy. Take my experience this past week.
I ordered some of my usual staples- chia seeds, liquid stevia, and protein powder. A couple days later, everything arrived EXCEPT the protein powder. Hmm! I went to check the status of my order, and found out that the package had been damaged and deemed “undeliverable.”
Now, what happened next is probably my fault. I crazily assumed that… Amazon would send me another one? But a couple days after that, I was notified that they had issued me a refund. WHAT.
The problem with this is, that protein powder is my lunch on work days. In order to shorten my workday, I eliminated my lunch break and I just quickly drink a protein shake between clients. Because of this delivery snafu, I had two days of work with no lunch. On one of the days I brought a sandwich, but since you can’t eat a sandwich as quickly as you can drink a shake, I didn’t have time to eat it. I was very, very cranky.
As soon as I realized Amazon had canceled that order, I re-ordered it, and today when I came home I found this:
I mean… I’m just picturing the delivery guy chucking this on the ground. Why? Well, I guess it cuts down on wasteful packaging. I just hope my Christmas gifts don’t arrive like this.
Do you feel like you’re ready for Christmas? – Thanks to a nice big Amazon order I placed this morning, I’m well on my way.
Thanksgiving in October- yay or nay?
Header photo by Wicked Monday on Unsplash
30 Responses
What it’s 19 days to Christmas???? How did that happen????????
My relationship with Amazon is “it’s complicated”. They’re always going to be in my life, but I really try to keep what I order from them to a minimum. At Christmas there isn’t very much minimum involved though. This summer I got in the same bind as you with the protein powder where they just didn’t ship something that I’d ordered and it never crossed my mind that it hadn’t shipped. Oh well.
Yes I know- it really crept up on me. I think a lot of us have a “complicated” relationship with Amazon, but it’s there when we need it!
It seems like they should just reorder it for you! However, I have had all good experiences with Amazon except one time there was nothing in the box (it was supposed to be face lotion) and there really is no “return” choice for an empty box. In the end it was so confusing and I decided it was not worth the $9 I spent on the lotion…
However, I have had issues with one shipping company, OnTrak. They suck! They just lob the packages into your yard, or in my case, over the fence onto my walkway. They are NOT out of sight from burglars; they do NOT care if it is fragile, they threw my new cell phone right over and left it to be pillaged, and one time they even threw a big box of TP right over the fence and onto one of my flowers! Note to all — do not use OnTrak to ship things.
Well that’s good advice- I will NOT use them!!!
I’m ready for Christmas break and I’ve finished shopping. I had to do multiple trips during lunch break as we don’t have amazon. I think it’s better not to have it though as the convenience of online shopping means I’ll buy too much. hahah…
Well, Amazon probably makes us a little lazy. We know we’ll be able to order from them if worst comes to worst, and we do! Good for you for being all done.
No packaging is good … but probably not in that instance.
I don’t feel like I’m ready for Christmas, but I’m not hosting this year and I told my husband he has to organise his family’s presents and also said that he cannot be writing in cards while we’re driving to Christmas, stopping off on the way to get giftcards or any other annoying shenanigans he usually pulls. My sister did send a group text to the siblings regarding our parent’s presents. I have no idea what to get them and no one else has answered the text so that may be a problem.
The kids are being very unhelpful with what they might want. When I asked because I needed to give some ideas to their grandmother they all pulled a face. I guess I’ll procrastinate until it becomes really desperate and then who knows …
Ha ha, that’s pretty funny. My husband also waits till the last minute to do anything about Christmas. My kids also have not been super helpful about giving me ideas.
Ha, we don’t have Amazon here in South Africa but we’re dealing with similar delivery issues.
We were supposed to have 4 dining chairs delivered yesterday. Apparently they turned up when we were not at home. Then they left again. I have no idea when, how and if they will return again. At least we’re not in a rush to get the chairs!
At least you don’t need to deal with the packaging for the protein powder! 🙂 How do you survive on a protein shake, Jenny? I’d be starving around 3pm!
I’m glad you’re not hosting a huge dinner party and need the chairs right away!
The protein powder tides me over, and then I usually eat something else when I get home.
I’ve always kind of wondered why Thanksgiving is so close to Christmas in the US. That’s a lot of holiday in such a short time. I agree, move it to October!
I know exactly what you mean about Amazon. On the one hand, ew. On the other hand, one day delivery.
We had an issue like that with something – can’t remember what – that was “undeliverable” but they just kept trying to deliver it. So we’d get a notification that it was undeliverable but that they would try again the next day. This happened like three days in a row, and then one day it was there. It was so strange.
I also have protein shakes for lunch, I started that habit when I was teaching so much because I didn’t have time for a lunch between classes! Twinsies!
Ha ha, protein shakes are a perfect solution for a short (or non-existent) lunch break.
I do not feel ready for Christmas. My dad just told me that I could host, since I’d offered in early November before life got a little tipsy turvey over here. It’s fine. My sisters aren’t talking to me, but it’s fine. Last year I hosted and I had covid 9 days before Christmas. This year I have two extra girls that need a lot of attention and entertaining, so there’s that. I think I can, I think I can. I’m lost as to what gifts to buy most of the biologicial kids. Our closets are full. No one needs anything except Mini can use some business related outfits for interviews and presentations. I suggested to Coach that we take the two new girls on a plane – they’ve never flown. If we give them plane rides as a gift – to go somewhere for maybe a long weekend, well – that would be huge. I think. I’m feeling behind. Trying to write my annual poem, but I’m at a loss to be funny right now. You know?
*I’m just getting back to reading blogs as this situation has been a huge distraction. I may have sent you an email to invite you to read my blog. If not, please let me know by emailing me (my real last name)clan7@yahoo.com and I’ll send you an invite. Or message me here if you can’t figure that secret code out and I’ll look for your email again. (I think I found it and sent you an email already, but I’ve got a tot crying and I don’t have time to check right now)
Ernie, you did send me the email and I just haven’t visited yet (I’m still recovering from NaBloPoMo.) But I’ve been thinking about you- I”ll definitely stop by to see how everything is going.
Ready for Christmas – not quite. I am all for moving Thanksgiving to October as well! It gives you this false sense that Christmas is far away but it is not. Like your sister I am trying to avoid amazon but it’s crazy how much I got used to it. I am trying to support more local and small businesses these days what does involve more shopping around and lets face it – more time on my end. I do love you snoopy countdown 🙂
Yes, we get spoiled by Amazon. If they didn’t exist I think I would have been more on top of Christmas earlier.
I placed a giant Amazon order last night in a PANIC about the holidays. I still have to buy stuff for my husband and my niece and my nephew, but that all seems reasonable. I think.
My biggest issue is that I waited too long to order cards, so they’re getting here until the 15th, which is only TEN DAYS before Christmas and I have to somehow find time to address them all and I still don’t have stickers and can’t find them anywhere and I LOVE getting holiday cards, but this year sending them is stressful. But, tell your husband not to worry. The Midwestern Couple will get there!
PHEW! I’ll save a prominent space on my card display! Funny that we both panicked and placed large Amazon orders at the same time.
I love, love, love that Canadian Thanksgiving is in October. I also love that it’s lower key than American Thanksgiving, so I enjoy it, but it’s not a “big deal” and then I can really sink into Christmas.
I buy as much as I can locally, but Amazon is definitely a big help. Living quasi-rurally, there are lots of things I can’t just pop out to a store to buy. Also, I do love having things shipped to my door. Not gonna lie. I don’t have Prime and living in Canada there is not nearly as much selection on Amazon as you have in the US, but I’d say 1/5 of my presents this year have come from Amazon.
I cannot believe it’s the 6th of December. Twice today my husband was referencing how long it was until Christmas and I thought he was off by like a month. But NO. It’s DECEMBER 6th. I’m excited and mostly ready. I try to buy thoughtfully, but not too much and I *think* I struck a good balance this year? Mostly I think I’m just basking in the relief of resigning from my biggest work responsibility!
Well it sounds like you’re enjoying the season! I’m glad. Now I just want the next 19 days to go as slowly as possible!!! Why does December fly by so quickly?
My relationship with Amazon… Love-hate. I love the convenience but dislike the claims against them on unfair labor practices and not good working conditions. Also, I’d rather purchase from a smaller business not a conglomerate company. But… I still buy from them 🙁
Are we ready? Yep! My husband get one gift, I get one gift (he better follow the rule!) kids get a few gifts, say, 5 each? All of that was purchased on Black Friday. We have to wrap- we use cloth wrapping that T sewed back in 2020. The tree is up, and we have decided to do a Christmas Eve dinner for the four of us and two close friends. And that’s it!
Well, I’m impressed that you did all your shopping on Black Friday, AND even more impressed that you wrap the gifts in home-sewn cloth paper. You’re doing Christmas right!
I always make a good early start. Then I get complacent. THEN I panic. Moving into panic stage right now LOL
Ha ha, I totally get it. We need to somehow eliminate that “complacent” phase. But- I’m sure you’ll get it all done. I don’t know HOW, with your huge family- but I’m sure you’ll do it.
I don’t mind that Thanksgiving is in November. It’s kind of the kick off to the holiday season so I don’t mind it? But I can see the benefit of Thanksgiving in October, too.
I have mixed feelings about Amazon. I try not to use them much but they do make life so much easier especially for parents of young kids that need things like diapers and wipes and such. For awhile, I was trying to order books from an Indie book store instead of Amazon. If I am buying one book, I will do that. I did buy my niece’s books for Christmas from B&N. I felt better about supporting them v Amazon? But most of our boys’ gifts will come from Amazon. I haven’t really bought their Christmas gifts yet but we will. Since we don’t buy A TON of stuff, it’s not a big deal to hold off a bit on the purchases. I need to sit down with Phil and figure out what we are going to buy for each boy. We have a joint Christmas gift for them but need a few more things. Paul is easy since all he wants is Lego sets. Taco is trickier since he just got a ton of gifts for his birthday!!!
Oh yes- I’m well aware of the “December birthday” challenge! My son’s birthday is the 8th (tomorrow!) and it was always a problem to manage that AND Christmas presents. But luckily he also loved Legos (actually still does) so that makes things a little easier.
I’m definitely a procrasti-shopper when it comes to Christmas! I do have the one gift I need to ship out which I plan to do this weekend but still need to order the rest, but those will be handed out in person so I still have time to have them delivered to my parents’ house before I stay with them for two weeks over my Christmas break. But I’m definitely stressed because I still don’t exactly know what I want to buy!
We’re getting way too close to Christmas! I was getting stressed but don’t even have a lot of people to buy gifts to – only my husband. But that’s enough because he’s very hard to buy to, especially since he’s the expert at finding that perfect gift for me but I have absolutely zero ideas for such things. I’ve only bought some boring things he needs or has complained about not finding.
I’m not a fan of Amazon because they treat workers like shit and dump returned items in landfills. But it’s happened that I’ve bought something I haven’t been able to find elsewhere. That is, until I tried creating an account to sell there myself, tried to log in and was blocked (!? like WTF?) unless I upload a picture of my ID card, which I refuse.
I buy online but from local companies (or at least Irish if possible). If they’re on Amazon I try to find their own website and buy from there if I can. But you can find anything on Amazon so I can understand people use it for the convenience.
Oh yes, what did we do before Amazon??? I was just thinking the other day how wild (and NICE) it is to be able to find random things that I would not know where to get otherwise, really. Random things seem to come up and maybe I would buy them locally if I actually had a place to get, I don’t know, the dream catcher that we were thinking of ordering for my niece, or the Fontella Nativity Set piece for her that I have no idea if/where I could find that around here…Not to mention a million other random household things. I do feel bad about it, but come on…I’m only human! When the convenience is right and the price is right, it’s mighty hard to resist.
Well, it’s now 15 days until Christmas and I felt very behind until today when I started tackling my to-do list… but I hear you on the problem with “starting so late”… most places except for Amazon don’t deliver before Christmas unless you get on it in November (which is when Christmas still feels very far away). Sigh.
I try to avoid Amazon when I can, but also admit that I am still using it quite a bit…. and I am mostly happy with their service, although the delivery of your protein powder would be a reason for a complaint. Not cool.