It’s cold and crisp here in the Northwest. Our weather seemed to change drastically rather than gradually this year. Except that my son hasn’t refinished the porch yet, the colder weather is welcomed. With the colder weather, my thoughts have turned to Christmas. Although I shop all year long for it in order to take advantage of the best deals, I haven’t really gotten serious about organizing for the holidays until now.
Where do you buy your Christmas gifts? Increasingly over the years, we have bought gifts online. The sales are usually better, and I don’t have to worry about lines or gas costs. Last year I also discovered the deals at the local drug store chains. They have great stocking stuffers for very little money. Yesterday, I found my first grocery store present of the year. Yes, the grocery store, and it’s not a food product (well, not what you immediately think of as a food product).
Right now, at Safeway (of all places!), if you buy any Starbucks mug, you get a free Starbucks drink. How is that a deal? If you don’t drink Starbucks, it’s not very much of one. After all, you could make your own frappuccino at home for fifty cents. But if you’re used to forking over $4 or more for an iced frappuccino or a double-shot latte, it’s definitely a deal. Sometimes, you just want to splurge a little on yourself. I was able to find a smaller mug with some chocolate-covered espresso beans for $4.99. So, for $5 I got a present for someone on my list, plus a “present” for myself! I’m not a huge coffee drinker, but I do plan to take advantage of this promotion at least a couple of times. It depends upon how many people on my list I can give coffee mugs to!