The Battle of the Shopping Sexes

I don’t understand something about men. Yes, I’m generalizing. There are some men who love to shop but I haven’t met those men yet.  So the men I’m talking about are the ones who hate it and love to hate it more than ever at this time of year.  

Here’s what I don’t understand. If a man hates crowds and can’t stand waiting in line and every year he goes through this anxiety and turmoil, why doesn’t he do something different the next year? He could start earlier when it’s not as busy. He could make little notes throughout the year accepting the fact that he will never remember the hints dropped in March. And then he would know exactly what he wants to buy for people when the time comes. He could get it over with and lessen the length of time he spends agonizing over having to do it. I suggest these things because they’re what I do to reduce the hellishness of the holiday rush.

This isn’t criticism, truly, it’s confusion.

I’m married to such a man who has a huge hate for the shopping task but won’t change anything about his approach to it.  I’ve met more men who are like him than not. This is what drives the women in their lives crazy; the solution seems so simple and yet they would rather put themselves through hell than adopt it. Christmas comes every year and it comes with presents. Presents have to get purchased.  It’s a fact of life.

I’ve already floated the idea of opting out of Christmas next year. We did it 3 years ago and it was odd but wonderful. I hardly got the sentence out of my mouth before he agreed and there may have been a tear of joy on his cheek, I can’t be sure. Poor guy.