An Unusual Place to Shop This Time of Year

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!  Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring…except my wife who found herself making an unexpected, last-minute shopping trip because someone forgot to tell her that they needed formal wear for a Christmas concert the next day. While this may cause the average person to recoil in frustration, read on to see how my wife responded under these less-than-ideal circumstances. What she has to say may just be the little Christmas miracle you’ve been looking for this year.

‘Tis the season to be jolly! Like most families this time of year, ours is enmeshed in all the holiday hustle and bustle. The house is filled with Christmas carols playing, cookies baking, popcorn popping, and I’m shopping ‘til I drop (quite literally, I might add).

The kids are midway into winter break, and December 25th is upon us.  As though Greg and I don’t have enough going on this season, our oldest son comes home from church last week and informs us that he needs formal attire for his concert on Christmas Eve.  What?!?!  A little heads up would have been nice.

“Well, I think I at least need a tie,” exclaims the 14-year old as I rummage through his closet. “Well, you’d better find out,” says I, not wanting my son to be the odd man out  (though a little humility might do the boy some good). After several phone calls, he comes back with “I need a white shirt, tie, black suit coat, and slacks.” 

It is Monday, and the concert is Wednesday.  Needless to say I am not pleased, and we really don’t have an extra $100 right now for formal wear that this kid will wear for 1 night!  Time to assume my secret identity.

I call around looking to borrow the items, but unfortunately no one has what we need. I’m just about to bite the bullet and get him a suit with his Christmas money when our neighbor makes a great suggestion: “Try Goodwill.”  So, with 14-year old in tow—who HATES to shop, I might add—we head down to Goodwill.  

They had some coats there, but the check-out line was long…very, very long.  I didn’t have much time, and our town is such that we have more than one thrift store, so off we go to try the Salvation Army store. Would you believe it!  They had a nice black coat in great condition—FOR $5 BUCKS!!!  What a find! 

And while the other store had a line that wrapped around the aisles, there was hardly a soul in this place. As I handed the cashier the jacket and reached for my purse to pay, she delivers even more good news: they are having a Christmas sale, and everything is half off.  Total price for a 42-regular men’s jacket: $2.50!

When I showed my husband what we got and asked him how much he would have paid, he looked at the tag and said $60-$75 brand new. You can imagine his surprise when I told him how much I got it for. I believe the word “amazing” popped out of his mouth.  You’d be surprised what amazing things you’ll find at your local thrift store, and when you go with a 14-year old boy who hates to shop, and there are only a limited number of items to choose from, you’ll also be amazed and how quickly you can get things done.

Don’t let last-minute shopping steal your joy.  Think outside the box, and you too may find a little Christmas gift under the thrift-store tree this year. 

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