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The Confines of the Internet

I was assailed  by a sad thought while contemplating the shopping strategy for the purchase of the Secret Santa present at the work Christmas lunch. Without hesitating for even a second I had already subconsciously calculated that I would be in time to order the product – whatever it was – over the internet. And that was the sad part. Convenience had finally trumped over trudging through cold and ice and wading through a human mass of consumers. I would sit lazily at a console (the cool word that fits laptop, desktop or handheld equally) and browse the shopping halls and alleys of the ether.

I shall search, yes, but not indiscriminately and serendipitally as I would do at the Trier or Metz Christmas market. My mind will focus on particular, specific products and thanks to the google hegemony (bing? what’s that?) I shall be directed to outlets of choice and be a few clicks away from my final purchase. The only obstacle I might have is to be found in the physical delivery of the goods. Pauly the Postman might be stuck behind piles of snow or some last minute strike just in time for the festive season. There might also be one of the usual misunderstandings between web and real world such as DHL refusing to leave the package with the Pack Up Delivery system at the local post office because I am not there to receive it (which totally defeats the purpose).

The internet may have opened new horizons of practicality with its ever open, ever available and ever stocked markets but it has taken something out of the magic of Christmas shopping. So this Christmas, even if you plan most of your shopping on the net, do dedicate a day to good old fashioned Christmas adventure – take the kids out to Republic Street and let them marvel at the atmosphere and music. Buy them a couple of warm “imqaret” on the way in, run them from one shop to the other like there is no tomorrow and if possible “lose” them … yes, lose them, for a few minutes until they can see the Christmas lights through the tears forming in their eyes just before you scoop them to safety.

It may sound cruel, but it’s the kind of nostalgic experience that  they will surely remember when they grow up – not your office chair and bedside slippers as you click “Add to Cart” and fill up Santa’s Trolley.

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3 replies on “The Confines of the Internet”

For me it is even sadder, that when one mentions gift, one immediately goes to a “buy” option. And believe you me, an option it is. Buying gifts is a choice. One can make gifts, and give something more unique and in all probability lasts more. Granted, I don’t expect anybody to invest that time on a colleague, but for those special people in our lives, it is a viable alternative to buying gifts/cards etc.

Guilty as charged! For the first time, this year I did a lot of shopping on the net. We did reserve a few gifts for our venture into our local shopping Meccas though. It’s more the wife and I that enjoy the Imqaret/Christmas lights than our 15 month old daughter. The only problem is that when we venture out, we tend to buy more self-presents than anything else! Oh well… we’ll just have to see how it goes this year. What with the weather in Europe at the moment, it seems to me like we’re going to have to do all our shopping locally, and save the net-ordered ones till next year!

Yeah, all those virtues in buying stuff for people!

I’ve always had the impression christmas gifts were bought as an excuse to make one “forcefully” buy something in the name of Christmas Spirit.

Apparently, I was right.

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