It's Boxing Day! (Day 361)

 

Today, our family fully embraced the modern celebration of Boxing Day! The girls and I went to the mall to maximize the gift cards Santa left for them under the tree. 

I love the mall! The last time I was there with my children was for back-to-school shopping. Everyone was a hot mess. We did not allot enough time for the task and there were several issues involving math, crawling on the floor and screaming. 

Today, we experienced the Mall in the way it was meant to be experienced: with joy, observation and reckless purchases! (including a tan vegan leather vest!!)

It was WONDERFUL. 

Did I mention that I love the mall? One of my favorite mall memories was going with my Dad for the grand opening of the Willow Grove Mall. (He loved the mall, too!) It was so spectacular with three floors and the carosel themed decor. I used to love to go to Bennetton and Units in that mall. Later, I would discover Merry-Go-Round and 5-7-9! And then, I'd discover Bloomingdales (the best!!). 

These days the bulk of my shopping is done online. My neighbors monitor our deliveries like Rose on 277 (keeps the thieves away!). But, there is nothing like going shopping with your best girls in the actual mall and experiencing it all. 

Every store you walk into is a new expereince--it's like a retail theme park! I went in Soma and the woman fitted me for a bra with her eyes and kept asking me about spillage as I tried things on. In Nordstrom, they will carry your packages, chew your food and brush your hair for you (And take back returns from 2010). In Aeropostale, the teenage boys at the register will try to flirt with your obilivious daughters, leading you to say, "DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO GO TO COLLEGE?," out loud, like a lunatic. In the strange under $10 "direct from Japan store," you will encounter a non-Japanese store manager with pointy gem stoned covered nails who is an Ariana Grande expert (and befriends your oldest daughter, who loves Ariana Grande). In Famous Footwear, you will meet the shoe salesmen, who reminds you of Al Bundy and says, "You cannot buy that because the register does not work." In Pink, you will be in line with 16 year olds all complaining on their cell phones to their mothers via voice-to-text about having no money and make best friends with the mother behind you, as you laugh at the girls in front of you.  In White House Black Market, everyone will laugh when you comment on all the non-black and non-white items in store, as if you weren't the 120th person to make that joke. In Hollister, the music is so loud, that you embrace it and embarass your children while dancing in line. 

IT IS A GLORIOUS PLACE! 

I think it is an important skill to teach your children how to shop for themselves. They need to learn how to spend their money and choose items that are priced fairly and good quality; when to splurge and when to say no and how to pick a pair of jeans for their body. My tween has really been struggling to find her style and get dressed each day. She did not really need new clothes; as much as she needed to learn how to dress and what to put together. We did a full jeans tutorial--released her attachment to being a certain size--and now I think she understands that your clothing size is basically meaningless. You can be a 2 one place and a 6 another; both a small and a large--it just matters how it feels on your perfect, wonderful body that does so many great things (besides wearing clothes!). 

Of course, we were masked, distanced when we could and showered/burned our mall clothes when we arrived at home. 



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