ADHD College Blog

Archives: December 2008

ADHD Christmas Shopping Strategy

This year may be the first time ever that I went Christmas shopping and bought everything I was supposed to without forgetting half of it--I'm so proud!

Last night after I finished writing my ADHD blog I started worrying that I hadn’t bought Christmas gifts yet and I was running out of time. So I sat down, thought of everything I wanted to buy, and where I had to go to get it all. Then tonight I actually went to the store and got everything. It may have been the first time ever that I went in the store and bought everything I was supposed to without forgetting half of it – I’m so proud!

I’ve been saying that I was going to do my shopping for a while now, but then I come home from work and I’m tired; so I promise myself I’ll do it the next day or on the weekend. On the weekends I’m already in the mall working so I try to go shopping when I’m done with work, before the mall closes. But that never works, because I’ve been standing on my feet for eight hours, and by then I can’t decide what I want anyways. Usually, shopping after work ends up with me wandering around the mall aimlessly drinking soda and eating soft pretzels.

But today was different; I planned out where I needed to go, what I needed to buy and told myself I wouldn’t buy anything extra – including snacks. I did everything short of making a list and a map (I’d just get frustrated when I inevitably lost the list). Still, I was unbelievably successful. I left my house at 6:30 pm, and I was back home about 10 pm. I was on a mission; no browsing, no stopping in extra stores along the way, and I stuck to my goal. I discovered that it’s actually rewarding to only buy what you came for.

I can’t exactly say what I bought, or which stores I went in, because it would ruin the surprise for everyone to read about their gifts a week in advance. However, I can say that I spent less than ten dollars on things I didn’t actually need for gifts. This might be a new record for me.

Phase One (shopping): Complete. Now on to Phase Two (wrapping).

ADHD Holiday Countdown

Maybe it is the ADHD, but I get so impatient for Christmas that I just want to open gifts straight out of the shopping bags.

The weeks just before Christmas seem like the longest of the whole year. The waiting and anticipating and excitement make me feel like I’m five years old again.

I admit – I’m the first one awake on Christmas morning every single year: 6:00 AM (OK, sometimes it’s more like 5am) and I’m up walking around waiting for everyone else to wake up. Patience isn’t one of my strongest talents so usually I go into my siblings' rooms where they are clearly sound asleep, turn on some lights, and keep asking “are you sleeping?” until they aren’t sleeping anymore. I can’t help it; by Christmas morning I’ve been waiting for what feels like forever and the gifts under the tree have been tempting me for weeks.

Today, the first gifts were under the tree when I got home from work. My family has been so busy this year that no one has had much time to buy and wrap gifts yet. My mom said her goal was to have everything bought and wrapped by December 15. Well, it’s the 15th today and she did get the first things wrapped – close enough.

I, on the other hand, have helped mothers decide which sweater their daughters would like best, and helped men pick out gifts for their wives, but so far, I haven’t bought a thing. The malls are packed, the stores are crazy, and every time I have a day off the last thing I want to do is drive to the mall, park a mile away, and push my way through crowds all while trying to remember what I need to buy.

Holiday shopping is stressful for those of us with ADHD. We all know lists aren’t exactly our strong suit; but without a holiday to-do list shopping could be a disaster. And then we get home and have to wait until we can give our gifts! I get so excited I just want to skip the whole wrapping and waiting process and open gifts straight out of the shopping bags. Anyone else want to start a new tradition?

The ADHD Manager Requests Patience

Holiday shopping seems to bring out the ADHD in people, they become impatient, easily frustrated, and create messes they don't clean up.

If I had to describe Black Friday in four words they would be complete and utter madness.

I worked at the mall from 6am to 2:30pm; but that wasn’t too bad, after all, some people were there at 4am and the mall opened at 5am. Why does the busiest shopping day of the year have to start so early? Couldn’t stores open at 8am?

Besides the ungodly early hours, the holiday season seems to bring out the worst in shoppers. Everyone seems so grumpy and demanding – like I’m really thrilled to be working at 7am picking up clothes off the floor after a stampede swept through. It seems to me that after Thanksgiving everyone loses their manners; no one says please or thank you, picks up after themselves, or waits more than five seconds in line before getting aggravated.

It’s frustrating to work in the mall during this madness; after all, I have another job too, and by the time I get to the store on weeknights I’ve already been working for 9-10 hours. I’m hungry, tired, and trying my best to run around cleaning the store while answering questions, looking for sizes in the stockroom, and explaining the restrictions on coupons to customers.

Now that I’m a seasonal manager I also have to prep all the associates before they start their shifts, deal with customer issues, and come running when an associate has a question, or needs an approval for a return. It’s a lot of work.

Please, if you’re out shopping for gifts this month try to remember that we’re just human, too. The store employees are doing their best to satisfy everyone – complaining, demanding, and making a mess won’t make your shopping go any faster.

Have some patience and say thanks when an associate spends the time checking stock or calling another store for you. Forgive us if we seem rushed or frazzled or we can’t point out the exact location of the top on the mannequin in the window in under three seconds.

And please, don’t leave everything you tried on inside-out on the floor of the dressing room. Thank you.