For most people, Christmas is a wonderful time filled with holiday cheer. This year however, with the madness of shopping and running holiday errands, the holiday cheer is lacking the cheer factor.

In my experience with working at the mall, it seems like no one wants to even be 50 feet near the mall. For instance, if someone thinks a store is having a sale but the sale does not start for a few days, it is automatically the end of the world. Not only is it shopping itself, it’s navigating through the mall to get to a store. The holiday shopping season and slow mall walkers come in one package every year.

There is a solution to all of this madness. First, plan out your holiday shopping. Do not just wing it and go into the mall without something in mind. Shop around online first, and then see what is in store. If the store is not an option, you can always fall back on online shopping. Online shopping is your best friend. If your problem is figuring out what your friends and family want, social networking sites like Pinterest are your solution. Second, when shopping in a store, keep up the pace. I am sure you have other things to do and do not want to spend six plus hours shopping. If you keep up the pace, it helps others as well.

Bottom line, just breathe, and enjoy the holiday season. It comes but once a year.