Holiday Shopping

Today I started my holiday shopping. I was very excited to go to one of my favorite stores Macy's for one of their many sale days.
I was prepared to shop with list in hand and several of their coupons and gift certificates.
I was shopping for our adopt a family and wanted to make each dollar count.
Everything was fine til I got to the long line and noticed that the lady at the register was not one of the regulars but holiday help. She did not know which coupons could be used and was the only one at the register and stopped several times to answer questions on the phone.
Several times she had to get the manager or re ring the sale. She was taking the wind out of my sales waiting for twenty minutes in line. I met several people I had not seen since last year.
Holiday shopping is always a good way to see people you have not seen for quite some time.
I later went to housewares to get blenders for the two mom's.I could not believe you would need a blender for a Christmas gift. All was well the cashiers were the regulars and they knew how the coupons worked and worked quickly and friendly. To my surprise the shoppers were wild I got into what I thought was the line and two woman yelled at me to go to the end of the line I had to look hard to see what they meant since there were four cashiers.
One shopper was kind enough to point out the end of the line. Those woman acted like they would eat their young or me if I did not get into the correct line. Dan one of the sales people that knew me apologised and some more lines were opened.
We are not in December and people are angry already. In another line a woman yelled at the cashier. The woman was using a credit card not the store card which she should have been using to get the price deduction. The clerk was very calm and kind and let the woman get the discount any way. I feel if she did not get her way there would have been a big fight.
I was the next in line and then a woman came from somewhere and she tried to go in front of me and I just smile at her and proceeded to speak kindly to the clerk and handed her my purchases. Luckily I went through this line with out any trouble.
It seems to me that people will be very angry about making holiday purchases this year.
If you are short on money and kindness do not go shopping.
My friend noticed how many clerks I knew in the store and I said its because I always call people by their names and always ask how they are and say thank you and mean it.
My dad would always tell me that people like to be acknowledged and to do so with each meeting and I have and it works well for me. I call them by their names that makes people accountable since you know who they are and that works as well.
Rarely do I have poor service anywhere.
When the lines are long I often go into my comedy routine or chat or hand out my business card and that keeps the natives from attacking.
Keep the true meaning of Christmas in mind when shopping.