My No-Walmart Christmas

Here it is, December 17th, and I have not spent a single cent at Walmart since before Thanksgiving. (applause...) thank you, thank you.

Seriously though. Don't get me wrong, I am a #1 Walmart shopper when it comes to basically all household items: cleaner, makeup, shampoo, deodorant, contact solution. It's the only place I go, because I know it is the cheapest there. I have their prices for the things I regularly buy memorized.

But, that being said, I do have a problem with the whole Walmart monopoly. I really don't like that they keep getting bigger and bigger. As in, now you can not only buy all the household items you need (which is all Walmart used to be, remember?), but also all your groceries. You can even buy bulk groceries. And then, you can go to the eye doctor, get a hair cut, visit your bank, get your tires changed, and go out to lunch all without leaving your local Walmart. And probably depending on how new your Walmart is, it has what, a chiropractor, pet sitter, gym, and hotel?? You know it's coming, folks! And for some reason, having one huge corporate conglomorate in charge of all that doesn't make good sense to me. AND, you know they are doing it on purpose. Hmm, strategically placing certain items where you can't resist them as you walk by! Who doesn't go in there for one thing and come out with like, 10?!?

So anyway, I have always been in favor of supporting the "little guy." Unfortunately, the nature of being a teacher and being married to a teacher doesn't give me the luxury of shopping at the Boise Co-Op for everything I need, so I like to think of myself as supporting the "littler guy." I basically think pretty much every store, chain or not, is littler than Walmart. You have to agree. If you have ever been to Walmart any time between 11am and 9pm and seen those huuuge lines of people with carts (sometimes more than one!) packed to the brim, you know that place is raking in millions by the day.

So, although not entirely on purpose, I decided this would be a non-Walmart Christmas for me. I have not once gone there for anything--be it gifts, treats, even the stuff I usually buy there. And I really haven't spent more money than I usually do! I have merely shopped at sales at the likes of Kohl's, Home Depot, ShopKo, JC Penney, PetSmart, Ross, WinCo, and Albertson's. Like I said. Not the littlest guys, but the littler guys!

About a week ago I realized that I had not once gone to Walmart for anything so far this Christmas season. So from then on, I decided, why not just keep my business from them for the rest of the year? I haven't missed it so far, in many ways.

For one: Not having to stand in line behind Mr. You-Don't-Even-Want-To-Know buying Who-Knows-What that takes five billion years. Another: Not having to find a parking spot 5 miles back from the store.

Another: Shopping at more homey places like Kohl's, Penneys, and Albertsons is really fun to me!

And another: Just the pure satisfaction that, though I am only one, still I am one! And I'm one less person Walmart is making money from this year! When I drove by the parking lot the other day, I realized I'm probably the only one out there, but it still feels good!