When I was a child, my grandmother used to take me by bus to Gladdings and Macy’s in Downtown Providence, where we would revel in the abundance of Christmas decorations. For some reason, the snow would always be falling to add to the ambiance. Happy to get inside the stores to get out of the snow, we would ride the skinny (i.e. one-person) escalator down to visit with Santa Claus, who always had time to chat with me about my year. It was the real Santa, of course, and he would slip me a small gift of a Christmas puzzle and some candy. Our visit downtown would be completed with a visit to the soda fountain at the drug store, where I always chose to have a root beer float. Going shopping downtown right before Christmas was always such a magical time.

As an adult, I’ve enjoyed many a Christmas season strolling the decorative interior of the many malls in our area. The huge, brightly colored Christmas ornaments with the huge ribbons hanging down from the ceiling were a sight to behold. Always in a good mood while shopping, I would scour the mall for sales, taking my time to pick out the best gifts at the lowest prices. Shopping with my mom at Providence Place Mall was especially joyful as we would stop at the Cheesecake Factory to split a piece of cheesecake. Upon my advice, she would choose presents for her grandchildren that she knew they would like. (Of course, she would always have to make sure that the item was deeply discounted, with $5 being her limit.) At least one time before Christmas my children would accompany me, often in a double stroller with two toddlers and two older children hanging onto the side so they wouldn’t wander off. They would visit with Santa, who, again, had plenty of time to chat and would always give them a little gift. We would eat at the food court where they each could choose the vendor for their meal, a real treat for them. I loved shopping before Christmas.

The past several years have changed. My son, Angel, used to go with friends on Black Friday, camping out in front of the desired store Thanksgiving night. It was a special night for them, full of laughs and camaraderie. With a thermos of hot chocolate, they would share blankets as they sat in beach chairs, vowing to hold their spot until the doors of the store would open, at which time they would rush through to purchase the item they desired at a huge mark-down. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I learned that all of the Black Friday sale items were available online. That marked a huge change in my pre-Christmas shopping. Instead of sitting in the cold waiting for my turn as the doors to the store opened, on that Friday I would computer surf for the best deals.

Now it seems that the deals with huge markdowns are available daily. Kohl’s has a 60% off sale on certain toys, along with a 30% off coupon, free shipping and $15 in Kohl’s cash for every $50 I spend. What amazing deals can be found on-line!

Shopping Amazon is especially exciting because they will actually wrap the present, include a card and mail it to the recipient. What could be easier than that? Yes, Christmas shopping has changed a lot since Downtown Providence in the 1960s. I don’t have to take a bus or park my car in an insanely crowded parking lot. I don’t have to even leave my house. I will be doing my shopping on line while sipping a cup of hot tea and sitting in a comfy chair by the fire.