'Tis the season to be jolly... until you remember holiday shopping is a thing, and it kinda sucks. A lot. Don't get me wrong, I think act of gift giving is just swell. I love the sweet satisfaction that comes with surprising someone with a present so good they can't help but rush to kiss your feet with gratitude (am I doing holiday cheer right?). But the actual process that goes into purchasing all those perfect gifts is a nightmare. I don't care how many pounds of tinsel are wrapped around the registers or remixes of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" are pumped through the speakers. You can't fool me, mall stores. I know this is terrible.
From that brief feeling of triumph when you purchase a one-off gift on Nov. 1 to the absolute panic that hits when you realize on Dec. 23 that your plan to DIY everyone a present is just not gonna happen, there is a weirdly universal (and weirdly specific) emotional roller coaster most twentysomethings go through when the yuletide season rolls around. So deck the halls with literally nothing because you're too broke, pour yourself a glass of $3 wine, and enjoy this calendar of the reality of holiday shopping.
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Image: Mary Rabun/Bustle
