Preschool started today. He was soooo happy to go, it was all he could do to kiss me goodbye.

With all my ‘free time’ (I love how there is an assumption I have so much free time while he is at preschool) I decided to go to the supermarket and have a look at Target and KMart … we’re having a family “Christmas in July” on the weekend and I need to get some small gifts for the Kris Kringle.

So I unwittingly wandered into Target and it was like I’d accidently fallen into another universe, filled with wild-eyed women with heaving bosoms, grabbing at everything they could lay their hands on, staring maniacally into one another’s trolleys in case *SHOCK HORROR* someone got something they wanted! Jostling for position in the laybye queue, blocking aisles with their multiple trolley loads. It was really intimidating.

I’ve spent enough time lurking on parenting forums to know these sales always bring out the worst in people, but I’ve never actually experienced the insanity first hand until this morning. Target has had toy sale bunting up for so long now, I just assumed the sales had been and gone. And the loads people had … I think my children are spoilt with toys, but even I was shocked at the amount people were buying, I’m telling myself they have lots of children or were buying for others.

I can’t help but wonder if the dollar value of the savings is worth the stress of it though.

*November 29th is International Buy Nothing Day.