Words From Woodbury: Holiday Gift, Shopping Memories

By now your holiday shopping has shifted into high gear. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season, have you ever stopped to reflect about Christmas gifts of past or what you might like to receive this season?

Patch caught up with a few Woodbury residents who shared their holiday gift stories. 

Part-time sales at Fun Sisters and stay-at-home mom

Woodbury Patch: What are you hoping to receive this holiday season?

Tammy Woker: Besides love and peace? A great pair of designer jeans.

Patch: Did you ever receive a gift you took back and exchanged for something else?

Woker: I don’t remember taking back any gifts, but when my sister and I were younger, we used to secretly unwrap our gifts from my aunt and uncle in Idaho. We’d switch gifts and wrap them back up. I don’t think our parents ever figured that one out!

Patch: What do you dislike most about holiday gift shopping?

Woker: I hate the lines and the pressure I put on myself to find the best gift ever for each person.

Patch: What was the best gift you ever gave to someone?

Woker: The best gift was one I gave to my parents. It was my ultrasound picture of my baby announcing they were going to be grandparents for the very first time.

Registered nurse

Woodbury Patch: What gift would you like to receive this holiday season?

Terri Spencer: A gift card for a long spa day.

Patch: Where do you expect to do most of your gift shopping?

Spencer: Since high school, I have been heading up to St. Cloud on black Friday. I go with my sister-in-law and a girlfriend from kindergarten.

Patch: Where do you shop in St. Cloud?

Spencer: We have a specific shopping route. We start at about 5 a.m. and hit early bird sales along the way. Crossroads Mall and the Albertville Outlet are other destination stops, too. We have an early dinner at Granite City and then head to Crafts Direct, with one last stop at Fleet Farm. 

Patch: Do you stay overnight then?

Spencer: Of course! We have a slumber party at a local hotel and relive our shopping bargains over some cocktails and snacks. The next day, we do it all over again.

President of a real estate investment company

Woodbury Patch: Is it true men shop on Christmas Eve Day?

Mitch Caron: Yes. I try to shop before that, but on that day, I know it has to get done.

Patch: Does shopping on Christmas Eve Day ever affect the quality of the gift item?

Caron: Well, I guess you could say it can affect the quality of the gift. 

Patch: How do you and your wife allocate the shopping list?

Caron: It’s about 50/50. Wait, are you going to print that? OK, then maybe I should say it’s more like 60/40. Hmm… why don’t you just put down 90/10, with my wife doing 90 percent of it.

Patch: What’s the best gift you ever received at the holiday season?

Caron: When I was a freshman in college, my older sister asked me what I wanted and I said a car. I opened up this Avon car with cologne in it. Inside the trunk was a car key. A horn started honking outside and in my driveway was an old Delta 88 convertible with a big red bow on it. She bought the car for about $40 (and I’m not that old). I loved that car.

Patch: Do you ever take back gifts you received?

Caron: Yes, but my wife and I have reduced some of those trips back to the stores by deciding to give each other $200 spending money. We make it an all-day shopping date, have lunch and really enjoy our shopping excursion out together. 

Father and single parent

Patch: What’s the best gift you received as a child?

Mackie: From my childhood, it has to be the army set from my grandma. My cousin, who is the same age as me, got a set, too. We would use the storage closest for our war zone and divide the room in half. There were hundreds of guys and tanks. He whined all the time, so unfortunately, he always got to be the Americans and I had to be the Germans. 

Patch: Did you ever receive a gift that touched your heart?

Mackie: Yes. Every year since my divorce, my oldest daughter hand makes a beautiful Christmas card for me. Inside the card is an endearing handwritten letter to me, saying what I mean to her. I hope I continue to receive those special holiday letters every year at Christmas. 

Patch: Being a single parent, you must have to plan out your shopping somewhat?

Mackie: Yes, I try not to make more than four or five trips out. The first two trips are what I call my visual assessment trips to see what’s out there. After that, I start to strategize and buy, with a goal of not going out to shop more than five times.

Patch: If money weren’t an issue what gift would you really like to receive?

Mackie: I guess you could say it’s time for a new house. Hey, can I include a maid in that new house, too?