Just because a friend or family member is pulling away a bit, that doesn't mean you're losing them forever!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008
10:08 pm My bed

I am exhausted. Working at a toystore during Christmas does not put me in a very Christmas-y place. I was pretty annoyed and stressed out all day, but thinking about how I was going to vent in my blog made me feel better. Now I'm too tired to muster the strength to rant and rave.

Who am I kidding? Somehow I'll find the strength. Most of the following list has to do with wrapping because that's mostly what I did all day. I kept track, and I wrapped 61 gifts in 5 and a half hours...


Things That People Do In the Toystore That Drive Me Crazy:

1.) When you ask a customer if they would like any of their purchases wrapped and they say, "Well, if you'd like to, okay." No, I would not like to. Don't try to twist what you're doing to me. Don't try to act like I want to wrap the $200 worth of toys you just bought. Do you see the line behind you? Do you see how tired I look? Do you hear your screaming children? If you're going to make me wrap all of this, own it. Say, "Yes, please. Thank you." Don't act like I gave you the idea.

2.) When a customer says, "This needs to be wrapped." The only thing that needs anything is your attitude, and it needs an adjustment. Christmas will not be ruined if the toys don't get wrapped. The earth will not stop turning, time will not stand still. Don't tell me you need anything. Wrapping is a free service, and we don't have to do it.

3.) When a customer says they want everything wrapped. If you're 81 and crippled by arthritis, I'll buy it. But if you're a 30-something woman who decides to do all of her Christmas shopping two days before Christmas, and then decides she wants us to wrap all of her $500 worth of toys, then shame on you. The line to check out was ridiculous all day, and a lot of that is because we simply don't have enough staff to sit there and wrap 20 toys for one woman. If you would like a few things wrapped, that's totally fine - it's our job, it's a service we offer, go for it. But when there are five people behind you in line, don't tell me you need it all wrapped. You need to be courteous.

4.) When customers don't cut out their coupons. This is not difficult. Maybe while you're walking around buying armloads of unnecessary gifts for your spoiled children you could grab a pair of scissors for yourself. It is so rare that someone actually hands me a clipped coupon. Usually they're messily ripped out. Yesterday, one woman actually handed me the entire newspaper, so she could use the coupon. It took everything I had not to throw it back at her. It may not seem like a big deal, but there are good reasons for why not clipping coupons causes problems. Firstly, it jams up the drawer. We put all our receipts and coupons in this space under the cash drawer, and you can imagine how shoving a whole newspaper in there can cause issues. Then, we have to cut the coupons out ourselves, to make room, which slows down the line, etc.

5.) When customers are on their cell phones. Believe me, I love a good phone convo. But I try not to hold them while in line at a store. Particularly, when I'm being helped. It's rude, and as hard as it may be to believe, no one cares about your life (says the girl with the blog about her life...). Yesterday a woman was at the register, on her cell phone, and I asked her if she wanted anything wrapped. She gave me the finger. No, not the middle finger -- it was so much worse. She put up her first finger, as if to tell me to 'wait a sec.' ISN'T THAT SO UNBELIEVABLE??? There is a line of people behind her, and she's telling me to wait so she can complain to her sister-in-law about the sub-par pedicure she just received. In that moment, I wished I owned the store so I could have kicked her out of line. If only I ruled the world...

So, despite the incredibly rude people I had to deal with all day who make me never want to have children and make me depressed about the future of humanity, there are some bright moments.

1.) I work with good people. I love having both my sisters at the store, and everyone on staff is friends so we can roll our eyes at each other over the rude customers and whiny children. We like each other so much, we choose to spend time with each other outside of work! We go to bingo, we get dinner together, we have movie nights. There's a work Christmas party and a work New Year's party. We all know each others' problems and life dramas, so we're like a little family. It's super cute.

2.) Some customers appreciate us. Today, in the midst of the craziness, this little old woman came into the store and gave us a tin of cookies to thank us for all the wrapping and customar service we provide, etc. I actually smiled for the first time all day! It was just really cute and thoughtful and it made me feel warm and fuzzy.

3.) The candy tin. Every year around Christmas, Stan and Carolyn get this HUGE tub of candy from their accountant, I think, and it keeps the staff on a permanent sugar high. We take turns running back and grabbing handfuls of candy to keep us energized through the wrapping craziness. It's sooo goooooood!

4.) You can do nice things. Despite my constant complaining, I'm actually quite helpful to customers, in person. Today this really nice woman bought a bunch of toys. I asked her if she wanted them wrapped, and she said no, but I could tell she kind of did. It was pretty calm in the store, so I told her it wouldn't be a problem and that we could do it. She still wavered, but ended up saying yes. So, we wrap everything in like five minutes, and she just keeps thanking me, and I'm like "It's no problem, this way you'll have a little extra time tonight." And she's like, "You have no idea. I'm working tonight and all day tomorrow." And she just looked so relieved and happy! It made me happy to give her one less thing to worry about.

5.) Kids are cute (sometimes). When they're not screaming or crying or throwing a fit or wetting their pants or drooling or wiping their snot on something, they're pretty cute. Especially when they get a toy they like, and they want to tell you all about it. Or when you tell them they can hold the bag, and their eyes get really big, and they get all excited at the new responsibility. I love it when kids buy gifts for each other. Today, twin boys were picking out toys for each other, and it was just so funny to see them so excited at hiding their gifts from each other and figuring out how much things cost.

So, maybe the good things balance the bad. I still have to fight the urge to act like the woman in the video below, however, when customers get "rude."



Yesterday, I worked from noon to 7:30 pm, and then I had to head out to the mall for some more last minute Christmas shopping. It was the last thing I wanted to do, but I had to. The mall was pretty packed - lots of long lines and lots of haggard looking cashiers and salespeople.

I made sure I was extra nice.

Love,
Tara