by Nicholas Stitt

Created on: September 09, 2008

Any time a lot of humans swarm to the same area, there's going to be an invasion of personal space. But toss materialism into the mix and the potential for unruly mess increases tenfold; during a busy holiday shopping season, everyone wants something different, wants it in an extraordinary hurry, and wants out of the store with naptime to spare.

If you've decided to shop the brick-and-mortal relay course, save some frustration with a code of shopper's etiquette.

For starters, grab some friends and organize a carpool. Mass transit has obvious benefits, both saving fuel (allowing for more money to spend on gifts) and cutting parking lot traffic, reducing the chance you'll grind fenders with another vehicle in the rush to get home. The very act of carpooling ensures you've brought buddies, whose jolly presence relieves much of the holiday stress.

Friends also provide extra sets of arms to carry all your gifts, and that's useful since you'll want to pass on the shopping cart. A wide, wobbly cart makes navigation a chore amidst a hungry crowd, and sections of the store with the highest sticker items, such as jewelry, video games, or cameras, are cramped anyway, so a shopping cart will only slow you down. Unless you're bringing home the serious holiday giftload, exchange the shopping cart for a carry on tote or basket.

With uninhibited movement, your crew is free to snatch any hot items on your listand if you've done proper research, you should know exactly what they are. Beeline to the shelf and pick up what you need. If you've browsed beforehand via catalog or web site, you'll know what you want for everyone on your list and can snag the hot items minutes after store opening and well before any sell out. This not only fills your basket, but clears the aisles for others who want the item.

And for your payment, prepare to purchase with plastic. One swipe of a credit or debit card is a lot easier than counting bills, and not just for you. This is the busiest time of year for crews manning the checkouts, and though they exist to serve, help everyone (especially those in line behind you) by making their job as painless as possible. Besides, when dropping such a chunk of income in a single shopping visit, carrying cash to a crowded store is simply unsafe.

Finally, prepare to wait in line, at least for a little while. No shopper will be perfectly on target (there's good chance you'll find a sale item to ogle) and no matter how quick everyone moves, you'll still hit a bottleneck at the checkout. So while waiting your turn, relax and breathe deep. You've finished today's shopping. You've come here to buy things for people you love so you can share time with them. Anger, stress, and frustration will only cloud your holiday enjoyment. When you see that cashier, remember this is his or her workday. Smile and wish them a happy morning; your mirth and patience will go far to ease their stress.

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