Is this what Christmas has come to

It's Sunday I left home at 11:15 to go down to the local shopping mall to start getting a few bits and pieces together for Christmas, well so did a million other people ... there was a 5km tail back just to get near the place, so I would hate to know what the parking lot looked like, there was just NO way I was going to join the madness, so I turned around.  Em and I enjoyed a bit of mommy, daughter shopping at a local retail outlet and then from there stopped and got a cooked chicken, rolls and ice cream and headed home.  Much safer, wiser choice.  I guess if I am going to do this Christmas thing, I have to time it with military precision, so will either be going in the evening or 8 a.m. Saturday morning.