Mark's Notebook

Face it and shop like a man!

According to a Sears survey about men and shopping, 89 percent of men would rather watch their favorite sports team LOSE to their biggest rival than tackle holiday gift shopping.

So, it's no surprise that just one week before the holidays 77 percent of men finally get into the gift-giving groove and head out to shop.

71 percent of men indicate that the success of their favorite football team impacts the amount of time they spend on holiday shopping: the better their team is doing, the more they watch/attend the games and the less time they have to go shopping.

More than one-third of men (37 percent) would rather bake cookies than spend the afternoon holiday shopping in a crowded mall. Men in the West are most likely (42 percent) to choose baking cookies while men in the Northeast are least likely (27 percent) to favor baking cookies as an alternative.

As Playboy Magazine might say, "You call those men?"

89 percent of men agree that if they could fulfill all of their significant other's holiday wish list items at one store, then they would shop there.

When it comes to lingerie, this year men have no fear! Only 2 percent of men think the scariest thing about purchasing holiday gifts for their significant other is being caught by a friend in the ladies "intimates" section. Thirty-two percent of men surveyed think spending a large amount of money on a gift not on her wish list is scariest.

Almost half of men (49 percent) do not plan to spend more on their significant other's gifts this year than last.

According to men, some reasons for holiday shopping procrastination include:

• 72 percent don't know what to buy

• 59 percent don't want to go to several different stores for gifts

• 39 percent are watching football games during prime holiday shopping hours

• 18 percent are waiting for last-minute sales

And finally, when asked what would make for a more enjoyable holiday shopping experience, the survey shows:

• 50 percent of men would like a play-by-play of their significant other's ultimate holiday wish list

• 32 percent of men would like to shop while watching their favorite football team play

• 28 percent of men would like plasma screen TVs (tuned to sports shows) throughout the store

Mark says: I'm too busy making Christmas presents to have any time to shop.

Articles

Last updated Tuesday 13 May 2008