Contributed by Diana Straub
Many people long for a simpler time when Thanksgiving is fully celebrated on Thursday. Friday, the retail stores revealed Christmas décor and gift ideas kicking off the Christmas holiday. Yes, a simpler time. Gifts were selected with much thought and delivered in person. People gathered to spend time with one another, the Norman Rockwell picture of days gone by.
The reality of today is that people purchase and ship many gifts to recipients across the USA, in other countries and to our deployed military serving around the world. Did you know, the United States Postal Service (USPS) began the process of hiring 28,000 peak season employees in October of this year? USPS expects to process 60 million packages daily this holiday season, compared to 53 million last year. To meet postal deadlines for a timely delivery of gifts retailers must begin holiday sales before Thanksgiving.
When I was young, we looked forward to BLACK FRIDAY! Each store would publish an exclusive advertisement of special busy or limited time pricing that would begin at 6:00 am on Friday. This became the traditional holiday shopping kickoff, and it was fun!! Today, Black Friday advertising begins in late October and special pricing runs the entire month of November. The fun and ceremony have been depleted from this once special day. Time rolls on.
New traditions: today, I offer you PINK WEEKEND!! Pink Weekend will be three days of special packaging and special pricing from your local Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant, Diana L. Straub. (If you already have a Mary Kay Consultant, check in with her to see what special deals she has for you.)
PINK FRIDAY, SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY, and CYBER MONDAY make up my PINK WEEKEND!
Let me restore the fun of seeking the special pricing on Thanksgiving night for 6:00 am on Friday and the hour by hour deals all day on Friday. I’m combining this old tradition with the new ways of online shopping from your cozy chair in your jammies with a warm cup of your best coffee or toddy in hand. You will be posting and scrolling on your social media pages after your wonderful Thanksgiving meal. Scroll on over to my Facebook page @Diana’s Pink Page to see the first reveal of special deals that will be available for shopping at marykay.com/dstraub at 6:00 am on PINK FRIDAY!
What do you need to be equipped for a successful Pink Weekend, you might wonder? You will need a list of people to whom you want to give gifts, addresses for those whose gifts you purchase from me, so that I can mail your purchases for FREE. YES! I am one of the local small businesses that will package and mail your gift to you with NO SHIPPING AND HANDLING FEES. I appreciate your business and my business IS service.
The deals will continue being posted on Saturday to honor SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY. When you scroll to Facebook @Diana’s Pink Page you will find deals for the entire day posted. Gift ideas for: teachers, delivery drivers, hairdressers / barbers, co-workers, your office staff, babysitters, neighbors, your adult children’s significant other, waiter/ waitress, friends both male and female, coaches, scout leaders, Sunday school teachers, etc.
The special deals will continue as I offer CYBER SUNDAY for people who are unavailable for the traditional CYBER MONDAY. This third day of online shopping steals and deals will tickle your toes.
This year, there will be $20 gift packages available for you to purchase and donate to our community members. When you select the Santa Cop & Heroes gift option, that item will be donated to the Santa Cop program for delivery to a Senior Citizen in our community who will be alone on Christmas. Commonly the delivering police officer, firefighter, EMT, etc. will deliver the gift with a warm meal from the community Friendship Dinner and stay for a visit with the senior citizen. This hero also engages in a safety and welfare check often returning with home repair items that pose safety concerns to the occupant. These might be as simple as the need to have an exterior door repaired or a smoke detector installed. In the past, I recall the need for wood to heat a remote home coming forward. These “heroes” seem to find a way and make a way to dispatch the necessary assistance. Santa Cops & Heroes is yet another gift of time and service from our local emergency responders, my sincere thanks to all.
The second $20 gift package will be donated to our neighbors who are receiving cancer treatments in our community. Many cancer treatments deplete the skin from its natural oils and devours the moisture barrier. It is our goal to comfort the skin during these treatment times with products to rehydrate and nourish the skin. These gifts will be donated to the cancer centers here in the Mat-Su Valley to be given to the patients receiving treatments during the holiday season. Giving the gift of comfort and safety is a blessing.
Each gift purchaser and recipient will receive a gift certificate to be used in January 2023 for a personal pampering session. You may choose to pamper your dry hands, your face and cheeks that are wind chapped, your feet, or even your beard and mustache. By the way, did you know Mary Kay makes a man’s fragrance and a woman’s fragrance that are designed to be worn together? The ingredients are such that they blend when in a close environment rather than clash giving you a headache.
Whether your Thanksgiving plans include attending the wonderful community dinner at the Menard Sports Complex enjoying many conversations with friends old and new, a big family dinner at grandma’s house or a quiet meal with your first child, I wish you much to be thankful for and people to be thankful with. If you long for some fun shopping over the holiday weekend, join me online for some Mary Kay deals or come see me in person at the State Fair Bazaar at Raven Hall. I will be in the Classy Glass Expressions booth with my friend Vicki Randolph who makes beautiful jewelry. I might have a deal for you there too!