Tonight we took the kids to Hallmark to continue our annual tradition from my childhood: letting them each pick a keepsake ornament for our tree. (I was excited to get this done before Thanksgiving so we can decorate this weekend!) The kids were high with anticipation this afternoon. They made their selections with great intensity.
But when we got to the register, the cashier told us that our coupons could not be used for keepsake ornaments. The coupon does not state that there are any exclusions. We used the exact same coupons at the same store last year to buy ornaments. But it's a store policy, she said. No coupons on ornaments. So what did we do with our bright eyed kiddos and their carefully selected ornaments in hand?
We walked out.
Those coupons would have saved us $15, and this is the third time in the past couple of weeks that this type of things has happened, in which a store doesn't honor a discount and I had to walk out without the merchandise. We're all tightening our purse strings, I understand, but this is starting to get frustrating.
The kids were great sports about it, bless their hearts. We told them we were going to try to find the ornaments at another place that would take our coupons. (Tried Kohl's, they didn't have the ones the kids picked, darn it). We were all disappointed.
So now I'm wondering if we should change the tradition so that it doesn't revolve around Hallmark keepsake, but any type of ornament. Without a discount, Hallmark would cost us $50-60 ever year, at least - is that worth it? We don't buy a real tree, so maybe it's a trade-off?
Basically I'm just sitting here bummed that a family tradition which I'd like to carry on is seeming too expensive... (if only I hadn't spent so much money on portraits!)
Jack at 16
2 years ago
8 comments:
That is such a bummer! I wonder if Hallmark online would take the coupon? Or maybe go back to the same one & see if another sales person does things differently? If the exclusion isn't stated, that doesn't seem right at all. I sincerely hope something works out b/c I too love keeping a tradition going :) Maybe a black friday deal will appear!
Oh, that's soooo sad. I used the coupon on a keepsake ornament yesterday--the Hallmark in the Stoneridge plaza in Gahanna--if you wanted to try there. So maybe it's just that store???
How frustrating!
We do the yearly ornament tradition, but not from Hallmark. We try to make it have to do with something the kids did or someplace we went during the year. I've started ordering the online in the past couple of years. Santasornamentshop.com has some really great ones.
I love Hallmark too but agree with you 100% and would have walked out too. I'm like a terrier when it comes to this stuff and would probably call customer service to argue the point. That's the kind of thing that makes my husband roll his eyes at me though.
Real trees cost about $20 (out here,) so not much of a trade off. The stores should honor their coupons! Portraits are the way to go for your money, I think! Hugs!
UGH! I so hate it when things like this happen. As hard as it is, I also know (deep in my heart, hours after the experience) that it is good for our kids to see us make those hard decisions and learn our reasoning behind those decisions. I had a similar experience when picking out pj's (our Christmas Eve traditional gift) for Kaden...he didn't really "need" pajamas and regular retail price for the ones I was looking at was $35!!! They were on sale and I did have a coupon, so I got them much less than that, but it still made me stop and think about keeping a tradition.
I'm glad that the tradition is continuing. The ornaments have increased in price over the years, but the Hallmark part was more a habit. It's just fun to find someplace where the kids can make the selection from a display. That is probably more important to them---and it is obviously the part you remember. :-)
I've seen Hallmark ornaments at Kroger - do you all have Kroger there? I can look here if you'd like.
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