Reporter Paul Valencia makes his annual trek to Vancouver Mall during Christmas time, and he appreciates last-minute shoppers, the decorations, and, of course, Santa Claus
Paul Valencia
Clark County Today
The Mall.
For those of us at a certain age, that was all it was called.
Whether here in Vancouver, or the Portland area, the Bay Area, in New York, or wherever.
The Mall.
For those of us who grew up in the 80s or 90s, that was the gathering spot all year. And it was the shopping center for Christmas.
Mall Magic.
Today, well, it is not the same.
But, I am here to proclaim, the reports of the mall’s death are greatly exaggerated.
Oh sure, social media will note that crowds seem down at The Mall all over the country. Many malls, in fact, have closed in the last couple of decades. Online shopping and overnight delivery clearly have hurt attendance.
The top-tier malls, experts say, continue to survive, though. Some of them are thriving.
This is not a traditional business story, though. So I will not have any data on just how Vancouver Mall is doing financially. I just know that I will be a supporter of The Mall, all malls, for what they meant to me.
I promise to continue doing the Mall Crawl every December. It is a hill worth dying on for me.
Hey, I understand the appeal of Amazon delivering right to one’s door. For introverts, or for people with crowd anxiety, front-porch delivery is a lifesaver.
But for those like me, who love people and people-watching, I gotta go to the mall every holiday season.
The mall can still bring back memories and create new ones.
Is the delivery truck going to bring Santa Claus to your home, with Elf decorations, in order for your family to take a photo?
Unlikely.
At Vancouver Mall this year, and in year’s past, there has been an Elf theme, featuring a New York taxi, a Buddy the Elf cutout, and skyscraper displays. Then, of course, there’s Santa.
“I know him! I know him!”
So on Tuesday morning, I made my annual trek to The Mall.
Sad to say, it was not nearly as crowded as I had hoped. But within two hours, more and more people were showing up to shop two days before Christmas.
There was a long line at Cinnabon, with folks buying the red box full of delight — presumably to heat up for Christmas morning.
The traffic along the offramp from State Route 500 was backing up, as well. I would assume by Tuesday evening, there will be even more people looking for last-minute gifts.
For those of you brave enough, the Vancouver Mall is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Oh, and Santa Claus will be there Wednesday as well, one final chance to capture a photo before St. Nick and his reindeer head out to deliver toys all over the world.
Even if the mall is not as crowded as it was in the 80s and 90s, one can still find magic.
I overheard a father, holding his daughter’s hand, saying, “OK, think about what you want to give Mom.”
The Scrooge out there might laugh at that man, waiting until Dec. 23 to shop for a Christmas gift.
Me? I’m Positive Paul. What I witnessed was pure joy. The little girl had a huge smile on her face, spending a day with her dad at The Mall, looking forward to finding the perfect present for Mom. It was beautiful.
The food court was filling in with the lunch crowd. (I do miss Orange Julius, which left Vancouver Mall earlier this year, but Paradise Smoothie Bar did a solid job with my drink order.)
Oh, and I always enjoy the kiosks that are set up in the middle of the mall walkways, with extra things on sale. Calendars are always a big deal this time of the year. Or games. The kiosks are often just the right size and at the perfect place to catch one’s eyes, for the small gift that will have a big impact on whoever receives it.
For many, crowded places can be overwhelming. But I love a crowd.
That reminds me, if you ever need a pick-me-up, go to the airport during the holidays and just watch as people are greeted. Earlier this week, I was at PDX. I saw children rushing to meet their grandparents as soon as they saw them. Loved ones created “Welcome home” signs.
With the right frame of mind, one can find joy anywhere.
Airports any time for me. Great for people-watching.
And malls? Oh yes, especially around Christmas time.
Thank you Vancouver Mall for another shopping season of magic.
Long live The Mall.
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