Where Did the Malls Go? A Love Letter to Christmas Shopping Before Everything Went “Add to Cart”

So there I was, minding my business, doing a little Christmas shopping online (because apparently every store in America starts Black Friday on November 1st 🙄). I’m scrolling through deals, clicking, comparing, adding things to my cart… when suddenly it hits me:

Everything is online now. Literally everything.

And listen - I am a mall girl. Certified. Stamped. Lifetime member 💁🏻‍♀️

From ages 16 to 21, I basically lived at the mall - LITERALLY. Judy’s, Contempo Casuals, Wilson’s Suede and Leather, See’s Candies, Hallmark (Hallmark was the best!) and honestly - best jobs ever!

The mall was its own little world.

The people.

The stores.

The smells (Cinnabon and I had a whole relationship, okay?).

The decorations.

The sales.

The noise - the kind that somehow stressed you out and comforted you at the same time.

I loved all of it.

And nobody can tell me that a mall at Christmastime wasn’t pure magic.

The lights draped everywhere.

Garland hanging above the walkways.

Beautiful red bows the size of small children.

The sales signs screaming your name.

The chaotic crowds that moved like one giant organism.

The music!

The bustle.

The whole experience.

It was a vibe before “vibe” was even a thing.

And man … do you remember Black Friday back then?

That was an event.

A sport.

A strategy session.

A battle plan.

A full-blown mission.

We were planning Black Fridays a year in advance. 😂

We had store maps.

We knew which entrance to use.

We had lists, backup lists, and lists for our lists.

We had our versions of Starbucks before Starbucks was even Starbucks-ing.

And we were READY.

Today?

You just refresh a website 😒

Where’s the fun in that?!

Then the other day, my husband was doing an Amazon return at Kohl’s. And as we walked out, he said:

“Isn’t it weird how today’s generation doesn’t even know this anymore?”

And people, that sentence hit me straight in the feelings 😢

Because he’s right.

They don’t.

And honestly? I got sad.

We traded magic for convenience.

Community for efficiency.

Experience for speed.

Now we shop online - no crowds, no lights, no decorations, no music, no laughter, no energy, no bumping into people you knew, no Cinnabon smell hitting you like a warm hug from 1991.

Just us and our phones.

Scroll.

Click.

Ship.

Track.

Delivered.

Is it easy? Of course.

Do I love getting packages? Absolutely.

But is it the same?

Not even close.

Real talk:

I miss the mall.

I miss the way Christmas shopping felt.

I miss stepping out of the cold into the warm, bustling mall and instantly feeling like I walked into a Christmas movie.

I miss overhearing strangers’ conversations.

I miss the random kindness of people in long lines.

I miss the decorations, the chaos, the excitement, the magic.

And maybe that’s why this moment hit me so hard - because it wasn’t just about malls.

It was about remembering the life we used to live.

Life was simpler.

Slower.

More connected.

More human.

More… alive.

Convenience is great - but the magic?

That part doesn’t come in a cardboard box.

So here’s the real ending:

I’m grateful for the memories.

I’m grateful I got to grow up in that era.

I’m grateful I knew what it felt like to be part of something bigger than my screen.

And even if we can’t get the malls back the way they were…

we can still bring back the moments.

The coziness.

The music.

The little traditions.

The joy.

The magic - in our own way.

Because the truth is:

The mall didn’t make Christmas magical.

We did.

Our people did.

Our memories did.

That whole season of life did.

And those parts?

We get to keep forever. 💛✨