Working retail in a major department store during the holiday season is probably one of the craziest things I have ever done. There is just something about the whole experience that makes the holidays extra crazy. Shoe boxes are always flying and customers are literally everywhere, but the madness makes me appreciate all those retail employees a little extra this year. Even though the only word I have to describe these experiences is "crazy," there's something about it that makes me extra festive. Maybe it's because I am immersed in Christmas 7 days out of the week, or maybe it's because I come home with ribbon stuck to the bottom of my shoe.

1. The parking lot looks like a crime scene straight from hell, therefore, there is literally a zero percent chance of you getting a parking spot anywhere near your workplace.

2. Your displays look like absolute crap... and there is no hope.

3. There is an absurd influx of people at all times.

4. With all the madness, comes an immense amount of stress. Because of this, your inner craziness cannot be contained and sometimes you look slightly insane on the outside.

5. Because it's the holiday season, sometimes random children come and shop for their parents alone without any parental guidance. This leaves you in an awkward state of treating them like a typical adult customer. Fun times.

6. We all love that sassy customer who disregards the fact that it's the holiday season and that the ratio between sales associates and customers is bigger than the grand canyon. This customer is pretty impatient and thinks their holiday shopping experience is all about them. Joy.

7. Timed gift wrapping has become your new hidden talent.

8. The "last-minuters" simply make work 1,000,000x more stressful than it needs to be.

9. Every night you come home from work, you act like climbing into bed at night is the equivalent of making your way to your death bed.

10. You just want to help the customers who are too stressed to think, but there is nothing you can really do to save them.