IcanB次元官网网址檛 see it, but my friend says her eyelid is tapping out an irritating non-stop beat.

B次元官网网址淒id you see that? My eye just twitched,B次元官网网址� she says, pointing at the irksome spot just above the upper eyelid of her right eye. B次元官网网址淪ometimes IB次元官网网址檓 talking and I feel like people can see it.B次元官网网址�

The twitchiness, which she says is likely a sign of stress, arrived Dec. 1.

ItB次元官网网址檚 no coincidence her eyelid began jumping on the very day that many retail sales associates, including my friend, will tell you signals shoppers to pick up the present-buying pace before Christmas Day arrives.

B次元官网网址淓veryoneB次元官网网址檚 in a rush. EveryoneB次元官网网址檚 trying to get that perfect gift. EveryoneB次元官网网址檚 trying to get the last one,B次元官网网址� she says.

In a way, my friend wants to be added to everyoneB次元官网网址檚 gift-giving list, her name pencilled in between Aunt Dorothy and Cousin Bob.

But she doesnB次元官网网址檛 want a gift-wrapped package that holds a shiny and expensive item, one that would likely be forgotten long before next Christmas anyway.

The trinket she treasures most is patience, with a dollop of kindness thrown in for good measure.

As a customer service representative working in retail sheB次元官网网址檚 on the front lines helping the crush of stampeding shoppers purchase their heartB次元官网网址檚 desire.

SheB次元官网网址檚 talented at what she does, regardless of the pressures she will continue to face in the midst of the Christmas rush, and even when customers come back to her store to return some of the items they purchased.

Through it all, she treats customers with kindness, sharing her smile and being as courteous as her work shift is long, even after standing for hours on end.

But with Christmas around the corner, it seems the festive season has skewed our knowledge of basic manners B次元官网网址� all those things we repeat like broken records to our children.

Strangers, whether itB次元官网网址檚 the store greeter or the associate behind the counter gift-wrapping the present you just bought, should not bear the brunt of our busy lives.

Many of us are in a hurry to the extent where patiently waiting our turn, and a quick, B次元官网网址楬i, how are you?B次元官网网址� have become too time-consuming to manage.

Take the other day when my friend was on shift. She was speaking with a customer out on the floor when another customer walked up and, without even an B次元官网网址榚xcuse meB次元官网网址� interrupted with a question, eventually followed by snarkiness.

Unfortunately, sheB次元官网网址檚 not the exception this holiday shopping season.

It seems working in sales is like being a bomb disposal expert, with the bomb as the customer.

Sometimes, no matter what you do, things can derail pretty quick, taking the B次元官网网址渕erryB次元官网网址� out of merry Christmas and reinforcing the B次元官网网址渉umbugB次元官网网址� in bah humbug.

B次元官网网址�(The situation is) like a zit waiting to pop,B次元官网网址� my friend says. This year seems to be the season of relentless rudeness, she says.

Given all the people on our Christmas shopping lists, is it really that difficult to add a few extra people B次元官网网址� even if we donB次元官网网址檛 know them?

No matter how long the lines are or how many people I want to buy gifts for, IB次元官网网址檒l make it a priority to wait patiently in line for my turn at the cash register, offer my retail sales associate a smile and wish them a happy holiday.

B次元官网网址淚t doesnB次元官网网址檛 have to be anything big,B次元官网网址� my friend adds.

ItB次元官网网址檚 an opportunity to ensure the holiday eye twitching doesnB次元官网网址檛 spread. ItB次元官网网址檚 also a way to pay the holiday spirit forward, and it doesnB次元官网网址檛 cost anything at all.

emccracken@vicnews.com

B次元官网网址擡rin McCracken is a reporter with the Victoria B次元官网网址.