My store ratings for Christmas shopping

My Top Stores: (Stores I will definitely shop)

1. Target - While they are trying to reinvent themselves into a higher class store which I feel takes something away, I still use this as my number one store for any item not grocery related.  Lately, they have been mailing me some great coupons ranging from $10 - $15 off purchases over a certain price.  The store is clean, aisles are wide, and I know the store like the back of my hand.  I will likely buy the majority of my gifts from here.
2. Michaels - This isn't exactly a store for gifts, but it is the store for decorations.  The already put together crafted items are quite pricey, but the do-it-yourself crafts are decently priced especially with coupons which they give out every Sunday.  Another plus for me is that they will also take off coupons from your phone without any hassle.
3. Forever 21 - Yes, I have daughters and this is the number one teen store.  The new store in our mall is huge with fabulous lighting and spacing to move around in.  Only downside to these stores are the lack of dressing areas, which leads to long lines and short tempers, especially from mothers at this time of the year. 
4. Bealls - This is a department store exclusive to Florida.  When I was young and hip it wasn't  a store I visited because it was known as the elderly store.  They sold a lot of golfing and fishing ware neither of which interested me.  Slowly as time passed they re-invented themselves (and I got older) to include teens and young, yet mature ladies.  They offer great coupons and sales and have a large variety of clothing for adults.  The purse and jewelry department offers a better variety then most stores, and there is an area that sells very Floridian decorations for inside and outside the home.
5. Bath & Body Works - A great little store to pick up small gifts for co-workers and to pick up stocking stuffers.  Who doesn't need soap? 

My Mediocre Stores:  (Stores I have some annoyances with, but will most likely shop)

1. Walmart - Great prices, but the store near me has several issues that cause me to avoid it if I can get the same item at Target.  Issues include parking, skinny aisles, gross restrooms, disgruntled employees, and crazy customers.  I don't care for their clothes, but they have great prices on household items and certain things requested for Christmas.  They also take competitor's coupons.
2. Amazon -  (technically an online store)  I love Amazon.  I really do, but I put them in this category because of their shipping.  While they offer free shipping my items never, and I mean NEVER, get to me or my recipient in a timely manner when I need the item to do just that.  If I order something that I could wait a month on, the item will show up at my house in a day and a half.  If I order something for a birthday, the item will ship on the day that I need it to get there.  I think they have a camera attached to my account that gauges my anxiety level and adjusts to it.  This month I actually paid for shipping so the books would get to my house on time and after completing my order it told me that it wouldn't get there.  It would arrive two days after the birthday despite my extra $6 in shipping.  So I went out and purchased something else, deciding that I would keep the books for Christmas, and the little camera saw that I had gotten around this dilemma and sent the damn books so that they arrived on the day of the birthday, two days earlier then it said it would.  Oh, Amazon, why?  Why do you do this to me when I love you so?

Stores I will avoid:  (Stores I will avoid like the plague)

1. JC Penney's - This use to be my number one store in the mall.  Best store for clothes for adults and children.  Best store for great buys on jewelry and purses.  Best store for handing out fabulous coupons that led to great deals.  Then they went through the change, hired Ellen Degeneres, chucked the coupons, and changed their clothing.  While I tried to support them because they didn't back down under bigot pressure regarding the hiring of Ellen, I could never find what drew me to them in the first place.  Apparently neither can other people since Penney's hasn't been in the black since they reinvented.
2. Kohls - Don't see the excitement about this store.  The clothes are cheaply made and are priced too high.  I don't think they have much of a selection of goods.  My sis-in-law just reviewed this store and offered more reasons regarding coupons so check out her review.
3. Toys r' us - I don't have small children to buy for anymore, but when I did this wasn't a store I particularly cared for.  Way too high in price.  While the store itself was wide, clean, and brightly lit, I could never make sense of their way of categorizing the aisles.  They couldn't offer anything I couldn't get cheaper at Target and their open registers were always few and had lines out the door.