I always thought people had to be crazy to go to a mall on Christmas Eve.

Well, call me crazy then -- because I was at Sawgrass Mills this afternoon.

I wasn't there to buy last-minute Christmas gifts, though. Instead, I was in search of the perfect coat because I will be heading to the Midwest in five days. It's cold there, and I, as a native Floridian, do not own a coat.

Well, that might be an overstatement. I do have a purple coat in the closet in the room I used to occupy at my parents' house. But, I haven't used it in years, and it's far too small now.

So, today, I picked up a replacement. I may not keep it, but at least I have something to fall back on. If I decide not to take it -- instead choosing to lug a giant UM jacket I bought for my dad at least a decade ago -- I can always return it.