Damn you Boxing Day Shoppers....!

First up, Merry Christmas to all my blog readers - I hope you all had a wonderful time! Secondly, if you're reading this now, today, on Boxing Day I am predicting that you haven't been tempted by the post Christmas retail sales and for that I applaud you...

For the last five years I have worked Boxing Day and it has always astounded me why people would want to venture out into the cold and go shopping. For the lead up to Christmas its all we do - as soon as we receive our advent calendars and open window number one, it's like we're on shopper-mode. We become tunnel visioned with a see-it buy-it attitude purchasing gifts for our loved ones. We become one of 'those' shoppers - you know the ones that have a demonic look in their eye as they storm down the high street, hundreds of carrier bags cutting into their wrists as they rush to the next store but already thinking about the one after that...

And then Christmas Day comes and we can all have a day off from the retail consumed world. Or not. It was estimated yesterday that £186million would be spent by consumers shopping online on Christmas Day itself! Surely you people have had enough of spending?

But as Boxing Day arrives and queues and queues of people (or animals as I like to call them....) form, waiting with baited breath for the likes of Next to open their doors at 6am or Debenhams at 7am for their exclusive 'sales', it seems we're a culture obsessed with consumerism. Well, I'll let you all into a little secret...you may think you're getting bargains today but this time next week there will be a little occurrence in retail known as 'further markdowns' and that last season's dress you have just queued up for in the early hours of the morning will have another fiver knocked off it - shocker!

Now don't get me wrong, I want the retail business to be booming and to be making lots of money, but for the sanctity of the retail workers (you know the ones who have worked solid since 1st December, the ones who have dealt with all the hellish customers, who have been yo-yo-ed between Christmas set up and sale) you should all stay at home! You should be with your families, eating chocolate from 10am and watching good ol' fashioned films like Wizard of Oz or The Sound of Music. Not doing what you have been for the last twenty eight days!

But as I write this in my pyjamas with a chocolate orange in one hand and bank card in the other, I may indulge in some light internet shopping (now that's what I like to call clever!). Otherwise, there is always tomorrow - when Christmas is over and it is then socially acceptable to venture out to shop the sales. So if you are greeted by a grumpy customer service assistant, or your demand is met with a shrug of the shoulders and a look of 'could I care less' then you will understand that because of your shopping addiction (come on you must have one!) they have had to end their Christmas early just to serve you....

So I hope you enjoy your shopping experience today. I hope last season's dress fits you perfectly and was worth the early morning call - just don't forget to not be too greedy and save some bargains for myself as I'll be repeating your antics of today tomorrow - when it is acceptable in the retail world to go shopping again! So until then....

Happy Shopping

xoxo