PSA for those just beginning their Christmas shopping

[mrssmith06]

There was NO sitting. ALL the seats were full in the food court. I ended up sitting on one of those grassy embankments. Some people ended up eating on the stairs. All the aisles of every store was jammed packed with people. The walkway was stuffed with people all over. The mall looked like this EVERYWHERE: (Imagine times 20,000.)

Cute images haha...looks terrible!!!

There is no freaking way I would be shopping today or tomorrow!!! I make it my goal to be completely finished with my shopping within a week or two before Christmas!! And after that I avoid the stores as much as possible!!!

 

[disneydee6]

Lol, yea retail is a pain. Love that you mentioned drunks shopping for xmas lol.

One year I worked as a fragrance model seasonally for a retail store. On xmas eve, as the 'veteran' saleswoman left for the evening, she goes to me. "A guy is going to come in, drunk as anything, and when he does, sell him our most expensive perfume." and her prediction could not have been more accurate. A guy came stumbling to the counter, and slurred about wanting some perfume. He left with chanel or trish mcevoy, can't remember.

We went today early with my dad to shop for my mom. The mall was full of men, what a shocker!

 

[fall08CP]

To say that it's a lack of preparation in this instance is silly. They are millions of purple who A)work full time and haven't had any time off to shop B) have no form of transportation or rely on public transit (which doesn't run on weekends where I live) and/or C) can't receive online packages because they get stolen at the doorstep, or don't even have internet connection at home. Add one or a number of these things together and you have frazzled customers who are doing their best to put ANY presents under the tree.

While these don't apply to all "late" shoppers, they do for many. Please have compassion on those who have no other choice

 

[dmdelight]

What kind of stores provide that kind of service

it's in the UK- John Lewis partnership stores.

 

[Aliceacc]

I was done, done done.

Then mom let me know that she'll take me up on my invitation to sleep over tonight. So back to the mall I went yesterday. I can't have mom sitting there, just watching, as we open up all our gifts. (She'll get hers from all my siblings tonight.) So I hit the mall and picked up a few extra gifts for mom, and an extra tube of cinnamon rolls.

Sure, the mall was packed. What can you do?? I figure it's good for the economy. I wore my Christmas Tree sweatshirt and a smile, enjoyed chatting with the little kids about Santa, and wished a Merry Christmas to everyone I spoke to.

 

[dmdelight]

I was done, done done.

Then mom let me know that she'll take me up on my invitation to sleep over tonight. So back to the mall I went yesterday. I can't have mom sitting there, just watching, as we open up all our gifts. (She'll get hers from all my siblings tonight.) So I hit the mall and picked up a few extra gifts for mom, and an extra tube of cinnamon rolls.

Sure, the mall was packed. What can you do?? I figure it's good for the economy. I wore my Christmas Tree sweatshirt and a smile, enjoyed chatting with the little kids about Santa, and wished a Merry Christmas to everyone I spoke to.

sounds like you coped with change of plans admirably.

 

[Aliceacc]

Hey, mom is 84. We lost my mother in law last Christmas. A quick (??) trip to the mall is a small price to pay for having mom here to see the kids open their gifts Christmas morning.

 

[dmdelight]

Hey, mom is 84. We lost my mother in law last Christmas. A quick (??) trip to the mall is a small price to pay for having mom here to see the kids open their gifts Christmas morning.

that's lovely.got to grab it while you can.
hope kids don't wake up too early!

mine are planning around 5am, they're 15 and 19!

 

[usnuzuloose]

There was NO sitting. ALL the seats were full in the food court. I ended up sitting on one of those grassy embankments. Some people ended up eating on the stairs. All the aisles of every store was jammed packed with people. The walkway was stuffed with people all over. The mall looked like this EVERYWHERE: (Imagine times 20,000.)

Imzadi , you crack me up.

 

[Kteacher]

Bracing for another day of drunk shoppers.......please be kind to those who are working retail today if you are out shopping

 

[Nancy]

I shopped this weekend....my work hours are crappy so no shopping during the week and I lost a weekend traveling out of town to visit my Mom last week. So, Saturday was the local outlet mall. Busy but lines were not bad. Food court was mobbed but the mall itself was not bad and parked fairly easily. Sunday I went to our big regular mall and got there before noon and parked close, no lines other than 1 or 2 people (which is normal) and then headed out to Walmart and grocery shopping. The worst store was the grocery store...mobbed. I had to park way far away and just trying to navigate in some of the areas was pretty tough. They did have all lines open and I only waited behind 1 person to check out.

 

[dmdelight]

I shopped this weekend....my work hours are crappy so no shopping during the week and I lost a weekend traveling out of town to visit my Mom last week. So, Saturday was the local outlet mall. Busy but lines were not bad. Food court was mobbed but the mall itself was not bad and parked fairly easily. Sunday I went to our big regular mall and got there before noon and parked close, no lines other than 1 or 2 people (which is normal) and then headed out to Walmart and grocery shopping. The worst store was the grocery store...mobbed. I had to park way far away and just trying to navigate in some of the areas was pretty tough. They did have all lines open and I only waited behind 1 person to check out.

I can never understand the food store crazies,it's as if they may never get to the store again!!

 

[Imzadi]

All the shopping malls today:

 

[BearcatsFan]

I can never understand the food store crazies,it's as if they may never get to the store again!!

My husband is braving the grocery today. He wasn't able to get the hash browns I need for breakfast at Aldi yesterday, so he's going after work. I told him be prepared to wait in line.

 

[dogluva]

Lol, yea retail is a pain. Love that you mentioned drunks shopping for xmas lol.

One year I worked as a fragrance model seasonally for a retail store. On xmas eve, as the 'veteran' saleswoman left for the evening, she goes to me. "A guy is going to come in, drunk as anything, and when he does, sell him our most expensive perfume." and her prediction could not have been more accurate. A guy came stumbling to the counter, and slurred about wanting some perfume. He left with chanel or trish mcevoy, can't remember.

We went today early with my dad to shop for my mom. The mall was full of men, what a shocker!

I think this is mean. You are taking advantage of him.

 

[Shagley]

I think this is mean. You are taking advantage of him.

Yup, that is why you shouldn't drink and shop

 

[Sparkly]

We went to two supermarkets this morning to get some things, both weren't as busy as I thought. I was expecting them to be jammed!

 

[esk]

Sam's Club was insane Saturday....like it was truly the apocalypse. But in people's cart? Like 5 multi-packs of yogurt. Or 10 jugs of orange juice.

Sure, I get it, you want Cheesecake Factory for your Christmas Eve dinner, that makes sense. Or red velvet cupcakes, or wine or a nice ham, but yogurt?

 

[undertheradar]

Why do people send the out of town visitors to go to the grocery store the day before a holiday? Just jams up the aisles with folks who have no clue where items are located in the store.

 

[Imzadi]

Sam's Club was insane Saturday....like it was truly the apocalypse. But in people's cart? Like 5 multi-packs of yogurt. Or 10 jugs of orange juice.

Sure, I get it, you want Cheesecake Factory for your Christmas Eve dinner, that makes sense. Or red velvet cupcakes, or wine or a nice ham, but yogurt?

Why do people send the out of town visitors to go to the grocery store the day before a holiday? Just jams up the aisles with folks who have no clue where items are located in the store.

These are probably the guests who are staying over who feel guilty/polite, and they call and ask, "Do you need us to bring something? Cheesecake? The ham?"

"No, we have everything."

"Well, how about we stop at the store anyway. It's on the way. We should pick up something. . ."

"Umm. . . okay. . . how about some yogurt?"


The 10 jugs of orange juice at least, make sense. Some is to make screwdrivers, some is for morning mimosas.