To get annoyed with people who say the supermarkets are only closed for one day?

[BrieAndChilli]

People keep moaning about how busy the supermarkets are and how people are buying as if the shops are closed for a month etc etc

Yes the supermarkets are busier because people DONT want to be going food shopping xmas eve/Boxing Day, next few days as maybe they want to relax, drink all day and so not drive, have lots of guests over that they want to spend time with!!
Plus the shops are busier because all the people that would normally do thier weekly shop on a Sunday/Monday are doing it earlier and those that would do it on a tue/wed are leaving it a day or so later so they can last over xmas.

[LunaLoveg00d]

This is true. But still doesn't account for the woman I saw in Asda yesterday with THREE TROLLEYS. The amount of food she had would see her through to Easter.

I'm not planning on going to do a big shop on Boxing Day, but if I need bread/milk can pop to the local Co-Op. I don't believe most people are shopping like crazy people this week so they don't have to go to the shops until 3rd January and can sit at home being festive, many of them are shopping with gluttony at the front of their minds and buying all the stuff they think they might need.

[Lilaclily]

I live near a londis that is open Xmas day

[OurBlanche]

Meh!

It happens a couple of times every year... people seem to panic buy at the merest hint of a Bank Holiday and they descend like locusts, stripping the shelves of anything that could be deemed essential!

I quite enjoy watching seemingly sensible people filling trolleys with 23 loaves of bread and 50 pints of milk cos the shops won't be open on Monday... as I float through looking for a jar of pesto or a bag of apples

[VeryBitchyRestingFace]

Has someone said this to you, OP?

[Randytortoise]

It depends though. Last year I had 20 people here Christmas eve, 12 for Christmas day and 8 for boxing day. I needed 2 trolley loads just to cater for buffet and 3x meals a day on Christmas day and Boxing day. That didn't include the normal weekly shop that we needed to cover the rest of the week.

[BarbaraofSeville]

But the supermarkets will be full on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day too. . The reality is that people do buy an awful lot more. A lot must get wasted. OK people are hosting, but that also means that the people being hosted aren't having to buy Christmas Dinner food.

I did our main shop on the way to work this morning (cold day so can leave food in car all day and it's mainly veg and cheese so will be fine anyway) and the shop was quiet.

I'm buying the meat from the farm shop on the way home from work tomorrow and we won't need to go to the shops for a good few days.

DP is working next week Tuesday to Friday so I will go again early one morning next Thursday or Friday and that's me done for shopping for the festive period. Can't stand not being able to park or get round the shops.

[BITCAT]

I've done all mine online. Had a delivery yesterday. Got a fruit delivery today and tesco coming later. That's me done probs won't need to shop again till maybe next Thurs Fri. If we need bread or milk local shop will be open, other than that we should be good. I don't understand people who fill 2/3 trollies. I've got a normal weeks shopping with an added extra here and there.

[Katedotness1963]

It's true though. People buy massive amounts, and it really is just one or two days. And if the last couple of years are anything to go by, come 6pm Christmas Eve there will be someone on our local FB page saying "I forgot to buy bread/milk/toilet paper does anyone have any spare".

(Shops close by 2 o'clock here on the 24th)

[KingJoffreysRestingCuntface]

How does someone push three trolleys?

I admire her skill. I can barely push one.

[Bauble16]

I was just thinking this after seeing a Facebook post. I had about 2 trolleys full and ya know what, It will last weeks. Christmas is a time for treats too, who wants to go back out boxing day to buy more cheese or celebrations ha

[Jydel]

The cashier at tesco said this to me this morning. I only had one trolley and tbh it was a normal weeks food for a family of five. I said that I would like a couple of days off over Christmas and that involved not having to get in the car and go shopping.

I was a bit, erm, tart

[dollydaydream114]

I don't have any objection to people buying tons of food for Christmas, if that's what they want to do and will be feeding lots of people - and I certainly agree with you that most people probably won't want to be popping to Tesco every day over the holiday period if they can avoid it. I buy what I can before Christmas so the only things we'll need to get will be milk and bread from the corner shop.

But it's simply factually correct that the supermarket is only closed for one day, isn't it? I can't see why it's a problem to state that. I also think that generally speaking, when people point it out it's usually to reassure people who are stressed out about their shopping, not to have a go at them.

I reckon the festive hustle and bustle is getting to you. I prescribe a large glass of wine and a mince pie, and if you want to stock up on enough food to feed the five thousand, go for it.

[BiddyPop]

I had no "supermarket shop" this week - a bottle of cream, 4 litres of milk and a loaf of bread, DH had got 3 days of meat at the butchers and we are running down fridge/freezer stocks.

I unfortunately though will have to brave the supermarket on Christmas Eve (or maybe late tomorrow evening) as we are staying in a SC cottage and will need certain essentials, and the car will be packed to the gunwhales with non-food essentials, clothes and presents for travelling. But as long as we get out in 1 piece, I will be happy (the only things I am concerned about are fresh cream and fruit for Christmas dessert we've been asked to bring, and enough bits and bobs for DD's birthday gathering of extended family but I'll be happy with whatever is there).

I suspect there may be a small shop open on Stephen's Day (the day of the birthday gathering) but only a small one, the supermarket will actually be closed until 27th. But that's ok - extended family will have groaning fridges if I am stuck!

[Jydel]

I wasn't stressed dolly

He thought he was being funny. Taking a mild swipe at a middle aged woman at the checkout at tescos three days before Xmas? Bad luck mate!!

[melj1213]

The cashier at tesco said this to me this morning ... I was a bit, erm, tart

They were probably just trying to make conversation and wasnt a judgement on your shopping but the general level of busy-ness the store is in. I work in Asda and I've been doing extra checkout shifts to help them out because the store's busy this week and it's a throwaway comment to pass the time and fulfil the head office expectation that cashiers chat and engage with customers. There's no need to be "tart" or rude to cashiers, many of whom are working extra and/or long hours to cover the busy periods, who are just making conversation.

[NathanBarleyrocks]

YABU. I don't eat or drink or go out with friends any more over Christmas than I do the rest of the year. Because I have a life all year round.

[GabsAlot]

maybehe was just having a joke generally at everyone going mad

it does get very hectic around this time and hes prob seen some ridiculous shopping this week

[moreslackthanslick]

melj good luck to you, ex Asda checkout here. Remember 17 people in a queue at my checkout at 9pm a year ago today! 😂😂

[wasonthelist]

I live alone. This time of year I try to do my normal grocery shopping but the shops are rammed with people all the time - why?

Where are all these people the rest of the year and why do they apparently not shop for groceries?

[ParadiseCity]

YANBU- DH said this and I pointed out that what we had bought was basically a weeks shop including a roast dinner like lots of other weeks of the year.

I don't want to go to the fecking shops when I'm on holiday from work.

[tanfield90]

Waitrose near me was ridiculously busy this morning. Luckily I was in and out in five minutes and the staff were handing out free chocolates at the checkout queues .

My local Morrisons is open till midnight from now until tomorrow. Also open Boxing Day for about the fourth year running. Why FFS ? I despair.

[maddiemookins16mum]

I 3/4 filled a large trolley yesterday and spent £100.00 (just under). It was my normal weekly shop plus extra stuff for Christmas. It was biggest shop of the year.
That said, probably two thirds of the "Christmas stuff" was already in my freezer and cupboards.
Some people do a lot of catering over Christmas plus alcohol takes up a fair amount of space in a trolley (mine was half full with a box of fruit cider, 12 cans of coke, two bottles of wine and 4 cartons of juice.

Add to that the extra milk etc, trolleys soon get filled up.

I did however see someone with 8 loaves of bread and hoped she had a chest freezer.

[Jydel]

nd it's a throwaway comment to pass the time and fulfil the head office expectation that cashiers chat and engage with customers

I avoid Asda if I'm in a hurry/bad mood for this very reason. Sometimes an efficient service and a friendly hallo and goodbye is enough.

[Jayne35]

Some people definitely go overboard, I used to buy too much myself but last year a lot was thrown away so buying NO extra food this year. We start buying extra stuff (alcohol etc) a few month before so that our Christmas shop isn't too expensive.

Small local shops tend to be open anyway, and they always seem busy, last year some one was in our local buying baked beans and digestive biscuits on Christmas morning

[FadedRed]

When I was a child (long, long time ago!) the shops were not open on Sunday's or bank holidays.
A year when Christmas Day was on a Saturday would mean the shops (apart from newsagents and a few small corner shops) would be closed for FOUR days! Can you imagine what a riot that would cause now?