To think that Xmas food shopping isn't a sodding family day out?

It doesn't bother me tbh, find the kids better behaved then the adults and a lot more friendly

In England we don't have that option as larger stores can only open for 6 hours on a Sunday and they're not open that late. I was in Sainsbury's yesterday and there were a lot of partners who clearly didn't know where anything was "helping" with the big shop.

I agree and who on earth thinks it’s a good idea when it’s already rammed to give their little darlings their own tiny trolley? Boothes was carnage yesterday and one family taking up an entire isle with the kids throwing apples at each other (tiny trolleys abandoned in the middle) and mum taking her time trying various cheeses at the counter, dad completely oblivious reading a wine bottle.

Sartre nailed this many decades ago. If we all realised this, we'd have much calmer lives, although 90% of AIBU would have to do.

(Not many people know that this line, from the play No Exit, was preceded by "Ooooh, don't get me started!".)

MN hates kids in supermarkets. We tend to shop online anyway but if we do need to go to a supermarket, we often all go together as we tie it in with something else (we live fairly rurally so can't just 'pop in'). My two always enjoy a supermarket trip! Youngest is in trolley, eldest likes to help pick stuff and the obligatory browse of the toy aisle. I remember as a kid my granny would take me from supermarket to supermarket looking for bargains!

I think doing a supermarket shop three days before Xmas at the weekend is bound to be miserable, which is why our online Tesco shop just arrived

I don’t know why some people bring their partners with them. Some are clearly not regulars in the store and are basically a hindrance to the rest of us who want to get in and out in the shortest possible time. Endless bloody debates about bread sauce, vegetable quantities or nibbles! Blokes (it tends to be blokes) inspecting the packaging or suddenly doing a U turn in the middle of the aisle is just irritating.

They should be left in their cars!

Solo parents fine obvs, but so many couples with whinging toddlers in tow - just WTF would you all go supermarket shopping on the busiest day of the year. Here's a thought - one of you do the food shop, the other stay home entertaining the kids!

Not one reason for couples shopping has ever entered your head?

I can't get worked up about it tbh. I would never do it, but don't care seeing other DC around - it's Christmas.

Yes the A and E thing

I assume that it's because you mentioned that the shop was crowded, which prompted a recollection of social distancing etc. 🙏

Surely, if there are two capable parents, then just one does the shopping and the other parent looks after the kids somewhere completely different! I have never understood people who food shop in couples or groups, but especially at busy times.

For most people, the supermarket shop isn't a dedicated trip in itself. We just did ours but it was tagged onto a planned outing. To leave DS at home would mean an extra 40 mins of driving as the shop is on the way home so we'd have to drive home, leave a parent and DS home and drive back.

💯 agree OP! I went first thing and left my kids in the car for as much as I could (too young to be left at home but fine for 5 mins in the car) and I’ll go properly tomorrow night when DH can watch them.

The only thing worse is the people who stand for a full on gab in the middle of the aisles blocking everything!!

In case you don't remember during the pandemic there were rules about whole families shopping in supermarkets? And it's not applicable anymore, so.. work it out.

I must be in the minority but I love the big Christmas food shop. My kids are old enough to be at home but one of them comes with. I love the chaos of it all and watching the grumpy impatient folk makes me chuckle 😂

The kids were incredibly helpful when they were younger.

I'd wait until I'd been paid (hazard of being on low wages and high bills), then we'd go and do the shopping - the little one could get things down low, the older one would scoot around picking things up in the crowded parts, they'd choose the fruit & veg they wanted and work out which things were actually cheaper or more economical with some mental maths - also a very useful skill for adulthood - decide to try new things and then they'd unload the trolley, pack things and help by carrying stuff back home and up the five flights of stairs to put things away.

I loved those chats on the walk home and how proud they were of being useful.

Agree, OP. Add to that the dickheads who insist on taking their dogs into town, especially in the packed Christmas markets. Especially on those stupid invisible retractable leads.

Fucksake.

I mean, it's no surprise it's going to be busy at the shops at this time of year. Why not just go early or late or book an online shop? Seems as productive as yelling at the wind to complain about how other people shop.

Is that so unreasonable at this time of year?

We did Iceland, lidl and morrisons in 2.5 hours today. It wasn't half as bad as I thought it was. And we managed to get a disabled spot at each one.

@K0OLA1D you must be near me! My local Asda closes at 10pm tonight, I wasn't aware that the Clydebank one was open 24/7. I was in Asda about 7pm on Friday and it was quiet, if that helps. My immediate thought was that the big Tesco in Maryhill Rd was 24/7 but apparently not any more.

Every time there's a thread like this though you get some English poster putting "On a Sunday???" as if they're super clever pointing out a flaw in story as a massive gotcha - when in fact they just have never thought other parts of the country might be different.

I think YABU.

obviously kids shouldn't be allowed to run riot through the shop, but it's good for them to be involved in the work that goes into creating a nice Christmas.

OP you are not affected by the 'shopping traffic', you are also the 'shopping traffic'.

So it is teenagers you object too.

Because all the children too young to be left alone obviously can't be.

There were that many teenagers, it stressed you out?

I bought a pork pie from a butchers yesterday with a best before date in early 2025.