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

Or 11-5.

I was thinking the same thing this afternoon when I was in the supermarket .

I also had to visit the minor injuries department at my local hospital last weekend and noticed the same thing . It was after 9pm and a family walked in with mum, dad, gran, teenager and child (about 7yrs) so the doctor could have a look at teenagers twisted ankle. It's was freezing outside and the waiting room was mobbed . Why bring everyone to the hospital? Weird 😐

In England?

I don't live in Scotland and referred to England, where the law says shops over 3000 sq ft must close at 4 on a Sunday. Always knew the Scots were irreligious! I blame John Knox.

Yep! You are traffic. I am stuck in traffic.

LOL at people going out to public places and being outraged to find other (albeit lesser) members of the public also there.

What a mad read. One of the reasons I love mumsnet is because it continually teaches me there are people out there with totally batshit views.

I used to love going to B&Q or the big supermarket with my dad at the weekend.

We all go together. DH, DS and I. We love it. It's nice to walk up and down the aisles, looking at everything and buying what everyone wants for Xmas. I don't see how us having DS there makes it worse for other people.

Erm well yes hence the thread it's not a bloody family day out ! Couldn't agree more OP and that's any time of year imo

I can’t see anybody buying a light up tea caddy for themselves, can you?

Cakes? Chocolates? Fancy olive oil? Lots of giftable stuff in M&S foodhalls

You're just being stupid now. M&S football sells several gifts. Fancy biscuits/chocolates, flowers, cards etc.

I have no idea why there's such a difference, and the only thing I can think of is that smacking is banned in the UK but not in many parts of the US. I'm NOT pro-smacking; I think it has to be banned or some parents take it too far, I only bring it up because it's the only thing I can think of that might explain the difference. I do think that there's a lot more wild behaviour from children than from when I was a child in the eighties. We knew that we might get a smack from Mum if we misbehaved! I'm glad it was banned though, because my own dad took it too far. I think it’s because we’ve emerged from a period where children were expected to fit in around adult lives, and we’ve overshot into a position where it’s regarded as Victorian parenting to suggest that there’s any behaviour which should be disapproved of because it makes life worse for adults.

This.

Your statement is on the same lines as people who say pensioners should not be allowed to shop at lunchtime (or in the morning, or in the afternoon, or whatever time the poster normally shops).

But why should we? There’s no law that says we can’t have our children in the supermarket.

DCs sit in the trolley so they’re not causing any trouble. Most people we’ve come across love seeing babies when they’re shopping. But then we do usually go to sainsburys and not Waitrose!

"I hunt alone" - LMAO! I'm exactly the same. I've never food-shopped with someone who doesn't want to interfere with what I'm getting.

Maybe they were taking DC to choose gifts for people. They have as much right in the shop as any other customer.

@Auburngal

When working for the supermarket, had a few customers who bought things like they have absolutely nothing in! Including salt, pepper etc!

This would be me if I was hosting, I don't have salt or pepper in the house so would need to add it to my shop. Why are you bothered about what people are buying though?

What a weird thing to get annoyed about. Maybe they run out of salt and pepper at a similar time so they need it again at the same time.
If someone was buying salt and pepper why would you even assume they have loads at home?
Planning every meal for the week right down to the veg with no space for change sounds like a miserable way to live with no flexibility left for life!

Planning to bring not one but two toddlers to the supermarket tomorrow morning. I wonder how many misery guts I will wind up 😂

I sent DH who wanted us all to 'nip in' I said no chance as my DC can't cope with a supermarket on any given day let alone this close to Xmas. He was gone hours and complained about the queues, he said the people genuinely seemed to enjoy being stuck in the same spot and not even trying to move, I do think some people think it's part of the Christmas experience and atmosphere - that complete rushing around Xmas buzz!

We like doing it as a family. It gives our teenagers plenty of time to practice reverse parking, it helps the toddlers get there zoomies out with so many people to run past and it kills the few hours we have before we take them all to an adult oriented restaurant so they can play on their tablets loudly,

Ocado has a great stock control system so you don’t get many goods missing.
I might be eating my words on Christmas Eve 😀