To hate boxing day shopping?

[flaggybannel]

Okay, i will probably get flamed for this but here goes-
Who on earth wants to spend boxing day back at the shops when everyone has just spent the last few weeks in a shopping frenzy for christmas??
If i didnt work boxing day i certainly would not be shopping- i would be with family and enjoyin the christmas break.
Could the shopping centres close for just two days a year for staff to hav a christmas break too?
Your thoughts......

[silvercup]

I don't know what boxing day shopping is like, because I've never done it. It's another family day imo.

I think that people who start queuing outside Next at 5am or whatever godforsaken time it is are proper mental.

[catus]

Well, YANBU to hate doing it. Not my idea of fun, personally.
But some people do it, because they like it or because they need something that day, or for any other reasons.
So, YABU because you seem to think everybody should hate it as much as you.

[SeeYouSoon]

Yanbu, I have never in my life been shopping on boxing day and I never intend to.

[EasilyBored]

The entire point of Boxing Day is to sit around eating all the shit strawberry ones out of what's left of the tin of Roses.

Giant boxing day sales sound hellish. I've worked waitressing on Boxing Day and it was foul. People who go out ot eat on Boxing Day are either; a) people who have been up since 4AM queuing outside the shops in the snow/rain/freezing weather and as such are MISERABLE or b) people who have been cooped up with annoying family all Christmas day and are MISERABLE and their kids are fed up because they just want to play with their toys and as such are being utter bratlings. No one tips on Boxing Day. No one tips on Christmas Eve either (because they've just spent a fortune on last minute shopping). I hated working those two days.

[DoesntTurkeyNSproutSoupDragOn]

This is easily solved by simply not going

[EasilyBored]

Unless you are one of the poor people who has to work in those shops during the sales?

[DoesntTurkeyNSproutSoupDragOn]

And who get paid for it.

[EasilyBored]

Indeed. £6.50 an hour usually. 'Tis the season of good will and all that.

[OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos]

If you have to work during the Boxing Day sales then you are no different to all the chefs, hotel staff, waiters, doctors, nurses, police, paramedics, bar staff, carers or any of the other people who have to work on bank holidays. It's really not that big a deal.

Have a problem with consumerism if you want, but there is no need to feel sorry for retail staff who getting paid for doing their job.

[bradyismyfavouritewiseman]

LadyBeagleBaublesandBells It cheered me up no end.

Christmas eve was a nightmare and people were rude in a desperate attempt to scope it out.

Offcially we did it 'to be fair to all boxing days shoppers' Its teh reason I would work christmas eve.

[LemonBreeland]

I have never been shopping on boxing day. I can't think of anything worse. I think I worked one boxing day when I was a teenager.

To me boxing day is for sitting around at home, relaxing and playing games. Since Christmas Day tends to be over in a flash, it's the time to sit and spend time with my DCs.

[flaggybannel]

Yep, work in retail and gotta work christmas eve and boxing day- no extra pay or bonus btw.
No public transport to get me into work on boxing day either- thats a bit of a bummer as its roughly an hours walk into work.
Not really the point of my post though, i just dont understand people wanting to shop after shopping for christmas presents for weeks (maybe months) before.
Shoppings not really my thing anyway and am not keen especially as sale madness seems to kick in and lots of people are really grumpy or pushy and grabby/shoving- its awful .
I wouldnt go with lots of kids either but some of my friends are planning a military style operation for boxing day sales day out- i just wouldnt.

[AcidTurkishBath]

When the dcs were younger and we had no money, we used to postpone present giving by two days and buy all our presents on Boxing Day. DS is old enough now to notice so we stay at home to play with their more expensive presents.

Last year our teenagers wanted to go shopping with their friends to spend Christmas money. I don't think dsd2 enjoyed it as much as she had hoped - she said it was horribly manic.

[EasilyBored]

I feel sorry for anyone who has to work those days. It's not specific to retail. I do think that we should all try and stop using anything other than essential services for a day or two though. It seems very much against the spirit of Christmas to me.

[flaggybannel]

am on £6.19 an hour if anyones interested- but if the till has a wobble i have no back up- because the HQ and IT are all on christmas break lol! Should be fun in the event of a till meltdown!
Merry christmas!

[BlueberryHill]

I hate it, I would never go again, after trying to get to Toys R Us for DS1's birthday, a couple of days after Christmas. It took us hours, awful.

We do however go on line, but that is for DH and myself to get our Christmas presents for eachother then, we pay half the price, actually get twice the stuff for the same price. It isn't a surprise but its a whole lot cheaper.

[DameMargotFountain]

exactly, OP

but still, you should be grateful, huh?

[EnjoyResponsibly]

Is there actually a shop anywhere these days that actually has a sale starting Boxing Day? By BD every singe decent item in the shop I work in will have long gone ad seen active duty at several christmas parties. Anything left will be abject tat.

Plus, for any shop eg Dept store that des launch on BD, the really mart customer will have been online at midnight to get the real bargs.

The only people that benefit from BD opening are Land Lease, Westfield et al who won the big shopping centres and want you all walking round like utter zombies.

[Janeatthebarre]

I agree Enjoy. Most of the stuff in the after Christmas sales is just tat that they've dragged out of a storeroom to try and flog to delirious customers who have no imagination or inner resources and can think of nothing to do on Boxing Day except head to the nearest shopping centre, like they do every Saturday afternoon.

[LadyBeagleBaublesandBells]

That sounds crap, Op.
Do you have any choice in the matter?

[flaggybannel]

I actually love my job, am really grateful i have one too- but hate all the boxing day malarky!
Its probably my bad money management but am also puzzled how anyone has anything left to spend/park/eat while they shop.
I probably missed the memo that christmas is all about selling, sales, and getting rid of the crappier stock- must report myself to manager (who is on xmas break- so i guess anything i cant deal with when irate /harassed /tired customers come in on boxing day....... Wont be dealt with? Oh no, will call head office... Oh no......erm?)
Have a very merry christmas everyone!

[SantaWearsGreen]

I used to do it every Boxing day, it was a family tradition. I did it up until I was preg with DC1 (did it when I was 7 months pg!). We all used to go to a big local shopping centre, it was lovely. Ok so when pg was a bit difficult dodging the crowds, but the other years were fab, I have great memories of it.

[flaggybannel]

Nope, no choice, christmas day(s) are on my rota. I have to work them.
Am going to do it with a smile too as they could replace me with someone younger and more willing in a nanosecond.
Its the way it works.

[piprabbit]

Do John Lewis still refuse to open stores on Boxing Day?
I always thought this was a very civilised attitude.

[flaggybannel]

The local M+s wont be open on boxing day here. I think they hav a reputation of liking thier staff.
The boy is home so i got to go for now, i will be back to see if thier are any more views- thanks all and happy christmas!