The Boxing Day sales...

[Twogoats]

Is this the newest Christmas tradition then? Queuing up outside Next at 5am to get 30% off last season's jumper?

Aibu to not want this? I liked it when Christmas was a week-long holiday!

Um, I remember my aunties and cousins going to the Boxing Day Sales in the late 70s/early 80s and my Mum shaking her head in disbelief as she settled down in front of the coal fire with her box of Black Magic.

No it's not new. Back then retail was much more scheduled to rip everyone off with full prices up to Christmas (and the rest of the year) with one annual sale from Boxing Day through early Jan. Maybe a summer sale for clothes etc. We had neighbours who were not well off, who when their kids were little enough to not know/care about dates, would have their "Xmas Day" on 27th or 28th after getting the kids toys and their food in the sales.

Now with online, several sales a year etc it's much less of an event I think, especially Next who are now relatively crap compared to their quality back in the 80s/early 90s. I can understand people going online for a nosey from the comfort of their sofa, but getting up and out to the shops? Nah! Nowt I want that much to move me from my lovely cosy home today!

You know, I absolutely love shopping, but I find this level of consumerism and consumption quite repulsive.

There's a bit of mis remembering here. Harrods sales were traditionally January. As recently as 2005 it still didn't start until 28th December.

We bought a new TV last night. We've been saving up for ages and it's no different going to AO.com or Currys website than Mumsnet or BBC news imo. We got a real bargain too.

I find the levels of consumerism and consumption worrying too, but more in the run up to Christmas tbh. I would however fully support keeping shops shut on Boxing Day to enable retail workers to have more time off.

they have always been about

i just do online now

wanted a Radley purse and even Radley and Debenhams etc all seem to be price fixing even in the sales

but with a bit of work have found a small department store (never heard of) that seems to have genuine reductions and way cheaper

way cheaper and got a bag that have never seen reduced before,and the purse with free postage

all from the comfort of home

I agree with lost - people are misremembering. In the 70s and 80s they were definitely a New Year's Day thing, not Boxing Day. I used to spend Christmas money in them and is was definitely January as we used to have a big family event every Boxing Day.

If anything I think the sales are less of a thing now, as so many sales start before xmas now. It's pretty much constant from Black Friday onwards

Very rarely is there truly a bargain to be had in these 'sales'. It's all the crap that's been clogging their warehouses. Ramp the price up pre-Christmas and then seemingly reduce it after so that the gullible will buy it.

It's only a bargain if it's something you actually need anyway.

I remember it being New year's day when I was a child, and I'm only 30.... Boxing day much more recently

Relatively new. I remember working at a massive out of town shopping centre when they first opened on Boxing day. Would have been about 2003.

Also the shop I used to work in... We'd grab all the crap out of the stock room that had been there years. People would lap it up 😂

I worked in a large department store on Oxford St in the late 90s and we used to start the sale on 27 Dec. 26 Dec we were closed.

I had to go out today...in my defence, I had a Christmas Fridge including a salad drawer full of fresh veg (for us and the guinea-pigs).
This morning I was cutting up the last bits of veg for them, and as the alternative was Go Shopping v The Guinea-Pigs Starve, shopping it was.

Bit sad that Tesco had completely de-Christmassed , even er that some poor soul would've been stuck there hours after closeing on the 24th to perform the de-Christmassing.

Back in the Day, the sales were 'proper' sales. Now you look and think "Yes, I see why you're on the Sale Rail"...

People choose to shop when they like. Nipping out to the shops on Boxing Day to get out of the house seems harmless enough or on-line.
We've had to put up with rampant consumerism in the run-up, obsessing over gifts for those with plenty, stress of Christmas shopping, not enough presents bought, twitching ( FGS), stocking presents, Christmas Eve boxes, piles of presents too small/big, IN-laws not spending enough, etc; how is sale shopping any different?

Tbh, I have been to Sainsbury's today but not to look at sale items. I needed a birthday cake for dd as it's her birthday tomorrow and she's got some friends coming over.

Bunch of mugs the lot of 'em. Bet they're all in debt

I just don't know how anyone can be bothered! I'm knackered after Christmas!

Plus, there's the rest of the year to go shopping!

I don't remember Boxing Day sales when I was younger, it was January sales. The only places open on Boxing Day in my town a few years back were furniture/homeappliance type places. I used to work as a waitress less than 10 years ago and walking home after the shift was a ghost town. Infact its only in the last couple of years that the big M&S has started opening

cardibach please don't be so rude to tell me I'm mis-remembering I grew up in Scotland (where Christmas Day only became a public holiday in 1958, my Dad worked Xmas Day as an apprentice but got New Year off as did everyone) and we definitely had Boxing Day Sales when I was a child.

What I dont get is why people say "but its a time for family, relaxing and being together".
Me and my mum went today and go every year around the sales and spend our vouchers etc. Its our family time and tradition. We go to the same shops and end up with a coffee in M&S.
If we didnt do this I would just most likely do nothing apart from sleep and watch TV, instead I had quality time with my mum.
It also helps we are both Civil Servants so get good leave. We have the rest of the week to do "family stuff".

I've done mine online. Curtains cushions and some clothes for me which I'm in need of for my post baby body. Seriously tempted to order a rug but dunelm haven't put it in sale.
I have a spending problem 😔😔
It's not a new thing op. It's a brilliant thing if you're seeing people after Christmas and you can afford to chance it on the sales. Bought next years wrap and bottle bags half price yesterday too 😁

I looked online yesterday to order a laptop - we're abroad for Christmas so didn't see the rush to get it beforehand - and the two I was considering are both now more than they were last week.

I'm sure years ago sales involved bargains that were worth going out for. Now not so much

Many offices including mine reopen on the 27th (not this year I grant you but always when Christmas Day and Boxing Day are midweek). Without booking holiday that's the one and only day I can go into a city or town, have a coffee, soak up the last of the lights. I didn't this year but I have walked into town before.

I worked retail as a student from 2001 to 2007. In 2005 I started at 6am Boxing Day. Before that I worked in a small stationers that was shut.

Shops in England never used to open on bank holidays (in the 70s/80s). The sales started on Dec 27th. Boxing day opening IS relatively new to those of us in our 40s/50s. I think it's odd these days that Boxing Day seems to be fair game now where Easter Sunday still seems to be sacrosanct and nowhere is open. Like shops/supermarkets are all devoutly Christian ...