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AIBU?

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Original poster

Christmas grocery shopping at midnight

61 replies

RosieLancs · 23/12/2019 16:27

Would I be crazy to go grocery shopping at midnight tonight and is it likely to bed busy?
Our Christmas plans have changed last minute (long boring story about family illnesses etc) and we now find outself staying home for Christmas Day.

Our local Tesco and Asda are both open all night, I went past earlier but it looked packed and I'm still recovering from the flu so a packed store is the last thing I wanted to face.

Would it be a really bad idea to head to the supermarket at about midnight tonight?
My 17 year old will be back from babysitting by then and my 10 year old twins are really excited about the prospect of going to the supermarket at that time of night.

OP posts:
Dave234234 · 23/12/2019 17:07

I used to do this when I lived alone, I'd go out, drive home (always ended up driving not drinking) and then go to tescos after the bars shut. It was always empty and stress free.

Knittedfairies · 23/12/2019 17:08

If your ten year olds are excited, do it!

ScarlettBlaize · 23/12/2019 17:09

Why on earth would you take the children with you?

sobeyondthehills · 23/12/2019 17:10

We seriously considered this, but because we dont have a car, we needed the two of us and there was no way I was taking my 7 year old out at midnight. 10 on the other hand I would consider

Original poster
RosieLancs · 23/12/2019 17:10

I don't drink so no need to worry about alcohol times and I love the scan '& go guns which I try not to use normally as they take jobs.

My 17 year old really wants to go and the younger 2 are hyped up about it so I think they will have to come.

Not even sure what I'm going to buy for Christmas dinner as currently having emergency building work done on the house and don't have a kitchen.

I was looking forward to doing the shopping tonight (mainly cheese, cheese, more cheese and then a bit more cheese) but then I saw all the queues on the news and started to panic.

I don't even know what we're going to do for Christmas dinner, we live in a big city so planning to do a buffet lunch (with the aforementioned cheeses!) followed by hoping some takeaway is delivering for something hot in the evening 😂

We're going out for a Christmas dinner on Boxing Day with my 2 brothers who are working Christmas Day so that might have to be it for 'tradition'

OP posts:
Creameggcountdown · 23/12/2019 17:10

I’ve done this loads of times. It’s quiet but not as quiet as you’d think

Drabarni · 23/12/2019 17:11

My dh went about 2pm expecting it to be packed, but said it was like a sunday.
I'm sure most have done their main shop now.

Butterymuffin · 23/12/2019 17:12

It's good that you don't have a fixed plan for your Christmas meal - you can go and just pick from what they've got. But definitely a good time to go. It'll be quiet.

Winterfellismyhome · 23/12/2019 17:12

I finish work at 1am and I'm going then :)

TriangularRatbag · 23/12/2019 17:12

Tip for late-night shopping when the aisles are clogged up with the restocking cages: take a trolley around and a basket. Leave the trolley at the end of the aisle, put items in your much more manoeuvrable basket, and transfer to trolley as necessary.

LellyMcKelly · 23/12/2019 17:13

I used to do this when my son was little as he was a terrible sleeper. Every Saturday morning at 4am I’d give up trying to get him to sleep and we’d trundle off to the 24 hour Asda.

BoxedWine · 23/12/2019 17:18

My parents do this. Apparently it's busier than you'd think but much less unpleasant than during the day.

LittleAndOften · 23/12/2019 17:20

I've done this a few times, although it won't be as quiet as you think and you will have to get around all the boxes for stacking shelves. Only drawback is the bakery is closed! No baguettes at midnight. Really good with cheese. Fresh baguettes at Christmas are like hens teeth!

Knicknamehistory · 23/12/2019 17:21

We did ours with the kids at 6.30 this morning. It was quiet when we arrived but not when we left an hour later. By half 7 it was like a weekend day

Fundays12 · 23/12/2019 17:24

I do it a lot at Christmas and only thing I can’t get is alcohol due to Scotland’s licensing laws. It’s much quieter though.

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 23/12/2019 17:25

So sorry, I clicked the wrong button.. I meant to say its NOT UR at all. Great idea if the shop is open, its open.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 23/12/2019 17:27

My H will be. he always does and it's a great time to go

Birdsfoottrefoil · 23/12/2019 17:34

I found Christmas Eve (normal daytime) really quiet last year. However, as the previous poster noted our local Sainsbury’s seemed to out of stock of a lots of Christmas stuff before it was barely ‘in date’ for Christmas! Decorations were being sold off from 1st December and the little Christmas chocolates (Cadbury Moose snowmen, malterser reindeer, Lindl reindeer) sold out last week and haven’t been replaced (normally get some for the kids stockings).

herecomesthsun · 23/12/2019 17:34

Buy the part baked baguettes and rolls! They are a great holiday standby.

speakout · 23/12/2019 17:37

Why not. I am off to Tesco at 6am tomorrow.

Enjoy.

Original poster
RosieLancs · 23/12/2019 17:38

@herecumsthesun Normally I love those but emergency building work means I don't have a kitchen or indeed an oven at the moment.
Worst possible year to stay home!

OP posts:
countdowntochristmas · 23/12/2019 17:44

Id go but not take the kids but that's me . I prefer to go on my own and people that bring over excited kids food shopping are my pet peeve so don't know why you can't leave them in bed your 17 year old babysitting and just go they'd never know . The supermarket late at night is not the place for children .

2girls3dogs · 23/12/2019 17:44

I go every year to ASDA at Xmas eve at 7am and it’s great! Really quiet and they’ve got full stock. How will you cook without a kitchen or oven?

StuffYouAllInTheCrust · 23/12/2019 17:45

I always go at stupid o’clock for the Christmas food shop, was all done and dusted by 6:30am! Love it, nice and quiet!

Namechange8471 · 23/12/2019 17:50

Hyped up? To go food shopping late? Seriously leave them at home and go yourself .

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