To think that shops are gonna be absolute carnage tomorrow.

[Meimeimei]

I've posted this for traffic.

I have bad anxiety with crowds and queues but I need to go into town tomorrow to pick up a few things from click and collect.

Obviously, news of maybe a national lockdown being announced on Monday.

Will people be flocking to the shops.

YABU - yes I'm going to do Christmas shopping tomorrow.
YANBU - No I'm not going to

@Meimeimei I agree.

And I don't want to rub anyone's nose in it, but I foresaw this several weeks back, when local lockdowns began. I have always bought plenty of stock well in advance anyway, as I live in the sticks, 5 miles from the nearest town, with no shops, no public transport, and nothing but fields, and woodlands all around. (NEVER panic-bought, just stockpiled.)

So 3 weeks ago, I bought 3 or 4 each of the stuff we need/use most, and put it in the garage, (non-perishables obviously.) And on Monday, I bought 95% of the Christmas food shop, including the booze. In addition, I've already got 90% of Christmas presents for everyone. (I buy for about a dozen people.)

DH looked at me as if I was mad, but he is now very glad I did it all!

We literally only need 3 or 4 'fresh' things, but we could get by without them if we had to. I have even bought all the buffet stuff (frozen!) If we were unable to get out between now and Christmas, we would be OK. In fact, we have a decent stock of almost everything in our house (and garage.) We don't even need to go out for a week to 10 days.

Also, the weather is batshit crazy right now. High winds and severe torrential rain. No WAY am I leaving my little cottage! Sitting here with the family, having a cosy day, in front of a couple of great films. We are leaving the panic buyers to it!

Buying Christmas gifts/food etc before December isn't 'materialistic;' it's common sense! Even when we aren't in the middle of a pandemic. I can't understand the logic behind the 'what's the point in getting anything til December' brigade. It's sensible, and it's good planning to start earlier (like mid October.)

Also, I get pissed off with the attitude (from a few,) that they hate Christmas because it's sooooo materialistic and 'commercial!.' Errrm, no it's really not. Not unless you make it that way.

I don't 'get' this snooty and arsey attitude towards people who are trying to do their best for their kids at Christmas this year (or ANY year for that matter.)

Bet these people are a hoot at parties!

Amazon has paid less UK corporation tax in two decades compared to what some major physical retailers like Marks & Spencer pay in just a year.

the online retail giant has paid a total of £61.7 million in corporation tax over the past 20 years, despite making a total UK turnover of around £7 billion.
This compares to physical UK retailers like M&S, which paid £65.4 million corporation tax last year, Tesco which paid £176 million, Dixons Carphone which paid £42 million and John Lewis which paid £43 million.

I shall be buying from Amazon and other people can buy from where they want.

I can't understand the logic behind the 'what's the point in getting anything til December' brigade. It's sensible, and it's good planning to start earlier (like mid October.)
In my case it's not so much "what's the point", more "fucking hell I can't be arsed thinking about it till at least end of November".
SIL asked for ideas for DC about 3 weeks ago and did apologise for the question being posed so ridiculously early.

Some people on here are just nasty people. Responsible areas, really? And materialistic kids fgs 🙄

DH went to Sainsburys this morning to get some flour so DS can still have a birthday cake this year as last time it was sold out for weeks, he said there was a queue outside and most of the shelf of flour was already gone and pasta and soup was going too. So irresponsible and materialistic of us to buy a bag of flour.

[quote Waxonwaxoff0]@TiersTiersTiers the "responsible" areas? You mean the ones with lower population density that are able to better socially distance? Get lost.[/quote]
Actually no - there are areas of the country with high populations but they appear to be able to follow a few rules, hence they are still tier 1. We aren't all selfish gits that allow the spread to get out of hand.

@Thesearmsofmine

Some people on here are just nasty people. Responsible areas, really? And materialistic kids fgs 🙄

DH went to Sainsburys this morning to get some flour so DS can still have a birthday cake this year as last time it was sold out for weeks, he said there was a queue outside and most of the shelf of flour was already gone and pasta and soup was going too. So irresponsible and materialistic of us to buy a bag of flour.

My 6 year has just spent his half term baking everything from Cupcakes to Pumpkin pie. Really wishing I'd added flour to my online shop before he'd started as now I may have no chance of getting any & he's baking mad!

Not everyone can afford to buy stuff so far in advance though, some of the posts from the preppers are very smug and quite tone deaf to what’s going on right now. I know people who literally have to wait until they get paid in December to buy much of their presents and that’s with careful budgeting throughout the year as well.

@TiersTiersTiers

I'm in an area of Tier 2, we can follow rules. Just like we can read. Can you? As I'm sure you'll have read even areas in Tier 1 have positive cases.

I suppose now we are going to have weeks of people berating others because their shopping isn’t essential

I don’t remember anyone in my area calling those in other areas irresponsible and acting superior and whinging when we went into lockdown in March despite us having very few numbers of cases at the time.

@Thesearmsofmine

I don’t remember anyone in my area calling those in other areas irresponsible and acting superior and whinging when we went into lockdown in March despite us having very few numbers of cases at the time.

Exactly.

There was a long queue to get into the town centre car park today. I went past, I had no intention of going in.

TBH this time around I'll be more confident using supermarkets as it's a short walk and they're all geared up for it. Anything to not increase Bezos' profits.

@LisaLee333 sounds grim to freeze a load of Christmas food when supermarkets will be doing anything to get rid of it nearer the time seen as though people won't be having their big gatherings this year. I can understand being prepared and stocking up on stuff, but yuck. Do you not but fresh fruit?

Buy

LisaLee
Well done you for prepping but your post isn't very helpful for those living in less than ideal circumstances.

Perhaps you're not aware, but many people don't live in a cosy cottage, with garage to store stuff in and freezer space for extra food. Not to mention the ready cash.

@RedRiverShore

I suppose now we are going to have weeks of people berating others because their shopping isn’t essential

Probably.

But why are people out panic buying again? Surely they know we are not going to be denied access to supermarkets? The only real downside is going to be having to carefully time visits to supermarkets to avoid queues again.

@Sweettruelies

Just hope all these people saying shop online are not all just defaulting to Amazon. They are killing the high street and pay no tax in this country. Try and support independent traders online, not line Jeff bezos pockets - he’s rich enough!!!!

To be fair a lot of independent traders use Amazon to sell their stock via Amazon marketplace.

@TiersTiersTiers

What national lockdown?

I missed that announcement!

Why penalise the entire country for the ones that cannot follow the rules in certain areas!

Lock down the idiots and let the responsible areas continue to go about with DS, hand washing and following perfectly reasonable guidelines.

Clearly the local rules aren't helping

But why are people out panic buying again? Surely they know we are not going to be denied access to supermarkets? The only real downside is going to be having to carefully time visits to supermarkets to avoid queues again.

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but why would there be queues again? I haven't queued to get into a big supermarket for months (I have for a smaller food shop but that's to be expected). If people just carry on shopping in the same way and with the same frequency that they have been, then surely we will continue to not have queues?

Bad knee here!Managed a soft tissue injury! So apart from anything else been a godsend to be online . Amazon shopping at home with a nice cup of tea and some parcels to look forward to when stuck in .

I think there will be queues as the non essential shops will be shut so people will have to go to the supermarket for everything as they usually sell household goods and other non essentials that people might have gone to places like Next for so its not spreading the load.

Especially as they're still supposed to be limiting numbers in stores. More people head to the stores the closer we get to Christmas.
My worst nightmare stuck in a queue outside in the rain, waiting to get in to a supermarket - not keen on them at the best of times!