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

Definitely won’t be going, but that’s because I’ve done it, I’m usually organised most years but decided I wasn’t taking any chances this year. A lot was done online anyway but what I didn’t do online I did as soon as I could after the schools went back.

I’ve also got a good supply of food. One of my DDs has allergies so I made sure I had plenty of her stuff in just in case, as the last lockdown I was limited with what I could buy which meant having to go out and shop more often instead of staying at home. For the rest I just added a few extra items each time I went shopping so I’ve not got enough to avoid any big rush.

I've done about half of my shopping online, mainly Amazon and Etsy. I have no plans to go to an actual shop.

Possibly.

I won't be going though - I mostly shop online anyway and tbh haven't even thought about Christmas yet

DS birthday is end of Nov so I will be ordering him a present soon but I will order online.

I teach secondary so work in a high risk environment as it is and I have tried to avoid shopping in stores since I went back in September-mostly because I know that I am probably a risk to others because of my job.

I’ve done all my Christmas shopping for the dc and have a few bits in for dh’s presents so they’ll all cope. I never actually go to the shopping centres anyway, do mine online and early most years. Ordered advent calendars and Halloween costumes online in August as had a feeling something like this might happen. I will need to do a Christmas food shop but it’s obviously just the four of us for dinner this year rather than the army of 15 or so we usually entertain so no bother if a few things are missing.

I think they might be lying about that! 😂I'm hoping you're referring to much older children? If not, off course they'll mind! It doesnt have to cost much! My daughter gad a 98p Tiger That Came to Puzzle when she was 3 and it's still her favourite puzzle now! Your post makes me feel a bit sad 😣

So people who did go to the shops today, what did you find? Were they carnage? Were people panic buying bog rolls like last time?

I stopped at my local Tesco on the way home from work and it was just like a normal Saturday afternoon.

I went and got the last couple of bits for DDs birthday which is in a fortnight. Not started worrying about Christmas yet

I also went to home bargains and just bought a top up of colouring pens and plain paper and instead of running empty on loo roll bought a 9 pack. Lesson learnt after March and always buy a new pack when I open the current one. I think I've changed how I shop as a whole.

Went to Sainsbury’s this am and, if anything, it was quieter than usual.

@TiersTiersTiers but it was fine to lockdown the north in March when London was highly affected we just got on with it didn’t we?

Most of us everywhere are doing our best with ever changing rules and a shocking government with no clue. It’s a pandemic that we’ve never really experienced on this scale.

It’s spreading because schools/education is open. Hundreds mixing daily just there. Workplaces where distancing is difficult like factories. Travel corridors open.

Maybe a lockdown will keep numbers in your area low before spreading quickly like it it’s in large areas of the U.K. then you can carry on telling yourself it’s because those of us in high tiers can’t control ourselves.

Doing all mine on eBay and Etsy

No I won't be doing that. I for one will be totally cutting back this year anyway.

Thanks everyone for your comments last night and this morning.

I did go out and it wasn't even that bad. I just get overwhelmed with queues and crowds etc. I think I had flashbacks from March.

I managed to get the bits I needed without no hassle and now I can make sure they're posted without no issues for Christmas time.

I was able to get food too but I used click and collect again. And yes I didn't take all of the toilet roll . Tbh corona doesn't cause any bowel issues, in fact you can't eat from past experience

Retail staff have been amazing throughout this pandemic and they've been stars too and everyone else on front line.

I hadn’t heard about the second lockdown until this afternoon but we went out to B&Q earlier (for items relating to essential repairs...) and there were huge queues to get into the car parks for the Smyths and supermarket nearby and I couldn’t figure out why - now I know!
Luckily I’ve done most of my Xmas shopping already, thanks to the bargain threads on here which have helped spread the cost too.

For lots of people, they have last month's payday and next month's (November) payday to buy their Christmas shopping. That's why people buy in October/November for Christmas.
It appears that the new MN badge of honour is 'I don't buy gifts for anyone, my kids don't know what wrapping paper is and I only buy essential food items and yarn to knit any winter ware from my local independent retailer whose wool comes from the farm down the road'.
Well fuck it, but reality exists for a lot of people. Great if your children are grown and prefer cash. Great if you can afford to swagger in to Waitrose at a leisurely pace. Great if you feel panic buying is utterly base and stockpiling is far superior. I've to go to Primark today to get pillows and a fleece for Winter and a concealer (for you know - all my visitors the bags under my eyes from lack of sleep from stress ). I'm fucking dreading it but I can't afford anywhere else. I bought 'hotel quality pillows' from Amazon a couple of years ago and I've seen plumper pancakes. We're not a nation obsessed with shopping. Most of society worldwide is commercialised if they have the privilege of having any money to spend. Bartering died out quite a while ago.
Plus, for my fucking sanity I need to get out of this god-damned house. Wind, rain, I don't care, I need the daylight and fresh air and to feel connected to other people.

Did Christmas today - shopping done in September. Items shipped to distant family members (kids stuff only) and today my parents came so we did a surprise Xmas dinner. Different menu but champagne, crackers, present swaps to store for the real Xmas day, Christmas bingo and other post dinner Xmas games. Christmas music in the background and dining room tinselled out. Poundland present each to open and a scratch card wrapped up so we had something to open between each course. Was so lovely as it’s the first time we have seen them this year due to social distancing. So a small family Xmas in December for daughter and husband and no regrets about today. Best day this year! We all agreed today was actually better than December as we haven’t had Xmas forced down our throats for two months prior. Will also be long remembered.

Dont forget its payday too, and yes it was dreadful

I'm not panicking. I will shop as planned in December and as usual the majority will be done online.

Went to Morrisons today. On the busy side but not "carnage". The loo roll section was about half empty but everything else I looked at was fine.

Going to do it all online. I refuse to get sucked into any panic buying. We got enough supplies last lockdown. And hey online shopping will give us something to do 😀

Bluewater was busiest it been in a while but def not manic. I got few bits but hopefully be open early dec. determined to support shops as don’t like online and it makes me sad seeing shops close. Agree with others I don’t think amazon pays a lot in tax amd don’t want to support them too much. Christmas is just 2 days. Save your money for when shops are open again unless you have really little kids

Get over yourself. Many people are suffering terribly.

I don’t usually start Christmas shopping until December anyway!! But I’m poorly organised at the best of times!

I went to a local shopping mall at 11.30 - before Covid if you didn’t get there half hour before opening you could get on the car park. Was expecting carnage.... 200+ spaces on the car park! I’m sad that this is the end of shopping malls. It wasn’t busy AT ALL! Unless they were all at supermarkets stocking up on loo roll and food?!?!