Do you really need to visit shops on Boxing Day?

[kolpa]

Before you decide to go to half the stores which are open today, think - do you actually need anything? If not, stay away from them.

Those supermarkets that are open would have very few deliveries. Perhaps milk n bread as majority of these are delivered by the bakery and dairy. It depends on if they worked yesterday. As some distribution centres were closed yesterday.

I personally believe that people only shop because the shops are open. If some were open yesterday, they would have gone in.

A good number of the retail workers today are people who don’t have a car who usually bus it in. But no buses means either get someone to drive them in or get taxi/uber which are 1.5-2 times more expensive.

So if you can survive a day of visiting about half the stores which are open today, stay at home or go to others’ homes.

Still working

If I had no choice than to work in a shop today, I’d rather it was busy so my time hadn’t been wasted. However I do agree that they don’t need to be open today. I’m glad M&S stopped opening at 6am on Boxing Day.

Not everyone in the UK celebrates Christmas. If shops are open, people will use them.

And she is right to. It all needs to shut so retail workers get a proper break too. Customers will still only spend the same money and in the same shops. It makes no sense to be open at inhumane times.

Every year with this shit! And I'm sure many don't want to work today but still have to, whether they're in retail or not!

Not everyone has a perfect, idyllic christmas. For many, it's stressful and suffocating. For me personally, I organise the whole damn thing. I don't necessarily want to go out and buy more stuff but I am looking forward to going for a walk round my market town later and will get a coffee. Will probably run into people I know. I can't wait to get out of this damn house. I have cabin fever after one day!

Not true, I did back in my student days and whilst now wild horses wouldn't get me to the Boxing Day sales I do need to dash out soon because I'm completely out of dishwasher tablets. I could wash everything by hand but there is also no washing up liquid in the house and even our liquid hand soap supplies are dwindling. I have guests arriving this afternoon until Sunday and suspect they would like to be offered some clean plates to eat off.

Unfortunately I was unaware of the law that I needed express written permission from your sister, so I'm just going to have to chance a 2 minute dash into Tesco and try and avoid the fire and brimstone my doing so might induce.

Then get off Mumsnet- as PP have said -moderators are having to work today to moderate this forum aren't they? that's selfish to be on here then during inhumane times and they can have a proper break

Exactly this. I used to work retail and did plenty of Boxing Days - it didn’t really bother me, I got double time and it was always busy enough.

😆

If you want to head to the shops that are open that's fine.

If you want a day at home that's also fine.

It really gets me down when people try to push their views on others. It doesn't matter what others do. Just do you.

I'd only go if I had to, which I don't because I went to the supermarket yesterday - had to buy replacement potato casserole as the one I ordered from a cafe turned out not to be gluten free, plus more Julmust because it is delicious, and then I saw the fancy boxes of Lindt chocolates on half price sale so bought some of those, and more boiling milk to make more rice porridge because also needed that.
It was nice and quiet in the shops, barely anyone there so was pleasant.

What about everyone else who works at Christmas? You know like police, nurses, care home staff, reporters, journalists, printers, delivery drivers do they not matter? Why are retail staff so bloody special?

I have norovirus and have just dispatched DP to the shop to get bleach, more loperamide etc. Hope that’s ok with you OP 😂

So many stupid assumptions here!

Not everyone celebrates Christmas
Some people want to work over this period
Not everyone has a family they enjoy spending time with- some people are lonely or have no family
Some people might need to go out for essentials like food because they have been WORKING all hours up until boxing day which is their day off

I will need to pop to the shop later too as I have a teenager with complex needs (non verbal and in nappies). I'm running low on wipes.
Am I allowed to do that OP?

OP will ask her sister and get back to you 😆

My DH works in retail and has to work today until 6pm aswell it really sucks he had to get a taxi to work today and will have to get one home I wish shops wasn't open boxing day
To add my dh doesn't get double pay either but it is what it is some people may need the shops

I made christmas dinner for a friend and her 2 children yesterday who is struggling financially. Then a member of her family gave her £100 cash christmas gift. She was straight down to the supermarket today to get food for her family. If they were closed again, she'd have only leftovers for today. She lives within her means, which have recently changed due to leaving her twat of a husband. She and her children will have just a little better joy for the next few days thanks to the shops being open today.

As others have said, what about people like doctors and nurses? Do they not deserve a break? Retail workers do nothing but complain.

It really gets me down when people try to push their views on others. It doesn't matter what others do. Just do you.

I think some people are still stuck in the lockdown days, when they felt they could legitimately judge people on when/where they went out and the government almost encouraged it. They are addicted to the sanctimonious judgement of others and can't let it go now.

Whilst I don’t disagree that shops should be closed on Boxing Day. Please go shopping if you feel like it, as an ex retail worker it is really boring if no one comes in.

Noted OP. As someone who works a 24/7/365 job not in retail may I in turn insist you don't shop online, order a takeaway, eat out, use transport, call a call centre, need an emergency plumber, have a house fire or get unwell on holidays either.

It's just another day! Not Christmas. Some people don't think of Christmas as the be all and end all and are happy it has passed and they can get out normally again.

I really agree with this. I genuinely think there is a proportion of people who miss lockdown because it gave them fodder to be judgey arseholes and now they miss it so they move to other topics instead.

This!

I loved working holidays because it meant a break from my family and people are usually in good spirits on Boxing Day.

I’ve also gone out alone on Boxing Day and it been very nice to have a wander around in peace without being outside in the cold.