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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

So do people really go Xmas shopping on the high street

91 replies

merrycompo · 11/12/2010 14:30

These last 2 weekends before Xmas?
Don't you all do it online?
Why is the high street still so crammed ? It baffles me

OP posts:

mumeeee · 11/12/2010 23:12

I do some online and some on the high stret, I just love shopping and actually would rather see what I'm geting

Clary · 11/12/2010 23:41

Well some things are hard to get online.

Poundshop bits eg, or stuff from Wilkos, or Primark, all good sources of gifts in this house.

DS2 wanted a candy cane - not easy or cheap online once you've paid postage!

Plus if you are spending vouchers it's easier to go to Waterstone's/WHS.

I do a lot online but alsoa lot in the high street.

nickeldonkeycarrymary · 12/12/2010 12:28

I'm open today.
I opened at 5 pas t 12, after church.
it's nearly half past now - i don't think i'm going to get a customer.
awesomeWellies - you're welcome.

EatingAngelPie · 12/12/2010 12:42

any MNer in brighton say, working at LK Bennett or Get Cutie and want to offer us a discount? No?

worth a try

DandyDan · 12/12/2010 13:55

I do a little online but use my local high street - try to support the local economy, and keep the local shops going: and they have lovely things, so it's good to shop there and actually select the things you would like to buy, looking at them.

You can buy most things you would like on the High Street, I reckon, with the exception of unusual DVD.s or books or music or some special clothing.

nannynick · 12/12/2010 14:23

I did most of my Xmas shopping last Saturday at my local town. It was a nightmare... took hours... but I hoped helped some of the independent shops (though I did also buy from multi-nationals).

Where I live getting deliveries is a real issue - the couriers can't find my home, they can't deliver at a time I am at home, they won't give accurate time slots. I end up travelling 20-30 miles to the depot to pickup the goods. Waste of time. I'm far better getting things locally, or getting things online which I know can be sent via RoyalMail standard delivery (such as a DVD).

pagwatch · 12/12/2010 14:29

i do a mixture

but this morning DD and i walked down the High Street, stopped at a cafe and had hot chocolate with marshmallows and cream, went into two shops and chose her presents for her dad and brother and then walked home again.
The High street was quietish as we were there early, she enjoyed the stalls and some buskers.... she definately enjoyed having hot chocolate and a chat and we were home by 12.15

slightly more fun than me sitting on the ipad while she gets bored.

I would never do it all on-line. Totally souless experience. Some things you need to chose by actually seeing and/or holding them and the High Street is fine if you don't join the bulgy eyed brigade or try to do too much

purpleturtle · 12/12/2010 14:37

I'm so uninspired by Christmas this year that I dragged myself (and DH) into town on Friday. Amazon only works for me if I know what I want, and I didn't!

Liverpool city centre was actually a fairly pleasant shopping experience. Our favourite though was a Christmas Market stall selling fairtrade Nepalese felt bags and hats. We had a lovely chat with the couple running it. Don't get that off Amazon.

We got lots of our shopping done, but the bags were very heavy to drag home!

FrostyAndSlippery · 12/12/2010 14:58

Ooh I shall have to go to sittingbourne sometime and save up some money for books! Although I don't like tea, so DH can have my free cuppa :o

I absolutely hate uber-crowded shops. I've suffered from agoraphobia in the past and although I function well now I still get a bit anxious.

We didn't have Internet for the last two xmases and I was so excited this year that I did most of my amazon stuff by October!

Am really glad now especially as DH is off sick so getting less money. I do use my local shops though, but in town it's mostly massive chains rather than independent shops.

SpringHeeledJack · 12/12/2010 15:14

I get a couple of child free days to do my Christmas shopping

yesterday I went to the museums at South Ken to get stockingy things, then to ?Holy Trinity to get my cards and then spent a few hours in Peter Jones. It was utterly fab

(no-one asked me, repeatedly, to looooooook at anything)

...usually I just do Oxford Street as Sloane Squ. not on my beat. It was actually nicer (though I find PJ punters are much, much ruder than in Oxford Street John Lewis, where you're not allowed in unless you show an excess of politeness and consideration for your co-shoppers)

TheMonster · 12/12/2010 15:15

I have done next to no Christmas shopping yet.

Pluto · 12/12/2010 15:26

I do a lot of Christmas browsing on line but tend to get most things in the flesh once I've checked them out in the virtual world - apart from books - Amazon is just so much cheaper. But if I lived near Sittingbourne then I'd definitely pop in Nickel - all the independent bookshops have gone from my town now, apart from the antique ones and I don't think there's anything there for my DSes.

Our town centre was heaving this morning. I'm glad I've done it all now.

FrostyAndSlippery · 12/12/2010 16:49

I can't stand places like oxford st at the best/calmest of times let alone near Xmas!

smokinaces · 12/12/2010 18:53

I do all my shopping on the high street - all from poundshops, Wilkos, Primark. Apart from 2nd hand bits that I get from ebay/facebook.

I went to Bluewater today (needed hair stuff that they didnt have at my local Boots) and got there about 1.30. No cars queueing. Found a space straight away. Busy, but nothing too much. Was very eerie, didnt feel right near Christmas!

lal123 · 12/12/2010 18:56

we normally do quite a bit online - but given that we haven't had any post for the last fortnight and that the bad weather is due to return we've gotten everything in real shops this year

RaindropsFromTheSky · 12/12/2010 20:58

I've done most of mine online, but like previous posters I wouldn't want risk it now! Especially because of the backlog due to adverse weather conditions :(
So I shall be popping into town tomorrow afternoon, hoping I won't get knocked over in the crowds!!

nappyaddict · 13/12/2010 09:56

I like to get the older relatives home made jams and things for christmas from the market in town. I will get them this Thursday because I want to get as good a date on them as possible but will not take DS shopping and he breaks up from school on Friday.

I have also seen some Calvin Klein pants on offer in Matalan so need to go there. When I went last week they had sold out but expected to be having some more in and for some reason you can't get them from the website.

There is also a desk top rugby game I want to get for DP from DS but I think if I wait it will probably go in the sale before Christmas. It's not worth paying 3.95 delivery on it when I've got to go to the shops anyway.

MaybeTomorrow · 13/12/2010 10:01

I generally do all my shopping online or much earlier in the year so that I don't have a mad rush.

But the reason that I do it that way is so that I can go out into the town on Xmas shopping nights to join in all the festivities and buy the odd stocking filler. No stress or panic involved. Just sitting back and watching the hustle and bustle is great!

sazz123 · 13/12/2010 15:22

I love the high street. I only use the net to get items hard to get hold off. I can recomend some great pressies from these shops online
"Look at home
"Look at beauty
"Look at clothes
But the high street is full of bargains at the moment (nearly as good as the sales but better items). Just need to go early in the morning....

AmazingBouncingFerret · 13/12/2010 15:32

Please, please do use your highstreet.
Getting sick to death of having to give money away to people who have ordered online, changed mind and then come into store for a refund.

Ormirian · 13/12/2010 15:41

Not much. I work full-time so my time for shopping is limited. I do the bulk online and treat christmas high street shopping as a nice christmassy trip out - for all of use to buy special treats and extras, see the christmas lights and have tea and cake somewhere.

Our local shopping is limited to say the least. A few lovely shops but not enough to find everything I want. We used to have a fantastic toy shop round the corner from us - but you could never get exactly what you wanted, the suppliers wouldn't let them place specific orders because they were too small an outlet and people have got to the stage now where they know exactly what they want and can get it online. So they gave up

tinkisbrrrrr · 13/12/2010 15:44

our high street here is rubbish no shops really
i buy all mine online end of nove
mber online mostly from amazon

Ternet · 13/12/2010 17:23

I oredered my Wine and Champagne from Tesco's online service. I was promised a guarentee of a next day delivery between 7am -7pm. It was a large order and to this day (6days later) I have not received my order). Twenty four hours after Tesco took my order and the cost, I received a pre-recorded telephone message informing me that there would be a slight delay of my order. Three days later I checked the delivery status on line to discover Tesco had now included a message to inform that all future deliveries to Scotland have now been cancelled. I called Tesco to complaine and was given no alternative and informed that I couldn't be guarenteed my order for the festive season. I even suggested a refund, and taking a print out of my order to my local store to buy the same deal and was given a firm 'No!'. Mums be warned.

tadventjennyp · 14/12/2010 05:25

Just checked out your website nickel and would love to use you if I lived in the UK. I'm sorry that's no consolation, but wandering round an independent bookshop is one of life's greatest pleasures. I hope things pick up really soon.

tadventjennyp · 16/12/2010 03:58

Well that killed that thread then! Sorry nickel!

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