Charlottechicken Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 As per usual I will not be partaking of the shopping frenzy that is Black Friday, although it appears to have been going on all week I saw folk coming out of the local station yesterday, laden with posh shopping bags and felt rather smug that I don't have to spend a lot at Christmas and most of my shopping was done in the January sales, with some top up bits from charity shops and other places along the way. All gift bags for friends are wrapped and ready to go, in-laws stuff being wrapped today (food and drink) so I can almost relax! I suppose I am a bit curious at what bargains are actually out there, so if you know of any and can enlighten me as to the possible good side of this shopping day, please share! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I'm afraid I think it's just a huge marketing exercise to hype up spending and get people buying 'bargains' - in my view it's only a bargain if it is something that you would have bought anyway and paid the full price for. I expect there are some items that meet that description but not for everyone. I'm impressed - most of my shopping is done, I've done it online, but nothing is wrapped yet. I'm bracing myself to do the dreaded Christmas card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 It is all a clever way to part us from our money. There are some good deals out there but you do need to keep your wits about you. I am getting fed up of all of the Black Friday emails coming through and most of them are just £5 off this and that. I think that you get better deals for the one day flash sales. You could go mad trying to get the cheapest price. I hate the retail frenzie that surrounds Christmas, when I was growing up, we had a couple of gifts and just spent relaxed time with family and friends and ate good food which was a real treat because rich food was an occasional treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I'm pleased to say I had no idea what this was and had to be enlightened by my 80 year old mother Having spent the past 18 months in Portugal I am feeling particularly sensitive to the consumerism in the UK. We lived 500m up a big hill, 15 minutes away from civilization, and with virtually no shops to speak of in the local village other than a corner shop/butcher/ironmonger/and shops selling agricultural supplies, and my closet supermarket was 45 minutes away. All this meant we only bought what was necessary and did far fewer shopping trips. I have really missed being able to poke about in second-hand shops, and seeing 'nice' things in shops rather than the relentlessly practical, but I haven't felt the need to actually buy, I'm happy with looking. I have also returned as somebody who has lived without at least 50% of my possessions for 18 months, and I didn''t miss them in the slightest (except my border fork, I missed it to bits). I am now on a mission to sell, give away and recycle. Sorry, wasn't aware I was going to write a rant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Don't do Christmas until at least 1st December. Even then it'll be just mincemeat making. I won't be doing any actual shopping or anything until well into December. I don't really find it stressful (possibly because I don't have children!) so prefer to be able to actually do it all when I'm feeling Christmassy. That's not to say I don't have last minute panics though - I am very often shopping on the 24th and never wrap before the 23rd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted November 27, 2014 Author Share Posted November 27, 2014 Phew! Glad it's not just me then! since leaving work in Spring, I'm even less of a consumer than I was, I've been into the city centre maybe half a dozen times since then and spent vouchers, not much else. We are still awaiting exchange and completion on our house in the country (any day soon ) so Christmas is the last of my worries. All I ever want is a pretty tree, some lights on the outside of the house and a nice meal on Christmas day, maybe followed by a walk. This year I will be hoping for a good frost or even a sprinkling of snow so we really will think we have moved into a Christmas card Christmas is what you make of it, and no amount of boxes of expensive tat under a tree can change that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Christmas is what you make of it, and no amount of boxes of expensive tat under a tree can change that! Hear hear! We are having a scaled back one this year as I and my YD are off to Chicago on Boxing Day for my brothers wedding. Originally we weren't going to buy any presents, but as my other two are home I felt bad about not getting them anything so will be getting a few bits. We don't tend to buy them things through the year which is why we get them things they'd like at this time of year. I love spending time with my family at christmas and having lovely food and drinks As for Black Friday - I thought this was an American thing with a sale the day after their Thanksgiving, much like out Boxing Day sales I won't be partaking in them though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 As we are part way through house buying OH and I have imposed limits on spending for presents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I'm another one who hates the consumerist hype over Christmas; we never splurge on gifts as it's just not our style, but I have bought a few things here and there during the year. I need to make the goodies for the bags made yet - some of those can be frozen, so I will make a start this weekend. We have a much reduced celebration this year; I usually have 10 for the day, but my mother is too poorly to travel anywhere, so Rosie and I are going down to them, where I will cook lunch. Phil will have to stay with his folks as his dad is very ill Rosie will spend Boxing Day with her dad, and I will go over to Phil's folks, taking food with me so his mother doesn't have to worry about that.... slightly fractured this year, but it may be the last Christmas for some of our family members On a plus note, Phil is hoping to get cover over New Year, so he can at least be with me on my birthday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 but it may be the last Christmas for some of our family members /quote] I know how you feel DM, my poor pop's has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, he is so incredibly brave I am in awe of him, he is only 64:(( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I'm sorry gavclojak - that's so young Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I'm sorry gavclojak - that's so young Ah that's very kind, as a family we have been through it and it's my poor kids I feel for, how much can they take?? The year before last it was me, last year my mum and this year my dad! But I smile everyday and try to be the best person I can be, that's all we can do isn't it x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 It sure is My new regime is to try to remember to count my blessings, rather than dwelling on all the rubbish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 It sure is My new regime is to try to remember to count my blessings, rather than dwelling on all the rubbish. It's so hard sometimes when I hear people grumbling over the most pathetic things but I try to remember there problems are important to them! I actually had a woman in tears the other day at work because she couldn't get an appointment at exactly the time she wanted, she said "this is end of the world"....not quite love!!! And if I hear "I work in the city" one more time when offering appointments I will call someone a "pleb!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 I'm not much of a shoppist and avoid it if I can. I don't have many Christmas gifts to buy and our celebrattions are small, cosy and fun. Black Friday doesn't bother me, I will be looking online to see if I fancy anything and if other people want to spend lots , especially Chinese tourists, then that's fine for our economy and jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 This Black Friday stuff is going to backfire. In the US it is understandable. They have very few "bank holiday" type days and, generally, no where near the annual holiday that we have, so many people take this Friday off to make a long weekend. It makes sense in the US world to have this sale...as was mentioned earlier, it's a bit like the old Boxing Day sales. In this country, there is no relevance. However, what I predict is that people will become used to it and will wait for it, forever changing the pattern of buying for Christmas. Who's going to buy gifts at full price before Black Friday in future? What would be the point? All shops will end up having to have some sort of Black Friday deals, and as everyone will be doing it, there won't be so much competition generally. It doesn't actually affect me as we haven't bought/exchanged Christmas presents (not even small gifts) with anyone (in fact, in the last few years we haven't bought for each other either), and it has been great. It felt a bit odd for the first couple of years, but I really prefer it. It takes the pressure off both the giver and the receiver. I started the stop with my rothers, after my sister in law accidentally let slip that she found trying to buy presents for us really stressful. Over the next couple of years we gradually extended it, and eventually we stopped buying pressies for each other as well. We have a tree, we decorate, we have a fab Christmas Day. We do try and put a lot of effort into birthday pressies though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Just watching the unseemly behaviour of people fighting over stuff on the news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Disgusting behaviour . It's just greed and consumerism at its worst . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Just watching the unseemly behaviour of people fighting over stuff on the news. Tacky and shameless behaviour!! I'm afraid to say I love the whole "Christmas" thing, I love the choosing of the gifts, I love getting gifts that people I care about have put thought in to...love it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 I've had trouble even getting onto the internet today because of all the shopping going on, and made the mistake of trying to look at furniture to get ideas for the new house, I think there was a 13 minute queue to get onto one website I do like the idea of no presents, but broached the subject with OH who firmly said "No!". He didn't have much in the way of gifts when he was little so feels a once a year splurge is not a bad thing. To be honest, we just go out for birthdays and I usually get a meal and he gets a new t shirt, so Christmas is our only blowout! I've pushed the boat out this year, one of his gifts is a bottle of HP sauce, a big one! I usually buy supermarket own brand sauce and he has complained about the current bottle, from Lidl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 Oh dear! I've just had a look on the BBC website at some of the videos, utterly disgraceful behaviour, over what? A telly or a coffee maker! What's wrong with people?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 I fear we are turning into America & living by their traditions! Not only have we decided to do the Black Friday thing over here, it seems that most people go to school now & waste their education by talking 'text talk'. Then there is Christmas which is getting totally out of hand these days. Not to mention the obesity problem this country has. We may as well forget the ocean between us & become Americans! The traditional magic has gone & the old ways been forgotten. Very sad. I have not & won't be indulging in any Black Friday deals. I was fed up with my email inbox this morning... 50% of here, 25% off there. Just daft! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 I am shocked I have just watched the news and can not believe how some people have behaved Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saronne Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 I think all the posts about Black Friday have been fair so far. It is consumerism at its worse, but as a previous member mentioned, Americans have far fewer bank holidays on which to do their shopping - though, to be honest, we're doing more and more internet shopping which can be done any time . I do object, however, to the comment that we're becoming 'American' and the subsequent connection with 'poor' grammar and obesity. Yes, we have those problems (I'm an American living in the U.K. for the past 30 years). But that is not what we are. Our opinions, body shapes, politics and attitudes about shopping are as diverse as those in the U.K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Well said, Saronne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
