I remember what day it was. It was the day after the kids went back to school when my usual 5 minute car journey to the DIY Store took me 20 minutes. I needed to get a new Pendant for the Sitting Room light because the old one had disintegrated in a powdered mess on my copy of The Kent Mesenger.

I was quite pleased when I arrived, hardly any cars which would mean I wouldn’t have the usual Till Queue wait behind the bloke who can’t lift the stuff onto the Counter and the Sales Assistants scanner which won’t reach. There wasn’t even a Double Glazing Salesman standing on the door, although I rather like them - I let them give me the full 5 minutes hard sell, then tell them I live in rented property!

Being a friendly sort of chap, after seeing the big blank area of no merchandise, I asked the young Assistant who looked like he had some idea of where he was, “What’s going on here then, some Special Offers?”.
“No Sir (blimey he called me Sir), it’s for the Christmas Department”.

I shouldn’t have been shocked I suppose, but after seeing the ‘Back to School’ sections in most Retailers going up during the last week of Summer Term before the holidays, I wasn’t.

So, the 10th of September. That leaves us that really chaotic rush to buy all our presents in just 106 days. I really don’t know how we’ll manage.

Well, what a commercial tragedy! 106 days to prepare for 24 hours of family, peace and love - pity about the other 364 days isn’t it!
I can understand to a degree, the buying of presents a). when you can afford them and b). should you see something you fancy at a reasonable summer sale price, quite frugal and planning ahead. But decorations, Artificial Trees, wrapping paper, cards etc., oh no.
Anyway, anyone with any frugalness in them atall, would have brought all these bits after 26th. December last year when they were getting rid of the stuff at silly prices!

It also goes through my head that although the Store’s are giving us this wonderful option of buying so early, why are the busiest shopping days of

Why? Because most people are like me, especially blokes, and fall into the trap of “Oh I’ll get them tomorrow” when suddenly, the tomorrow’s run out!

I went back there today and saw the finished display. Wonderful, the ‘Pack of 200 Christmas lights’ were next to the electrical section proudly displaying signs on how we should save energy and money!

Call me old fashioned with pleasure, but isn’t the whole retail thing a bit over the top? (Also see ‘Frugal Christmas’ in the Frugal Living section.)
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