today is what we call in Canada 'boxing day', a tradition we inherited from the British. it occurs the day after Christmas and although it originated as a holiday to give gifts to the poor, in Canada, at least, it is known as a shopping holiday. long ago, my British friends told me that boxing day is when they would open their Christmas gifts. when we migrated here, i told my nephew that boxing day is when we open our gifts, and the then five-year old quipped, 'wouldn't that be a form of torture and child abuse?' because he's known for peeking at gifts even before Christmas eve. he's been grounded quite a few times for having opened all the gifts under the tree even those not intended for him.
in any case, because of the surge in new covid cases, the variant omicron being the culprit this time, there was not a big turn out of shoppers, which would only give the retailers enough reason to stretch, as in years past, the boxing day sale up to the end of january. but with the black friday (this is from the american after-thanksgiving sale) sales still going on until the week before Christmas i would surmised that the people already have shopping fatigue from the black friday sales. plus online shopping is much safer and i think you get better deals especially when it's free shipping.
i have only once gone to a boxing day sale, in 1989, my second Christmas here. went on a chilly early morning trek north of toronto to line up at the 'future shop' for a CD player. at the time the $300 i paid for it (slashed to 50% from its original retail price) seemed like a good buy. i learned quickly not to trust these highly touted sale events. add to that the crowd you have to deal with, the shoving, the grunting, the rudeness of both customers and staff. so i don't go shopping when the big sales happen.
i was downtown in the late afternoon with my sister as we walked down to the waterfront to satisfy my craving for a beaver tail pastry.
@northy - i'm off this week except thursday. let me know when you want to go around the waterfront or downtown. and yes, beaver tail shoppe was open!!!!
Glad you were able to get your Beaver tail and this magnificent photo all in the same outing.It definitely illustrates a peaceful atmosphere compared to the shopping after Christmas madness.
@summerfield that would be cool…. I’m off tomorrow…. But then working Wednesday, Thursday and Friday…. And off Monday Jan 3…. Let me know if one of those days works for you…
Ditto Ditto to above .... I opened everyones christmas gifts one year, I was 4. LOL Covid here seemed to be out of hand but I think everyone is so tired of it that life just goes on. At the very beginning they said it's not a matter of if you'll get it but when. Looks like they were right. Vaccine or not .....
