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ResQgeek

May 2024

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I took the day off from work yesterday, at the request of my beloved, to help her with the last minute gift shopping.  Not exactly my idea of a wildly fun day, but we were pushing hard up against the time limit and this was about the only way it was going to get done.  We were gone from the house for most of our daughters' school day (about 9am to almost 3pm), looking for the last few gifts for tomorrow.  For the most part we were successful...we even managed to find a GPS unit for my wife (it is SO much easier to buy gifts for her when she's right next to you for consultation!).

The one thing that struck me, though, was the almost complete lack of crowds.  Here we were, two days from Christmas, and, for the most part, the stores were deserted.  The first mall we went to felt like a ghost town.  Except for the half-dozen new mothers jogging around the concourse with their babies in their strollers, the place was deserted.  About the only other people at Sears were the employees, looking bored nearly to death.  One whole section of that mall's parking lot had been rented to a car dealership to store their surplus inventory (I think it speaks volumes about the economy that a mall has space in its parking lot to rent to a car dealership during Christmas shopping season...as does the dealership's need for such storage space).

The second mall we went to was almost as bad.  I'm so used to having to fight through masses of people rushing to finish their last minute gift shopping that it was a bit surreal to be in a large mall with only two shopping days left before Christmas and find ourselves almost alone.  However, the lack of crowds made it much easier and less stressful finishing our own shopping.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-24 05:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] miketroll.livejournal.com
It's similar over here in the UK. It doesn't mean everyone's broke or saving their money. (Why would you want to save at <1% interest?) Our media have been cheerfully stoking gloom and doom and predicting that stores will be offering 50% discounts in January. So people are waiting. Also, online shopping has taken off. And why not? I'm an Amazon regular and always get 2-day delivery at no extra charge.

And there's another reason for not going to the mall: the weather!

Happy holidays!

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-24 05:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] emperor-fool.livejournal.com
I was in one shop yesterday that was doing a booming business: the liquor store. Not sure what that says about the priorities of the season...

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-27 01:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] browneyedrae.livejournal.com
I'm glad it wasn't busy for you, makes it much less stressful buying that perfect present for family and friends.

Here in Australia it was crazy busy for last minute shoppers (Me). I heard yesterday this Christmas this year was the biggest spend ever!

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-30 06:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wyldanthem.livejournal.com
I was expecting to be met with similarly empty stores here in PA, but I was surprised to find packed parking lots outside and long lines inside at just about every stop (yep, liquor store included!).

Maybe it's because local businesses (big boxes and mom-and-pops alike) seemed to spend a pretty penny on advertising the two weeks before Christmas. We received so many circulars I eventually gave up on clipping coupons! Not to mention the radio spots -- every commercial was boasting a bigger, more ridiculous sale. But it seemed to work.

I hope all the 'Geeks had a marvelous Christmas and that y'all enjoy an equally fabulous new year's! :)