Don't dooo as I dooo!! (Tips For Hassle-Free Christmas Shopping)

Member Name: janna

Product:	Tips For Hassle-Free Christmas Shopping
Date:	24/12/01 (50 review reads)
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I am disorganised. I have always been disorganised; in fact I have muddled through life being totally disorganised and unprepared; that is me, the way I am. Holidays and packing have always been last minute. I get to the airport with minutes rather than hours to spare. Even though I try my hardest, I am continually late for appointments. So why should Christmas be any different? You would never think that I was born under the sign of Virgo, I thought that people born under this star sign were supposed to be well prepared and meticulous, with everything in its place and a place for everything.

We have been fortunate in that we have spent the last few Christmases abroad, so apart from buying cards and presents for family and friends (and a pressie for my horse, of course), I have not needed to do a big Christmas food shop.

So, it is Christmas Eve and I have just come back from doing my food shopping at The Battlefield, also known as Safeway; just to buy a few last minute items such as the turkey, potatoes, sausage-meat, brussel sprouts etc. I should have been forewarned when I pulled in to Safeway's Car Park. Despite its massive size, we were queuing to park and the Filling Station was chocker-blocked with cars filling up with fuel! (Do they think it is going to be closed all week?)

When I tell you I already have a turkey; you may be asking why is she buying another? Just before last Christmas my husband, who participates in clay pigeon shooting, won a turkey at a turkey shoot. No, no, no they don't shoot the turkeys. It is definately clay targets and frozen turkeys were given to the winners of the event. So, he came home full of himself for having won a turkey. I found out much later that he hadn't won it at all, but had helped with scoring etc. and as the Organiser had one turkey left over; it had been given to my husband. As we were going abroad last Christmas, I put the frozen turkey in the bottom of my deep fre
eze and promptly forgot about it. Until a few weeks ago that is. So now I am wondering is the frozen turkey, which has been in the freezer for one year, going to be edible when thawed out and cooked? Or, ought I to bin it? I have now thawed it out and it looks and smells alright. But will it be as tough as old boots?

So hence my trip to Safeway in order to buy a second turkey. It is absolutely jam-packed with people doing their last minute shopping. It is a good job I wore sensible boots, instead of my normal high heels, as I have been trodden on, had trolleys pushed into me, been barged out of the way etc.; not to mention the fact that I narrowly missed running a small boy over with my own trolley.

Quite a lot of the perishable items have been reduced in price including the turkeys, although there were only a few left. What I witnessed was two women, who were of an age where they should have known better, almost coming to fisticuffs over a turkey! "I got it first" "No, you didn't I just put it down for a few seconds, it is mine". I might have been able to understand it if the turkeys had been drastically reduced in price, but they were not. I gave up and chose a joint of beef instead.

Having purchased the last bag of potatoes and bought my other bits and pieces, including a good supply of booze, I proceeded to the checkouts. All the checkouts were in action with long queues at each. At last it was my turn and I emptied my trolley. Would you believe it, I had managed to pick the only pack of pork pies without a reduced label on it! A member of staff is sent to check on the price. All my other items are packed away in bags. And I am still waiting for my pork pies. There is now a queue of eight or more people with trolleys behind me all glaring at me for keeping them waiting. Why does it happen to me? After waiting what seems like an age, I give up; I tell the checkout assistant that I will leave
the pork pies.

So my advice to dooyoo readers for hassle-free Christmas shopping is NOT to do your food shopping as I do, but to:

1. Make a list of what you need and try to stick to it

2. Check any food in your freezer that you intend to cook for the 'use by' date

3. Do your food shopping before Christmas Eve (or be prepared for little old ladies fighting over turkeys!)

4. Don't take your husband/children with you as he/they may put in the trolley lots of 'little' extras that simply MUST be purchased.

5. Fill up with petrol before Christmas Eve or be prepared to queue for long periods.


I conclude by wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.

Whilst you are all opening your pressies on Christmas morning and my husband is cooking the turkey (or the beef!) I shall be enjoying a Christmas morning ride, galloping across the sands on a beach in North Norfolk on my horse.

Janna
24th December

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