Panic stations already!

Everything is available on line, no need to queue anywhere.

I took 3 pairs of boots to the cobblers on Tuesday. He can do them whilst he is closed. Otherwise done nothing any different to normal.
We are a county of 2halves here. We have the highest rate in the country , just in one very small town and the rest of the county is very low.

Living in a low COVID area, I am continuing on as I have done since lockdown started last March. Wear mask and gloves when shopping, wash my hands as soon as I get home and socially distance.

I went and did the weeks shopping as usual yesterday morning, the supermarket was almost devoid of customers. We went to the tip with two huge builders sacks of leaves (and there are four more to go) and I visted a friend, who is shielding to take her, her shopping and we had a chat, she at the far end of her kitchen, me just outside the back door.

I see no point in getting paranoid about the risks of COVID before or after lockdown. Just take sensible precautions, obey the rules and continue your life as normally as possible.

I have been ill recently (again!) and so has my husband (most unusual), so we booked a week’s holiday in a cottage in Cornwall to recover. We thought we may have had to cut short our time away, but the guidelines say we can keep to our original dates. Today we drove into the city to visit a mentally ill (and therefore ‘vulnerable’) relative. We met by the river and had a take-away pasty and a chat before saying goodbye and returning to our car. On the way we passed by a large M&S, I popped in to buy a couple of their ‘dine in a for £12’ meals and was surprised to find the whole store was open. Apart from maybe 4 or 5 customers in the food hall the place was completely empty, which suited me very well as it’s the first time in more than a YEAR that I’ve been in a large shop.

i hate garden centres.
i find them depressing.

Here we go again. People 'despairing' about others doing exactly what they themselves are doing, and making assumptions about their motives.

My local FB page is the same: 'I was driving around and saw so many other people in their cars. What do they not understand?', 'I was in X shop, and there were so many other people in there who can't possibly need to be shopping. Do they not care?', I went for a walk to take exercise, and there were so many other people walking about! Is it any wonder the R rate is so high?'

All we can do is obey the rules as best we can, and leave others to do the same. Moaning on social media helps no-one, and fuels anxiety in those who are already worried.

I had to collect something from Marks and Spencers today, was surprised to find the whole shop was open, but there was no-one in the whole store. If that is the future for M & S, it is bleak indeed.

annesixty I’ve no idea where you are but your daughter obviously lives not too far from me. I live on the south coast, but sometimes I go into the city and go to Gunwharf. However I haven’t been there since the first lockdown started in March, actually I haven’t been there all this year. One reason is that although the whole area is in Tier One with low numbers, the city has much higher figures than our area. In fact I haven’t been outside our area all year, except for a couple of visits to our son’s house about 45 minutes away, and our holiday to Kefalonia in September (which was like a breath of fresh air because Greece has so little Covid.)

I just despair, I really do. It looks like people are trying their very best to go out and catch the virus.

Is Christmas shopping and card buying so important that you'd risk your life?

It's true - there's no cure for stupid!

Went to a local garden centre today (part of a Nationwide chain). Met outside and told there was no cafe and no browsing allowed. Knew what I wanted, so in and out in 5 minutes. Could have bought lots but had to abide by their rules. Only 2 other customers in.

We went to Morrisons this morning. It was quiet and the shelves were fully stocked. I guess the panic was in the first couple of days.

Since mid-March I’ve sent several online e-cards and have been surprised by the strong positive reactions from relatives and friends. For GC I have send actual cards via Mxxpxg or Fxnky Pigxxn, personalised with photographs once I fumbled my way into being able to do so! I was also encouraged by DS to make a brief video (my first!) for his youngest’s birthday. Apparently the bit where my party popper fails to do what I expect is hilarious.
I shall order packs of charity Christmas cards online and have bought stamps online from the supermarket with my grocery order. I long to see my family but want us all to stay safe.

Just went back to the same garden centre today....wonderful!
Only about a half dozen customers in the whole place.
Which means that most people don’t realise they are staying open.Bought many presents, plus lights and candles and Christmas bits.

Those of us who normally send gifts abroad were probably doing some concentrated shopping too. Once/if the lockdown is over it may be too late to post.
I know this is not a major part of the queues discussed above but it adds a few people everywhere probably.

We have stayed at tier 1 all the time until this lockdown, we are in the second lowest area in the country so wish they had stayed in the tier system but needs must. I did go out yesterday and buy pet food and Xmas cards to write. I also went to the local post office to send of 2 parcels and it was the only place I had to queue outside, they were only allowing a couple of people in at a time so they could distance. We’ll see what happens in England after the 2nd, I would so like to be able to visit my friend who I haven’t seen for nearly a year.

I would have thought most people would be buying their cards in November anyway I make all mine so I can sit back and smile
The one thing that does annoy me is stock pilers buying up a months worth of food and squirrelling it away that’s what causes the food shortages and is greedy the food shops aren’t going to close
We are Tier 1 and most times I ve been out the queues are very orderly I haven’t seen any bad behaviour to be honest

I have bought bread flour, yeast and milk powder as it all completely disappeared in the first lockdown. I also bought my charity Christmas cards from a church as I knew that they wouldn't be able to open after today. Otherwise will be doing a big shop tomorrow as I usually do.

I can’t see anything at all wrong with people queuing today to get cards, presents, etc and have their hair cut while they can. They’re hardly raving in the street and their local businesses will be glad of the custom. Of course there were no queues at the food shops - they’ll be staying open

When did we become such a sanctimonious nation, forever ready to judge others?

We went to get something from the garden centre this morning and turned back due to queues.......garden centres are remaining open! Where’s the logic?

Willow500

A relative has to do her GD exchange handover from her father which they normally do in one of the very large shopping centres. She posted a video on Sunday of the huge queues waiting to get in and the overflowing car park - no social distancing evident and few masks! What Covid?!!

I'm wondering where this shopping centre was? What part of England?

I can't talk for the whole of South West, where I live, but there was nothing like that since the lockdown announcement. I've shopped twice since then with no problems and everyone social distancing.

A relative has to do her GD exchange handover from her father which they normally do in one of the very large shopping centres. She posted a video on Sunday of the huge queues waiting to get in and the overflowing car park - no social distancing evident and few masks! What Covid?!!

I went to a local card shop yesterday to buy birthday cards for the next few weeks. Then I heard the shop isn't going to close, as it is a newsagents.
I also bought a few items, toiletries and household items from Boyes, as I do about every 6 weeks, then I heard them tell someone that they were staying partially open. I don't know what category they come in or even if it is true.
I shall get my Christmas cards online.

The card shop in our precinct was the only shop with a queue which I was not surprised at as we don't know if this 4 week lockdown will be extended and people want to buy cards for xmas and of course birthday cards,I have 3 grandsons whose birthdays run between early December and New Years Eve.
Every ones needs are different.All the other shops had just a few people doing a one in one out system which was working very well.

I agree grandtante
November marks the start of Christmas shopping for many and if you are working and get a monthly salary there may only be one more pay day until Christmas.
This could be just us, but we eat more in winter too so stocking up on non-perishable foods is necessary too as we could have bad weather to come.

I call this sensible not mad.

I went and did a month and a half's shopping before they closed our border with Germany again.

Live had to go on as normally as possible during lockdown, so why not buy Christmas cards now and write them whilst you can't go out?