Retail "therapy" - pleasure or pain?

Pain, pain, pain.

My reward for another visit to my MiL is popping into M&S on the way, trying on something expensive that I have no intention of buying, having a squirt of my favourite perfume and buying a loaf of their poppy seed and black olive bread (yummy!)

Daughter and I had a lovely time today in our local Waterstones. There were some beautiful books in the children's dept. We had coffee and carrot cake and then went back to the books. No crowds which doesn't bode well for the high street and I'm usually an Amazon book buyer who still misses her local independent book shop. I did buy some books today.
It was retail pleasure.

Pain in the bum, went out today to try to buy clothes for GDs and came back with nothing. GD2 is just four but in eight year old clothes and what fit her are not really appropriate. Caught in snow and thunderstorm which caused flash flooding.

SNOW?!! I wonder if that was what fell as hail here? Brrr!

I am struggling with this year's buying. Hate shopping at the best of times and this year is far from the best. Have had my third attempt and failed miserably. The Christmas parcels could be empty this year

Going food shopping makes my world feel on an even keel. I suspect it's having had so many people to feed for so long. But, I really love mooching too.

Going to have a good old mooch in John Lewis this morning - oh, wait a minute tho', have to inspect fridge/freezers for DS and DDiL and report which ones are "off-white"

I hate shopping of any description and only do it when absolutely necessary. The best thing about shopping centes is that they keep lots of people there which leaves the countryside less crowded.

I love a mooch with DD. We're planning a day out next week. DH is on babysitting duty I'm luck as DH doesn't complain about a day shopping. He usually accompanies me on the weekly food shop too.

I agree with you Tiggy, I absolutely hate it, so make most of my necessary purchases on line. Throughout the year there are traffic queues into the town centre at the weekend, I have never joined one!

I'm with the hate it crowd try to do it online or early in the morning if I absolutely cannot avoid.

Yesterday I enjoyed an unplanned trip to Liverpool after finding in my e-mails an offer for 40% off Body Shop stuff from Martin Lewis's site and I really enjoyed going on my own to browse the shops not to have to clock watch as I do with DD who has to be back for school pick up,I wandered through Liverpool1 and listened to the music and visited the Continental markets stalls on Church Street very enjoyable indeed.

I don't like shopping I can never find anything I like.

Yesterday I went looking for some jumpers and couldn't find any smart ones at all. Plenty with silly pictures on the front or very open weave that wouldn't keep you warm at all or that quite frankly look scruffy. While we are at it, what is it with the different level hems on jumpers (longer at the back than the front).

sunseeker I think it's so your vest can hang out at the bottom of your jumper at he font but not the back.
I don't really rock that look either

Can anyone explain why shopping invariably makes me yawn continually which can be embarrassing?

I hate shopping too and do the minimum. We always do the weekly food shop early - there by 7.30am and back home, unpacked and recovered before 9am. It's blissfully quiet then and no queuing for a till and I can almost enjoy a browse! I don't like the idea of the supermarket pickers choosing my food order which is why I don't order online but if ever I get too doddery I will certainly order online.

I've done all my Christmas shopping online though, as usual, and I enjoy the browsing involved in that. I don't like crowds.

There where quite a few jumpers with the longer back at one of the stores I looked in yesterday must be to help hide the rear end a wee bit is my theory some looked good in fact and some a bit tat and unstylish,I did find a nice sweater dress to wear with leggings in Matalan with a good mix of angora wool which made it very soft to the feel and only needed the addition of a big scarf to the neckline to dress it up,worthwhile looking at their website as they have a decent reduction on sweaters at the moment depending on what you like.

A pain for me usually. It depends how pressured I am.

I had an Email from DD about possible Christmas prezzies which roughly transcribes as.......

I would like (X) but hubby might be onto that.
I would like (Y) but I think MIL might be onto that.
I would like (Z) but I think MIL might be onto that.

A helpful soul my DD

Hate High Street shopping, hate crowds, find clothes shopping boring and depressing but cannot resist a second hand book shop, junk shop, lowest level of auction sale or market.

But most of all I LOATHE shopping malls, with their bright lights, hard floors and lack of any view on to the outside and their lack of weather. If I am ever inveigled into one, after 50 feet my feet are aching, I am overheated and just want to make my excuses and leave.

I don't mind food shopping. I go to the same place and so long as they don't start shifting the goods to a different place, I am ok . I can shop in one shop i.e. John Lewes. I recently spent half a day at the House of Bruar which was lovely - had a break for lunch - and then back to business but the thought of walking up and down from one shop to another on an organised 'shopping trip' fills me with horror. After 2 hours I take to the hills like a crazy woman

Not so keen on supermarket shopping or going out to buy something when I know exactly what I want, that is better online. I do love going for a good browse and finding something different as a gift for family. I like finding a bargain for myself and mostly only buy things for me on impulse. At the moment I am looking for something specific and that is not so good because of course I can't find it.

It also depends who I am with. Happy on my own, happy with DH unless he is in one of his 'difficult' moods and certain friends are good to go with. I do have some friends who take so long to make up their minds what they are going to buy that I tend only to go with them when they are shopping and I am not!

Flickety, I'm glad I'm not the only one with shopping mall allergy. I go there as seldom as possible and only when dragged there by senior GD who is my fashion adviser. I cannot bear shopping with one of my sisters who is the most indecisive woman on the planet. In fact, I mostly prefer lone shopping, if I do have to shop!

John Lewis would be a real treat for me as I live miles away from one and a visit would be a major expedition! I must admit to enjoying a good browse when I visit family who live in more civilized parts of the country. My sister and I have been known to spend hours in v.large M&S, but that did include a meal, does that excuse me?