Bedlam out there already!

Just have to get salad stuff, veg and fruit now ( unless DH comes up with MORE essentials) . So will probably visit Tesco very early on Thursday. Anything else I will get from our excellent local Coop.

I only shop once a week. This week's shop has been done.

Next week, I will be at Waitrose on Friday at 7.30am, when it opens. I will be in and out well before 8.30, then to the Farm Shop to collect the turkey (he opens at 8.00am) then the other farm shop for ham, sausagemeat etc (She opens at 8.30)am, finally the village baker (he opens at 9.00am)

By 9.30am, I will be back at home, sitting down with coffee and buttered toast and I will then not go near a shop for any purpose for at least another week.

I remember a few years back when I was still doing the shopping with DH and one of his traditions is pork pie for Christmas. I was looking for one with a far enough off use by date and couldn't find one. Walked away and another customer came running after me with one she had found. Not all bad being in a crowded supermarket.

At Christmas our Waitrose has a single queuing system with friendly staff organising it and making it fair.

Love living here.

I do my shopping mostly online as I don't like big supermarkets - can never find anything. For the forgotten extras I'll be shooting off to the Coop which is small and friendly and has a good variety of things. I keep telling myself it's only for one day!

DGD announced last night that there is a Bake Sale at school on Monday, so unfortunately I have to shop for ingredients. Off to Asda for 7.30 opening, shouldn't be too busy I hope.

Phoenix you should have stuck your oar in and told them to buy both because crackers are probably one of the cheapest things to buy!

Actually Maureen and Gerald are clones of my lovely FiL and his not so lovely late wife!

DH does the food shopping at the crack of dawn these days and I try to avoid the need to pop in for something at this time of year. The customers that drive me mad are the couples with an overflowing trolley each. I'm sure they're not feeding the 5000

shysal

Shelf stackers!

My last shop before Christmas will be done at around 5am at the 24 hour Tesco. I just can't stand the crowds during peak hours. There will only be shelf stickers to contend with.

phoenix

Absolutely crackers!

I think it's probably too late to get a delivery slot now in time for Christmas!

We are not food shopping this week but have been out quite a lot and the traffic jams are enough to make me want to hibernate.

phoenix, I thought it was just me. In fact, when I got home I told dh to stop me going shopping if I become a dithered. It drove me bonkers this morning. If they would move to one side rather than stopping in the middle of the aisle it would help.

I get my main shopping online usually but having booked a Tesco delivery today for next week I've found there's quite a few things not available, including turkey. So, this Christmas the online order to miss the crowds is not working. In fact, Tesco online has not be good recently, with quite limited delivery times.

In our Tesco it is the 'pickers' who abandon their large trolleys that cause havoc. They also stop constantly to talk to each other and shoppers they know.

That should be food sampling - but it was also good!

Shop online. You don’t have to spend money on browsing. And you don’t come back wanting to kill people.?

My Tesco was very busy this morning but in a Festive way - lots of good sampling and quaffing of Prossecco - at 11 a.m. - purely medicinal of course. And bone-in beef rib at half price.

Waitrose seemed busier than usual this morning. Then I remembered. It was Friday and I usually shop on Thursday, so of course it was busier!

Thank goodness for online shopping! Have done my Xmas present shopping and grocery shop this way for years. Much more civilised

Or sideways across the aisle?

Can anyone explain to me why people must put their shopping trolleys along the produce display, thus stopping anyone else from reaching the food!

Phoenix it’s what happens once we retire!

Our Tesco's was busier than usual this morning, but not unpleasantly so. There were plenty of staff in cheerful jumpers to make the place look festive and get the checkouts working smoothly. Yesterday Aberdeen was not as busy as I had expected, but I wouldn't want to go there tomorrow, as Saturdays are hectic enough at any time.

Did you find out any more about Maureen's near death experience, phoenix? If there is a dangerous kind of biscuit out there, perhaps we should be told.