THANK God for Santa, that’s for sure. Can you imagine what a nightmare it would be if we didn’t have the big man himself delivering all those presents to the children of the world in the early hours of Christmas Day?
But that still leaves us with the dilemma of having to buy gifts for the adults in our lives, not to mention copious amounts of food and drink to keep our visitors well fed and watered.
I used to enjoy a bit of Christmas shopping, within reason. But with endless tailbacks in and out of shopping centres and retail parks already at intolerable levels, it’s hardly surprising that many of us are turning to the internet as the festive season approaches.
My head was spinning with all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals flooding into my mailbox. When exactly did it get so impersonal and vulgar? Why have we become slaves to consumerism on such a massive scale?
That said, ordering online has become a necessary alternative to being stuck in gridlock or paying extortionate rates in city centre car parks. In general, it’s a fast and efficient way of buying Christmas presents. With major Irish retailers now fully embracing the reality of online shopping, it’s no longer the case that we’re hitting Irish jobs by making our purchases with the click of a mouse.
There was a time when I would only order items online if I couldn’t find them in the shops but this is no longer the case, with everything from electrical goods, clothes and shoes available for home delivery.
In keeping with tradition, I still intend to experience the unrivalled magic of the city centre between now and December 25 – but only for a bit of last-minute shopping, not the essentials. It’s a trip that will take planning of near military precision, where timing – and weather – is everything. As last week showed, a bit of rain can bring instant chaos to our streets.
And what if we get a white Christmas? Businesses owners will be praying that we don’t see even the slightest dusting in December – at least until the sales are over.