Why it's OK to shop on Boxing Day

Up until recently, very recently in fact, I thought that shopping on Boxing Day was bad.  I wondered why the people who were shopping didn't have anything better to do - an odd view, I know, from one who basically shops at every opportunity.  Although I could see the logic in waiting until Boxing Day to buy your loved one that perfect gift at a reduced price, it all seemed a bit, well, mean I suppose and what about Granny sitting at home alone?  No, I thought that it was very bad form.  Until now that is....

You see, I have come up with some very good reasons as to why we should go shopping on Boxing Day and here they are;

Laughing is good for us:  Now, we all know that laughing is good for us and laughing at other people fighting over their perfect purchase is funny.  I doubt that you will see two quite so famous (or handsome) people fighting in your local shopping centre - and they are probably more likely to be female - but you get my drift;

Men unite - Boxing Day shopping is a time when men can unite over the unfairness of it all.  Frankly I can see their point - being ripped from the heart of their home to go and watch their better half try on many an outfit must be soul destroying, which is why they can end up looking like a boxer dog on Boxing Day and that too is funny -  well, for us at least (see point above re laughing being good for you).

We've been saving hard and deserve a treat  -  With the amount of snow that we have had, we have largely been confined to barracks, which has meant no trips to the cinema, no bowling, no visits to stinky soft play areas (thank the Lord) no fun at all frankly.  The up side of this is that we have inadvertently been saving up and we all know that any extra that we have saved shouldn't be put towards life's essentials but rather it should be spent on treats!  So, here's my idea of a perfect treat:

This is one of Victoria Beckham's new bags - a snip at £1 700 and amazingly, still in stock at Net A Porter, unlike her crocodile skin bag for £8 000 which sold out in hours! I am not quite sure that the money saved on cinema trips etc this week quite amounts to £1 700 but I am sure that Primark will do a nice copy soon enough.

Exercise is good for us: After Christmas we could all do with putting a little less into our bodies and moving around a little more and so gentle exercise in the form of wandering around shops is perfect to get ourselves mobilised again after all that armchair sitting - and obviously a gentle stroll around the shops for a few hours will ensure that we will all end up looking like this -

Our immune systems benefit: All that staying indoors, cleaning our houses with anti-bac, cancelling plans with friends and family because of bad weather plays havoc with our immune systems.  We will be turning into a nation of wimps.  Time to mix with the general public, to expose ourselves to lots of bacteria and strenghten our immune systems.  Well, it's either than or go and work on a farm for a while - also good for the immune system - and I know which I prefer!

And finally, the most important reason of all!

I NEED TO GET OUT: I should say firstly that I know that I am lucky.  I am warm, dry and have plenty to eat.  However, I have made carrot cakes, lemon cakes and soup, I have done painting with the children and read endless Topsy and Tim stories, I have even had a couple of lie ins (bonus), done all the washing (even the stuff that I normally ignore for as long as possible) and tidied tidied tidied (although the place still looks a mess).  I have been lucky enough to drink plenty of mulled wine and fizz, I have eaten mince pies, watched Christmas films and eaten too many Quality Street.  Apart from opening presents I have done Christmas and now I JUST WANT TO GO SHOPPING.  Please someone, let me out, just for a while.

Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year. x