AskBronny Blog

There’s a definite feeling in the air when you’re at shopping sales. In this case the occasion is Boxing Day and the location is by far the most sought after, Chadstone.

I’m not quite sure that I like the feeling (there’s enough anxiety, desperation, disappointment and frenzy on Christmas Day without needing it enter my zone on a retail therapy mission) but every year I throw myself into the craziness that is trying to buy what you don’t really need just because the price tag has been lowered to a figure you see fit (or that it should have originally been priced had the shop not been greedy).  

Waking up out of a heavy sleep brought on by a stomach filled with unnecessary second and third helpings of pudding, I figured there was nothing else better to do with my Boxing day then spend it as per usual with 50 million chaotic strangers in a sales filled shopping centre.  

This year I was after a few things, generally I prefer to have a list, so I knew where to go and what I didn’t need to buy or see. I wanted to change something I was given for Christmas (don’t we all?), see if that dress I’d been eyeing off for months had been reduced and due to the amount of clothes I’d bought in pre-Christmas sales I needed some coat hangers. Forget slashed televisions and electronics, I was only leaving my warm bed to purchase essentials.

I started off pretty poorly. After stealing a DVD I was after out of a somewhat abandoned trolley I made my first excessive purchase. Followed by a Gwen Stefani animal print overnight bag. And a pair of wedge heels. And a pair of chandelier earrings.

There was plenty more I could have bought and pretended to justify but there’s always something in the back of my mind at Boxing Day. Do I buy this now or wait and see if the price goes down even further at the New Year’s Day sales? I have the worst luck in that respect. After something I’ve bought has only just settled into my closet I find it with a red price sale sticker or in a discount bin so much so I now don’t go back to stores I’ve purchased from for at least a month so I don’t kick myself. I couldn’t help buying a gold and diamante costume bracelet though, there’s no way that gorgeous baby could be left a week later!

I was quite annoyed at myself for veering off track, we’re all lucky I don’t operate heavy machinery for a living, but that was nothing compared to how frustrated I was and always am with the spectacularly stupid shoppers who decide to ruin my experience each year.

I’m all up for fight, believe me if you mess with something I’m after you’re a dead man, but really folks, do you have to snatch singlet tops out of people’s hands like you’re trying to acquire canned food for another Y2K bug scare? Didn’t think so. And another thing. Do you really need to buy Christmas plates, serviettes and bonbons when the day doesn’t roll around for another year? Exactly. Oh, and to the woman who stood on my open toed sandals and in the process bruised the entire top of my foot, Santa certainly won’t be visiting you next year!

I could go on with a list of misbehaved shopper ways (don’t scan twenty items at a price point when there are just as many people lined up behind you) but after all I’m sure there are things I do when sales shopping that annoy the hoards around me. Like finding a car space. Without fail I never have to circle the car park.