This morning I went into Brigg early to do the last bits of Christmas shopping. Not presents - I bought or made most of them ages ago - but food. It's no good for me to go in on Christmas Eve as people get a wee bit impatient with old ladies on mobility scooters. That's not how I think of myself but it is undoubtedly how people see me when they are feeling harassed!
Anyway I was in Brigg before eight this morning and my first stop was Lidl. The chap on the till was chatty and he told me he had started work at six and wouldn't be finishing until four but he still had a cheery word for me.
Then I passed B & M and a man was raising the shutters but he gave me a really cheerful "Good Morning". It was so cheery that I thanked him and he was kind enough to say that I'd made his day by my own cheerfulness and my "Thank you".
On to the butcher. My butcher is of the traditional kind - big blue apron and loads of useful advice. As soon as I stopped near his shop he was outside pulling down the awning so that my scooter wouldn't get wet whilst I was inside. And we chatted and laughed whilst I bought sausage made from locally produced pork. home cured bacon and our traditional Lincolnshire Plum Bread.
It was the same in Tesco and Wilko when I went in there. The staff were in Christmas jumpers and in great humour.
Retail staff are in for a few days very hard work, the culmination of several weeks hard work. They will also have Christmas to prepare for their own families just like the rest of us. I too was in a profession which had lots of extra tasks in the run-up to Christmas but although it was hard work I suspect that I got more thank yous than many shop workers so this is my personal thank you to all those who keep cheerful and look after us,
Thank You!
But how frustrating that Tesco, Wilko etc will be open on Boxing Day. It is quite unnecessary, and can only be for the owners to boost their profits. Well done Gary and Catherine Grant, owners of The Entertainer toyshop, who ensure their staff always get Sundays off, and a proper break over Christmas.
ReplyDeletePer Angela's comment, is it the norm that shops are closed Christmas eve, day, and the day after? I thought boxing day was the big ales day? In the Us, fewer and fewer stores and restaurants close at all for holidays.
ReplyDeleteShops here have never closed Christmas Eve - it can be panic buying day! Christmas Day pretty well everything closes. Years ago we had the "January Sales" which started, as the name suggests, in January and shops were closed on Boxing Day. These days smaller firms close Boxing Day but the bigger chains open and start their sales which are very popular with shoppers but not good for staff who have just a one day break.
DeleteNice people. Cheerfulness makes the day better.
ReplyDeleteWhat a difference a kind word or two does to one's day! Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThat was thoughtful of you. I am delighted to see that you are going to be tucking into some good Lincolnshire food over Christmas. I did toy with the idea of using some of the many Lincolnshire Plum Loaf recipes as my food experiment, then decided that I would probably want to eat all the results and that would scupper my plans for a small fast before Christmas, because one slice is never enough!
ReplyDeleteI have also found people in stores and outside of them to be a bit more cheerful this year. A smile and a greeting make the day much nicer.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Those shopkeepers and retail clerks shared some nice moments with you. I appreciate their work too, and put treats for delivery drivers on my front porch, they are working so hard this Christmas.
ReplyDelete