Its December! My ban on all Christmas talk (TBTB Santa excepted of course) has been lifted!
When you’ve done 15 years in retail you can become somewhat anaesthetised to the joy of Christmas spirit. Listening to the same novelty tie beep out renditions of Jingle Bells and repeatedly folding up flashing Christmas jumpers since the day after Halloween can take its toll. A long time ago I managed the process team in a supermarket- I have seen the elderly inflict some impressive damage on each other in their fight for a sale-priced Turkey let me tell you. Cementing a smile on your face and accepting the blame for every Christmas you’ve personally ruined by not having the right wrapping paper in stock, selling out of pigs in blankets or telling employees you cannot close up any earlier.
NOT ANYMORE FRIENDS!
This is my first Christmas as an adult that I will NOT be dragging my stubborn sober ass into work on Boxing Day morning. I won’t be rushing home from the leery Christmas Eve drunks trying to buy their wives lingerie just minutes before the store closes. No balancing on stools to hang heavy sale banners in cold windows, watching the last of the gift shoppers happily sipping hot chocolates on their way home.
I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or frame the beautifully signed holiday form I handed over to payroll last month. 22nd December until 3rd January. This was it. I’d finally gotten my one true wish for Christmas since 2003.
Boy do I have plans!
This month on An Average Life I’ll be sharing my Christmas movie watchlist, family game recommendations, our traditions, this years wishlist, perhaps a cheeky mince pie & mulled wine recipe and obviously my Christmas TBR among other things.
Then all I’ll have left to do is find some reindeer ears for Watson!
I’m sure he will be juuust thrilled…
AND PLEASE
Be nice to retailers this Christmas. Don’t add to the throw away comments and snappy complaints already chipping away their spirits. Every polite customer, every smile, every good wish is noticed and appreciated.
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Roxanne Reviews 
Absolutely love this post!
As someone who also works in retail, I can relate to this post so much! I’m glad you’ve managed to get the time off you deserve! It’s going to be so lovely for you to be able to relax and not worry about what kind of ‘delightful’ customers you’ll be facing over the chaotic weeks of Christmas. Xx
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I was just talking to my friend’s kids about why you say thank you to people in shops or whenever they give you something, even more so over Christmas season .. they could be having a bad day and you saying thank you could cheer them up even if it’s for a few seconds, it’s better than nothing!
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