WA Advent Calendar 2025 - Saturday 20th December

byGail-UK

3.8K followers

3 hrs ago

OK everyone, we're into the final 5 days before Christmas, and in our calendar today, we have a Christmas present.

The Last Shopping Saturday Before Christmas

Now I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but today is the last shopping Saturday before Christmas! Today is the day when half the country seems to descend on town centres with a mixture of hope, panic and aching feet. If you love Christmas shopping, today is your moment. But if (like me) you hate it, today is the stuff of festive nightmares, or as I like to call it... The Last Nightmare Before Christmas!! (Festive nod to Tim Burton for that one!)

Queues snake out of shops, car parks turn into battlegrounds, tempers fray, feet and heads ache and everyone suddenly remembers three people they still haven’t bought for. There’s always that one poor soul wandering around with a glazed expression, clutching a packet of socks, wondering if it’s acceptable as a main present... Yes it is, if it's sent with love!!

My mum used to get all her Christmas shopping done in August – which, frankly, is far too organised for me, and I don't really like to think about Christmas until December, but we are all different. I understand the appeal of shopping early but somehow I never find the time to do it. Anything is better than trying to navigate a shopping centre the Saturday before Christmas in full survival mode, when, at times, the 'Spirit of Christmas' seems to be as far away as the North Pole!

Christmas Markets

Christmas markets are a shopping tradition that seems to have bucked the trend and be more about the experience than the shopping, and in fact, I'm heading off to Petworth House in Sussex this afternoon with my sister and brother-in-law, just to soak up the atmosphere.

Traditional Christmas markets trace their origins back to Germany and Austria in the late Middle Ages, with one of the earliest known examples being Dresden’s Striezelmarkt, first held in 1434. Traditionally created as winter fairs where people could buy festive food, handmade gifts and warm drinks, they have since spread across Europe and the world. As I've hinted, their appeal lies in the atmosphere as much as the shopping: twinkling lights, mulled wine, artisan stalls, music drifting through the cold air, and that lovely sense of community that happens when people gather outdoors in winter. Modern Christmas markets blend nostalgia with novelty, offering everything from traditional crafts to gourmet street food, and for many families, they’ve become an essential part of the festive season - if not for the shopping, for the eggnog and doughnuts with caramel sauce!

Christmas markets are traditionally and still enjoyed today.

The modern shift: Online shopping to the rescue

In recent years, more and more people have moved away from the in-person shopping chaos and turned to online retailers. And I know all your WA folk will understand this, as we have all built our businesses on online information and shopping.

The convenience is irresistible:
• No queues
• No car park nightmares
• No fighting through crowds
• No aching legs
• No running out of wrapping paper at midnight... OK, well, you may still do this if you don't buy enough, but you can't have everything!

Online shopping has completely reshaped the Christmas season. For many households, delivery drivers have become the real Santa’s helpers, bringing gifts straight to doorsteps while we stay warm with a cup of tea/coffee or a strange liqueur that someone bought us last year. And for those of us in the WA community, this shift is more than convenience – it’s an opportunity.

The steady growth of online shopping means:
• More people searching for product reviews
• More traffic to niche sites
• More affiliate sales in December
• More businesses are built from home rather than on the high street

Christmas commercialism can feel overwhelming, but the move online has opened doors for thousands of digital entrepreneurs who now earn income without ever entering a shopping mall.

The last-minute scramble

Still, no matter how digital we become, there’s always a frantic rush in the final days. Someone forgets a gift. Someone changes their mind. Someone suddenly decides they’re hosting Christmas dinner after all. And off we go again.

It’s almost a tradition in itself – the last-minute candle diffuser, the emergency pyjamas, the “will this do?” gift set grabbed from the nearest shelf.

I remember when Christmas shut down the shops for a few days, when nothing was open on a Sunday, and the pace of life was a lot slower. And in my old age, I'm returning to this more and more and giving up the fast-paced, 24/7 mentality in favour of a little more peace and quiet, which is funnily enough, what I usually say I want for Christmas!

Finding the meaning beneath the madness

So whilst I hate the commercialism of Christmas, I do embrace the move to online shopping for our businesses.

That may seem like an oxymoron for some, but it's not for me. I do buy presents at Christmas for my friends and loved ones, but I do this to show them I love them, not to overindulge or 'keep up with the Joneses!'

I'm also very happy when my friends give me charitable donations for a Christmas present (as one did today - thanks Becky), because quite honestly, my house is already overflowing with 'STUFF' that I don't really need, never use and have forgotten I've got!!

Christmas shopping may have grown into a commercial beast, but at its heart, the intention remains simple: thoughtfulness, care and wanting someone to feel seen and valued. Whether you believe in the religious origin of Christmas or not, this "Spirit of Christmas" can be felt regardless of religion.

Perhaps that’s the part we need to hold onto while we steer clear of overcrowded shops and embrace the calm of online alternatives. Most people don't need 10 presents each, but would honestly rejoice in receiving one that has been sincerely thought about, chosen with care and sent with love.

Wherever you are today – braving the shops or browsing from the sofa, I hope the weekend brings you more peace than panic, more joy than queues, and at least one moment where you remember what (and who) this season is really for.

Sending you all my most precious gift, which is my love and appreciation,

Gail