Christmas biscuits and chocolates

briskbeats

As I collected my turkey from my work, one of the managers asked me to go into the back for something. Normally on Christmas Eve, there’s hardly any cases of biscuits and chocolates. There were still loads left. Even at cheap prices.

It either means 1. People aren’t buying as many presents 2. People are buying other things instead of biscuits and chocolate 3. Something else.

I personally find people who buy tins of biscuits and chocolates for people have little imagination. I remember a customer coming through my till about five years ago buying 60 tubs of Roses and said to me that is was her one and only Christmas gift shop! I’m glad I’m not related or friends with her as she would have given one to her sister and  brother in law.

Have you noticed a lot of chocolate and biscuits in your supermarket shop?

Brie

Now that you mention it - yes I have.  I suspect that a lot of businesses like ours haven't bought the usual pile of treats for the office as so few people are actually working there still.  Instead we were all given an allowance to buy what we wanted and then needed to claim it back on expenses.  As an admin I was helping with these submissions so saw the range from the sublime to the ridiculous and all the way to down right practical.  But only 1 person in about 150 bought biscuits and chocolates - for their kids presumably - and I think that was only because they were topping up to the limit having already picked out a very nice bottle of fizz for the adults in the family.

realistlaw

first of all Merry Christmas guys, I got your point and at my area's supermarket I also saw this case people are not buying gifts and presents as they used to buy in past years I think people are not that socially active except for online media.... so that's why they don't need a ton of supplies anymore. @briskbeats have a great weekend.

wild666

I never buy biscuits or tins of sweets, they are a waste of money.  

GaleSF63

There is a lot less opportunity for giving "visiting" gifts, as there is a lot less visiting happening. 

Mnoee

On top of the things mentioned, it may be that many people who used to buy a tin for the postie/binmen/etc have stopped due to rising energy bills and the like - or giving cash instead, knowing they're likely in a similar position. I know we're certainly cutting back on non-essentials. 

briskbeats

I have never tipped bin men or posties as get different ones each week.

Rosa_Damascena

Mnoee said:

On top of the things mentioned, it may be that many people who used to buy a tin for the postie/binmen/etc have stopped due to rising energy bills and the like - or giving cash instead, knowing they're likely in a similar position. I know we're certainly cutting back on non-essentials. 

I thought that was a custom that died by 1990? Seriously, once these services were privatised all bets were off.

elsien

Bit of a sweeping blanket statement that buying tins of chocolates for people shows a lack of imagination.
Parent buys a family box for each of her adult children every year - they still get a well thought out personal present as well, the chocs are just an extra stocking filler. 

JIL

I used to buy biscuits and chocolate for work, but covid meant that any food items had to be individually wrapped and also I didnt want to leave out those working from home.

So I didnt buy any and made a donation to charity instead.

pumpkin89

This is really interesting as I found the opposite this year - there wasn't much left by Christmas Eve in any of the shops in my area, and my annual post-Christmas reduction hunt has been slim pickings.

These things are very often bought as extra gifts, so perhaps people have been more focused this year i.e. buy someone one really good gift they'll love rather than lots of generic stuff.