Topic: Is Xmas looking like it's going to be the pits?

[Francois]

I'm wondering if things are as bad in your neck of the woods as they are here.
We've been trying to do some holiday shopping for Christmas. Notice the word "trying".
Things are really not looking cheerful this year. Prices in the stores are bordering insanity for cheap junk.
There are no new, cool or fun things to be found anywhere.
There's no holiday spirit in the air. There's not much that I can find that comes anything close to fun.
But the worst is the prices. 30$ for a really lean Christmas tree. 25$ for a small Xmas log that would feed about 3 people.
People are driving from store to store to try and find something, but always seem to come out empty handed.

Is it like that everywhere or just here?

[LEAFotography]

It's tricky to say at the moment.

We've just had the annual (apart from last year!) Christmas Market here, and it was much less busy that 2019, with fewer Coaches and a few cancelled trains. I think lots of food and drinks were bought...but I'm less sure about other goods being sold. We managed to sell all the mistletoe we'd harvested, from a friend's apple tree locally!

Thankfully I have little to buy this year, but have been getting stuff here and there since August. What remains is: food; drink; and wood...

I made an impulse purchase of a forlorn Voigtlander Vito BL, with its original rangefinder attachment for £30 in good condition, but I don't think that falls into the category of essential Christmas shopping

I hope things perk up for you over there!