Christmas Shopping Date Nights

A few afternoons ago, I needed to pop into our local Town Centre to pick a few bits and pieces up for Christmas and a family meal we were having the next evening. I managed to get Top Ender to agree to go with me... the promise of a Hot Chocolate may have been a deciding factor for Top Ender, but she was in fine spirits as we worked our way around the few stores that we needed to go to and that were still open, as it was almost closing time!

Of course, Tops agreed that a Selfie at the Christmas Tree was a brilliant way to commemorate the occasion and despite not managing to get a Hot Chocolate (it was just way too cold to walk down to the local Costa!) we did get everything else we wanted, had a really good giggle together and Top Ender and I were able to bond over the stupid bits and pieces we saw and wondered who would buy, or who decided these were a good things to sell to the British public!

A couple of days later Dan Jon Jr and I decided we needed to go to town, we were feeling a little touch of Cabin Fever thanks to the snow, and again we needed a couple of bits that we could only get in town and Dan Jon wanted to do an act of service for a Stranger which was almost impossible in our street as everybody knows our names, even if we aren't that sure of theirs!

Dan Jon and I were actually able to help a grand total of 27 people whilst we were out. Small things such as holding a door open, reaching something from a shelf that was too high or too low for the person to reach, picking up a dropped glove, collecting a basket from the front of the store for them and even help load a car with their shopping.

We'd actually not even finished getting out of our driveway when we saw the first person we could help. We could see one of our elderly neighbours struggling to walk up our road, which is a little steep at the best of times, never mind when you are using a walking stick and battling with icy paths! Our neighbour knew our names, in fact, she is one of the Old Lady Gang that lives in our street, but I have to admit to blanking on her name again. She was walking just up the road to the postbox to post some Christmas Cards but was so grateful to us when we offered to take them for her.

Of course, the only way that we could commemorate the occasion was by taking a selfie by the Christmas Tree!

The time alone with the children was brilliant fun and despite us all having completed our Christmas shopping proper back in November, it was fun to wander around the not so busy stores (thanks to the lateness and the snow) and just enjoy the Christmas Spirit.