by Stella Kaye

Created on: December 02, 2010

Christmas Shopping in Arctic Britain

Last week in Yorkshire, It began to snow in honour of my birthday and now nearly a week later the inclement weather still hasn’t showed any signs of abating. Wintry snowstorms this bad before Christmas are practically unheard of in the UK and they will likely make a definite impact on the December drudgery of Christmas shopping.

‘Hmm... snow use doing the Xmas shopping just yet - snow buses,’ I joke as my teenage son avalanches in through the back door looking like the abominable snowman. His school is closed due to the adverse conditions which pleases him no end.  

He tells me is constructing an igloo in the back garden. ‘You better be careful you don’t make it too big; the council will make us apply for planning permission!’

‘What’s the difference between snowmen and snow women?’ I quip.

‘Snowballs!’

The usual snow jokes continue as thick and fast as the snow itself and as I search for something hearty for dinner I realise our supplies are getting dangerously low. ‘Never mind Christmas shopping, if we’re snowed in much longer we’ll run out of food!’

I’d already had to make one mad dash to the bank in a snow storm to stop myself going overdrawn and my thoughts of going into town again for Christmas shopping are currently not exactly festive; Scrooge I’m not, but I absolutely hate snow.

We could always improvise and raid the Christmas hampers I had bought for friends from the ever faithful Rington’s delivery man; we needn’t starve. And as for Christmas presents, I could be lazy, stay at home and order some perfectly packaged perfumery from the nice Avon lady.

And thank goodness for Tesco’s home delivery. If I run out of cash I can do all my Christmas shopping online; the credit card will cope and I need not set one foot outside at all in these freezing conditions.

We could really do with some new hot water bottles and I discover that from Tesco’s online store you can order cute fur covered novelty penguin and reindeer ones for ten quid each. This easily solves the problem of Christmas shopping and coping with the big freeze at the same time - a wonderful present for everyone and not exactly daylight rubbery at the price.

Two weeks ago I was sunning myself on a beach in Tunisia where mere thoughts of Christmas shopping nearly convinced me to extend my stay.

The sight of a Christmas tree long before

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