Manchester, UK (Christmas 2001)

1. Present-buying and giving

It is really a headache for many people and considered by some as the most stressful activity.  According to the counselling charity Relate '59% of us [the UK residents] say the most stressful part of Christmas is finding the right present, while 54% moan about spending too much money' (from Mirror Mag on 22 Dec 2001). So, advice on how to relax yourself was given on the newspapers and magazines, besides those various kinds of advice and suggestions on what and where to buy your Christmas presents. Interestingly, it is said that 'present giving is also one of those things many men seem able to ignore... so what happens? The woman in their life buys double' (Miranda Sawyer, Mirror Mag of 22 Dec 2001, p.M5).

What were the must-buy items of this year's Christmas? The popular Harry Potter's merchandise? Or a widely used mobile? The answer didn't take too long to be found out as a report after Christmas showed that the sales of mobile phones over the Christmas period decreased while Robbie Williams' CD and Bridget Jones' Diary were the main winners in Britain's £35 billion Christmas shopping spree (NW Metro, Jan 3, 2002).

2. Clothes-buying

It is a good time and offers excuses for women to buy those party dresses and accessories for the Christmas parties.

3. Preparation for Christmas dinner

For those who plan to spend their time stuffing a turkey at home, there are loads of advice on what and how to cook, while those who have extra money to spend can try the recommendations made by the newspapers when thinking of where to dine out on Christmas' Eve. Mince pies, Christmas puddings and so on were in abundance on the shelves of the supermarkets.

4. Songs

Every year people are concerned about who will be on the top spot of the pop album and single charts. This year, Robbie Williams can have a wonderful Christmas holiday as his single with Nicole Kidman ('Somethin Stupid') and album (Swing when you're winning) were on the winners in the pop charts.

Unsurprisingly as in previous years, Wham's 'last Christmas' was the song I heard most everywhere. 

Post-Christmas and New Year period:

1. Big Sale

'Half price' and 'sale' must be the most frequently used words in advertisements while '50%' the most frequently seen figure (other examples include 'buy one get one free'). So you can imagine how crazy people would be when they were going out for shopping. It was said that, for example, 'in Manchester bargain-hunting motorists queued for half a mile along the motorway to reach the turning for the shops in the Trafford Centre' (Daily Express, 27 Dec, 2001). All the ads in the media are about sales on things ranging from clothes, shoes, computers, furniture to CDs... all sorts of products are on sale with differing discounts. 

It has been reported that there was a record sales in many shops. While the signs and fears of world economic recession have appeared in many countries, the sales boom over the festive period in Britain without doubt has raised concerns about its future economy. Some people fear that 'there is a mountain of debt building up that borrowers will have trouble repaying in the future because credit is far too easy to come by' (letter of the day by Andy Kendall, Daily Express, p.32 Dec 24, 2001).As Simon Hinde from Daily Express questions, 'What price will we pay for retain boom?' (Dec 27. 2001) and 'Is Britain buying time or storing up trouble?' (Jan 2, 2002)

2. Delayed Mail

Please forgive the postmen for delivering your mail late in such wonderful time of the year!

3. Lingering holiday mood

4. Snow

As in last year, we had a late white Christmas. There was some small patches of snow before Christmas' Eve but they were not enough to make it a white Christmas. It was only after Christmas that the whole country was covered with snow with temperatures being subzero.

5. Crowded football fixtures

English football leagues are well-known for their hectic schedules, especially during the holiday period. Imagine, 4 or 5 matches in 10 days (on Boxing Day, the following Saturday or Sunday, the New Year....). Maybe it is the price of earning thousands of quid a week for the footballers that they can't enjoy the most important day of the year as much as they want. But for football fans, watching football is a good way to spend their holiday and money. 

6. Hangover

Christmas and New Year perhaps just give alcohol lovers and 'pure pleasure seekers' (Thomas Ditton, Daily Express, Dec 24, 2001) another excuse for being drunk. Advice on how to deal with the hangover is not uncommonly seen on the newspapers.

7. Introduction of Euro

Euro, as a common currency for 12 EU countries (only Britain, Sweden and Denmark have opted not to join the euro) in the has been introduced for a period of time but it wasn't until Jan 1, 2001 that its coins and banknotes were in use. Inevitably as a member of the European Union Britain faces a debate as to whether and when it will join the euro, and series of reports have been made on how the introduction of euro has affected people's lives. 

Interestingly it is said that some people have a problem with the use of plural form of 'euro'. Should it be 'euro' or 'euros'?

8. New Year's resolutions

So, have you got any New Year's resolutions? Maybe for most of the people, an improvement of the world economy is one of the main things they wish for whereas politically, it is hoped that the war against terrorism will end soon? Predictions of what's going to happen have been made. How many of them will really be realised?

This page was last updated on Wednesday, 15 October 2003.

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