Stephen’s Day Sales Should Be Axed – Christmas Is A Time To Be With Your Family

It's the same every year. There's a huge build-up to Christmas, it lasts a single day and then people fly out the door to go shopping first thing on Stephen's Day. 

Sure, there are some great bargains out there, but is nabbing a half-price handbag really more important than spending time with your family?

I feel for retail workers, who have to haul themselves out of bed at the crack of dawn to get ready for the carnage - and that's after struggling through the biggest shopping season of the year. 

Swept up in the chaos, customers are often rude, impatient, or even aggressive towards staff (and each other). 

We don't see many videos of people wrestling over TVs or microwaves in Ireland, but there's a sense that we're becoming more and more like the US and UK with our insatiable lust for deals. 

It's good to support local businesses but remember that there are precious few days of the year that are specifically set aside to be with the people you love. 

If it's the first time you've been home in weeks or months, your siblings are back from abroad and everyone is together, why would you want to throw that away? 

Don't waste time you should be spending squabbling over Monopoly queuing to get 10% off in TK Maxx. 

There's always the January sales. 

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