Boxing Day is here.
Walls of people ebb and flow,
making it easy to drown
in the frenzy of a shopping spree for deals.
Get caught in the current of one direction,
it takes effort to redirect and reorient in the other direction.
Lines for idolized stores snake through the corridors,
creating a creature of its own.
Some in anticipation, others in frustration,
but impatience is running high.
Tapping feet and glances at the watch,
all for the commitment and recognition of a brand.
husbands huff and sit on benches viewing their wives
through the looking glass of store windows.
Pops of colour catch our attention
with attractive and promising numbers,
only to be disappointed
by the realization its only “up to”,
and never guaranteed.
And don’t get me started
on the pre-ordeal that we all must face.
The snail’s pace of vehicular movement,
the warmth of the car heater on full blast,
and of course, who could forget the joyous time
of searching for one,
singular,
unoccupied
parking spot.
After a while, you forget the difference
between the snow and the frost covered vehicles.
Futurists would call us all fools,
since online shopping is the next big thing.
Why wake early when you can shop
in the comforts of your own home?
Phone calls, stranded children, endless chatter in the air,
with crinkles of plastic bags aplenty
upon the shoulders of many,
mimicking the jolly old St. Nick.
What’s not to love about
the day after what should be
the day of thanks?
Because this day, not yesterday,
is what truly gives us joy in the season of snowflakes.
This piece came about while I was in a mall, participating in this holiday (very loosely termed as a holiday). After spending two or so hours in a bookstore, I stepped into the mall, and just stood still (without obstructing the flow of people because I didn’t want to get trampled) and observed human behaviour at its finest.
The first instance that took me by surprise (although it shouldn’t have) was how early people arrived at the mall. I got there pretty early, but people were already there before me, lining up for certain stores that are “idolized”. And it was no joke. It was an astounding amount of people lining up that it shows how desperate we are for deals. But again, to each their own.
The second thing I noticed was the increased traffic and overall frenzy of the crowds. The energy was buzzing, and people were everywhere! Walking, running, sitting, bumps and apologies were of no shortage.
What inspired me the most to write this was how it was just only a day ago we were thankful for what we had, but in reality, we were already looking forward to today and forgetting all the presents we may have received yesterday. As a result of consumerism, which can be seen evidently by the shopping malls today, we externally express Christmas, but internally desire Boxing Day, where we can get more of what we didn’t get for Christmas.
