Cranky impatient rude shoppers.

**AmyBoz** · 12-19-2010, 09:09 AM

I'm sorry to hear that happened! So far, we've had some pretty good experiences this year, while out and about. Yes, it is SO crowded and the parking is a nightmare, but overall, it hasn't been terrible, and I HATE shopping.

**FrugalKate** · 12-19-2010, 09:29 AM

I usually go at dinner time and just have dinner around 7pm instead. No joke but the stores seem a lot more empty at that hour. I've also been known to go later at night on a weeknight.

I will admit though that I have noticed the nasty "me first, me second, me third" behavior of quite a lot of people over the last several months. I guess with the way the economy is lately there are some people out there who are in their every man/woman for themselves mode of survival.

**Frugal Nurse** · 12-19-2010, 09:59 AM

I'm sorry that it's been like that for you. I think people are in a panic and are forgetting the very reason for Christmas time.

I saw what you saw yesterday. I'm done with the holiday prepping and was bored. So as cheap entertainment, I went to the mall to sit in the mock-comfy-chairs in the center to watch the people in their craze.

There were tired families dragging little ones along, there were hurried people pushing through and darting left and right, cutting others off, there were crying children, frustrated parents and so much more.
I think I may have seen a man crying.

It was definitely cheap entertainment. Today, I will get an ice cream cone and sit and watch.

**imagine** · 12-19-2010, 10:06 AM

This year there is a bad cough cold that is hit our town. That has everyone a bit off and cranky but they still aren't mean.

It also means there is no chicken soup to be found in town all gone. That was the crankiest I found anyone when they were looking for chicken noddle soup and no could be found.

**FrugalKate** · 12-19-2010, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by imagine

This year there is a bad cough cold that is hit our town. That has everyone a bit off and cranky but they still aren't mean.

It also means there is no chicken soup to be found in town all gone. That was the crankiest I found anyone when they were looking for chicken noddle soup and no could be found.

I just made a pot of chicken noodle soup the other night. Polished off the bird and the carcass promplty went into the soup pot along with water, salt and pepper, a bay leaf, celery, baby carots and other veggies and then added some egg noodles to it for the last 20 minutes. Divided it up and froze the portions. It was very tasty.

**Debbie-cat** · 12-19-2010, 10:14 AM

I have to go to walmart today and not looking forward to it. Last year when I came across a very rude person, I looked them right in the eye and said 'Merry Christmas to you too!'. It caught a couple of people unawares and you could almost see the wheels turning in their head at how they acted. One lady actually apologized for her rudness and said she was having such a bad day. I told her I hope it gets better and went along my merry way. I really try to not let it bother me. I just figure they are so stressed out putting everything on credit cards and leaving it until the last minute.

**nuisance26** · 12-19-2010, 11:29 AM

~Sorry you had such rotten shopping experiences.
I too went out Saturday and was expecting complete insanity. Not only was it not crazy but people were in good moods. Everyone that walked in front of me said excuse me, even the kids! I had multiple people ask me for help with finding things or just to talk(I must have a sign on my head that says "Talk to me!"). The cashiers have been lovely. Overall I was very pleased since it is very close to Christmas.~

**monkeywrangler71** · 12-19-2010, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by FrugalKate

I usually go at dinner time and just have dinner around 7pm instead. No joke but the stores seem a lot more empty at that hour. I've also been known to go later at night on a weeknight.

When I worked Christmas seasons in retail, Saturday between 4-7 was our slowest time. Not so much during the week as a lot of people stopped in on the way home from work - but on weekends people were either done by supper or didn't go out until after.

**heartofmine** · 12-19-2010, 04:17 PM

Thanks everyone for answering. If something happens again I think I will just smile and say Merry Christmas and go on.

I'd love to be able to change my shopping habits but I live 8 miles from town and always try to make it a one day trip and do everything...bank, grocery's and any other errands. I'm apparently just hitting Walmart at a bad time of day.

**imagine** · 12-19-2010, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by FrugalKate

I just made a pot of chicken noodle soup the other night. Polished off the bird and the carcass promplty went into the soup pot along with water, salt and pepper, a bay leaf, celery, baby carots and other veggies and then added some egg noodles to it for the last 20 minutes. Divided it up and froze the portions. It was very tasty.

Homemade chicken soup is so yummy but canned will do when everyone is sick. I think that is why canned chicken noddle was out at the stores.

**bonnotsm9** · 12-19-2010, 08:26 PM

I haven't noticed it here, but haven't been out much.

Sometimes I wonder if the weather makes people cranky. We've had a cold snap and it's been overcast for days. I've noticed that our family gets grumpier when we can't go outside and there's no sunshine for days.

**heartofmine** · 12-19-2010, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by bonnotsm9

I haven't noticed it here, but haven't been out much.

Sometimes I wonder if the weather makes people cranky. We've had a cold snap and it's been overcast for days. I've noticed that our family gets grumpier when we can't go outside and there's no sunshine for days.

That could have been part of it. We've had a lot of snow already and Friday was about the only decent day to get out to the stores. We had about 10" the Sunday before that kept everyone in. Where I live are mountains and its hard traveling on the back roads. It snowed again Saturday morning. We still have some icy spots on the road.

**katholc** · 12-19-2010, 09:37 PM

sounds like the walmart I go to most of the time, but the walmart 1 town over is even worse if you can believe.

**August29th** · 12-20-2010, 12:32 AM

Sara, I was laughing at your story about hunting for the waxed paper. I think it's getting harder and harder to find every year. Once I bought 4 boxes 'cause I thought it might dissapear forever.

To share one rude story ... my friend, in line at a grocery store, had a woman tell her that she should be able to go ahead since she had less purchases than my friend. I think many of us enjoy being able to let someone with only a few things go ahead, but can you imagine the gall???

**cab54** · 12-20-2010, 09:08 AM

I went to WM on Saturday (before I realized it was the last Sat. before Christmas

) and people were fairly decent. A little snarly and snarkey.

I'm like Debbiecat though, I slap a smile on my face and say pleasant things and try to keep people in a good mood.

I really wish Christmas weren't so commercialized so that people felt all this big anxiety to make things 'perfect'. And to do it in a big hurry, too!