None Sense, or who are these people having on

[Teamedup]

 

I know how seriously french people take their food, but sometimes it really becomes a none sense. A couple stood and discussed whether they should buy some smoked salmon, not the good stuff, their eyes never strayed in that direction, they had a packet of the very cheapest stuff one can imagine in their hands, about 1.50 for the packet. They discussed the colour, assuring one another that it would be good. It wasn't worth other than a cursory glance and chucking in the caddie to cook with.

I am a careful shopper, but have no idea why they made such a fuss about this. I sometimes buy it, grand in with pates or on a pizza etc, but it is what it is, cheap and cheerful, and often slightly salty. I always blanche it before cooking with it. This was all very strange.

[Russethouse]

Perhaps there worry was a common one at this time of year - is there a space for it in the fridge and will anyone actually eat it ????

[Iceni]

[quote]Perhaps there worry was a common one at this time of year - is there a space for it in the fridge and will anyone actually eat it ????[/quote]

Yes, perhaps their worry was a common one at this time of year, lack of money.

I simply could not believe that the average spend for Christmas prezzies alone in the UK is £800+ per person. I don't know if the French are so daft but add to that the food cost and all the other costs and Christmas becomes a disaster if you are not well off.

We have bought 3 presents, max cost £15. The reason is simple, it is totally stupid to throw money at things people don't want or will grow out of. Two of the presents were money to charity.

I am not mean, just sensible, and all my family are sensible too.

I do spend money on good food, but being Mrs Macawber I can afford it as I did not spend it on a Cindymobile for one of my grand daughters (who want French clothes as presents when I go over to the UK).

[SaligoBay]

Allegedly......

Grands magasins et centres commerciaux réalisent plus de 15 % de leur chiffre d'affaires (CA) annuel au mois de décembre. Si les éditeurs sont montés depuis longtemps dans le train des fêtes de fin d'année (livres pour enfants, offres spéciales, séries limitées et rétrospectives sportives, politiques ou économiques de l'année écoulée…), les parfumeurs enregistrent depuis une dizaine d'années des recettes proches de 13 millions d’euros en vente d'eaux de toilette en décembre (20 % du CA annuel).

Idem pour les boutiques de produits fins (saumon, foie gras, truffe) qui réalisent 40 % de leur CA annuel en fin d'année, tandis que les ventes nationales de blinis et tarama s’effectuent à 25 % sur le seul mois de décembre. Enfin, une grande chaîne française de distribution (qui vend des livres, des disques mais aussi du matériel hi-fi et informatique) engrange, entre le 1^er et le 31 décembre, 20 % de son CA annuel.

So people are out there buying.  Barbie, Playstation, designer trainers and all those other lovely things are just as popular in France as in the UK, and they're not cheap here either!    I wouldn't put too much store on actual spending figures - as French salaries are generally lower than UK salaries, a lower figure can still mean the same percentage of income.   But you already know that! 

[Dick Smith]

It's a woman thing, I find. Faced with 15 identical items you have to pick each one up and scrutinise it for the minutest difference from the other 14. My wife does it, and it drives me mad.

[Russethouse]

My husband will never have the display item, no matter what he takes the tin, packet, newspaper, whatever, from one or two back.......!

We have cut down on gifts and tend to ask what DVDs, CDs or books people actually want - good old Amazon or Tesco on line are a big help with that.

[David584]

Talking of spending. I heard a news item on my local radio today that on Christmas Eve, people in GB/UK will cumulatively spend over one BILLION pounds and that is just in ONE day. The mind boggles.

 

[Battypuss]

My kids struck out then, we had about 100 euros to spend on everything; food, presents, cat food, cat sand...and we had a lovely time! Thank God, none of the three kids asked for anything that cost an arm and a leg (not that they'd have got it anyway!)

[opas]

We also had a spendthrift Christmas, always have had,even when I was a child we received one main pressie(scooter/ doll/transistor radio with an earpice...) and an Annual, chocolate and some family games. The kids up the street had that much , they didn`t know what they had!

Whilst we were both working we could have bought our 2 everything, but what do you buy next year? Some of their friends have their own DVD,phone,x cube you name it , they have it...and they are not yet teenagers!

In our house we all enjoy good food and at this time of year the girls have extra input to what we buy and eat.....seafood, steak , cheeses and salami and some good quality cake or ice cream are chosen en famille.

[Guest CFrost]

[quote]It's a woman thing, I find. Faced with 15 identical items you have to pick each one up and scrutinise it for the minutest difference from the other 14. My wife does it, and it drives me mad.[/quote]

 

We do that because we are careful and experienced shoppers, and in my case I only understand 1 word in 3 and that slowly.  Drives my husband mad as well but the suggestion that he learn a little French and do the shopping sometimes is ignored.

Anne

 

[Val_2]

I imagine they were thinking like me in that why is the salmon so cheap compared to the others on the stand. I always wonder why you can have so much variation in prices and quality with one product whether it is fish,meat or veggies and basically it is no more than suspicion as to whether it will be rubbish or not. I buy the cheap stuff when I can,its good with other things.