It's hard to believe it, but there are fewer than 360 shopping days left till Christmas. So with time running out, Clerys was no place for the faint-hearted yesterday, as desperate shoppers fought over the last of the plastic Santas, taking advantage of reductions of up to 50 per cent.
All irony aside, The Irish Times wondered what sort of people did their Christmas shopping on December 27th. "Sad people," said a beaming Colm Sweeney from Rathfarnham, clutching a Christmas wreath bought for a half-price £5, which will adorn his front door in 11 months' time. "We got the Christmas tree in Roche's this time last year," he added, unabashed.
On a day that saw skin and fake fur flying in the clothes departments across the city, there was the usual "hell among the handbags" at Brown Thomas. As an example of the value on offer yesterday, management singled out a quilted leather Gucci jacket reduced from £2,375 to a "steal" at £1,425. As of 2 p.m. yesterday, incredibly, it was still unstolen. You might expect sales of socks to slump after Christmas, a time when half the population acquires a year's supply. But business was brisk at the Sock Shop in Grafton Street, where a sign apologised to customers that there were "no toe socks in stock". The store would be stocking up again soon, an assistant promised.
Back in Clerys, the Christmas cards had been divided into "male relations" and "female relations" sections. And apart from the canny types planning a year ahead, there must have been a few less-organised people trying to make amends for forgetting loved ones this time. Maybe the store would add a "strained relations" section for next year's sale.
