We are now well and truly hitting the epicentre of the Christmas storm as the 25^th of December fast approaches – and the spectrum of the nation’s preparations is wider than ever.

There are those hated uber-organised people who will have had all presents bought and wrapped before the chill of winter even began, while others - typically known as ‘men’ - are yet to even start their Christmas shopping list.

Many may have opted for the infamous Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales to make the bulk of their purchases, but if you ask me, the frenzy of these shopping dates was just not the same this year.

In my opinion, it’s completely lost its novelty since many retailers opted to extend their sales for a full week and some prices remain slashed even now – weeks after the national sale dates.

That being said, John Lewis reported its best ever weekly revenues of nearly £200m, which demonstrates how important Black Friday sales can be for some UK retailers.

I guess extending the sales for a longer period of time will have gone a long way in stopping the chaotic shopping scenes we have seen in the past, with people fighting over a limited deal. Perhaps that means that the extended sale trend will continue in years to come.

For some people looking for that more unique gift, it’s the time of year where Christmas fayres and craft evenings are ten-a-penny and are the ideal place to find something a little extra special. However, this year, I’ve noticed that there is a far stronger push behind the concept of shopping locally for Christmas gifts, which goes beyond supporting the local school or church fete.

This Christmas season I’ve seen various fayres that are held exclusively for small businesses in Scottish cities, which is to be applauded. I think it’s vitally important to support small local businesses, and on occasion, their ideas and creations can build to global success – which is obviously fantastic for our economy.

There are even campaigns encouraging people to ‘Shop Small’, including a national day, entitled Shop Local Saturday, which took place earlier this month. Such awareness drives have drawn great support with financial giants American Express even brilliantly getting on board by offering rewards to their card holders for shopping at a small business in the UK throughout December.

I think the concept of backing local businesses now goes way beyond the traditional notion of arts and crafts and that shopping at independent stores on your local high street is vital.

It’s incredibly sad to see an ever-increasing number of high street stores with closing down sale posters and boards over their doors, especially considering that local squares used to be the thriving heart of our towns and villages.

Of course, convenience is great when you can receive items quickly and cheaply from an online business, but it’s easy to forget the long-term effect of your shopping decisions.

Shop online today and there may be no high street tomorrow - with all of the debilitating impact that has for our local workforce, both young and old.

 

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SIDE

I recently read an endearing story of a former soldier looking for work to give him a sense of purpose.

Joe Bartley placed his advert within a local newspaper due to being lonely at home since his wife and best friend passed away.

What made Joe’s story truly heart-breaking was that he was 89 and as he put it, ‘the job would save him from dying of boredom.’

Older people are especially vulnerable to loneliness and social isolation, and it can have a serious effect on health.

With Christmas fast approaching, thousands of elderly people across Scotland will be lonely and cut off from society - a sad thought during a time centred around family and friends.

According to Age UK, more than a million older people say they go for over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member. A sorry indictment on today’s society.

There are a number of charities and organisations out there who are on the frontline, trying to help the situation. One such charity is Contact the Elderly, who do fantastic work to bring those who are lonely and vulnerable together to enjoy each other’s company and feel included – no matter the time of year.

Someone who is lonely will probably find it hard to reach out. There is a stigma surrounding loneliness, and older people tend not to ask for help because they have too much pride.

Luckily for Joe, he has been able to secure a small part-time job, which is fantastic. However, there are many more out there that are not so fortunate.

As we head into Christmas, remember that what may seem a small gesture like a phone call or visit, can, and will, make all the difference to someone.

 

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LAUGH

With social media continuing its ruthless global takeover of our personal lives, I laughed when reading that Amazon are close to destroying one of our last bastions of social interaction – the local shop.

This week Amazon unveiled Amazon Go, a new kind of shopping experience that requires no barcode scanning, cash, or heaven forbid, some small talk with your local retailer.

All that’s required of shoppers is a tap of the Amazon app at the shop’s entry. Once finished shopping, you can ‘just walk out’, letting the combination of sensors sort out your bill and take your online cash.

It’s only being trialled at this moment in time, so I’m sure retail staff around Scotland aren’t polishing up their CVs just in case.

However, with shoplifting a real problem in the UK, costing some £600m a year, has Amazon really thought this through?

 

WEEP

For hundreds, if not thousands, of children, making it as a footballer tops their list of dreams.

To then read some of the horrific testimonies from footballers across the UK recently on being let down by their clubs due to abuse is appalling.

We want our children to be healthy, to enjoy sport and to be the best they can. So when we pass on our duty of care to coaches and instructors to look after our loved ones, we expect that trust to be respected.

Most of us can’t comprehend the strain and trauma that such experiences can cause, but I want to applaud those who have spoken out about what happened - that takes real strength.

I hope those who are proven to be behind these acts are brought to justice, and quickly.