Editorial: Boxing up memories of savings

'I've heard about people who don't do their Christmas shopping until Boxing Day', says Linda Hall. Photo / Glenn Taylor

Thousands of people will spend today queuing for bargains.

Boxing Day is now the busiest shopping day of the year for many retailers.

How times have changed.

I spent most of my childhood Boxing Days at Haumoana camping ground or packing getting ready to go there.

The shops were all shut. In fact, you were lucky if you could buy milk at the corner dairy.

There are several "origins" of Boxing Day on Google.

One that I have heard before is that it was a European tradition to give servants and trade people gifts called "Christmas boxes" from their employers.

Anyway, the day has changed dramatically over the years.

I've heard about people who don't do their Christmas shopping until Boxing Day and those who just ask for vouchers so they can get Boxing Day bargains.

Personally I couldn't think of anything worse than rushing around crowded shops and standing in queues on a day when I could be at home in the garden, reading a book or spending some time with my family.

I did do the Boxing Day shop thing once a long time ago ... never again.

Shops have sales year round, I can wait until then.

However, some people love it. The thrill of grabbing a bargain thereby saving hundreds of dollars.

So whatever you choose to do today enjoy yourself. And for those of you who have to go to work ... well, just think how much money you have saved by not hitting the shops.

Besides tomorrow is another day and the Boxing Day sales seem to go on and on.