I was at Abasto yesterday and the mall was packed with people, which isn’t surprising since it’s just before Christmas. But then I noticed that very few people were carrying shopping bags. From a quick look around, it seems like only 10% of the people had any kind of shopping bag…as an indication that they had actually brought something at one of the stores. I wasn’t sure what to make of this observation. Why be at the mall just before Christmas if you’re not buying? Then again, I was there also without a shopping bag and didn’t buy anything…just went there for a movie. And the movies were very full as usual on the weekend. Of course, I know that Argentines – even in the best economies – do not have the Xmas gift giving obsession of people in the U.S. Of course, I’ve not even started my own Xmas shopping yet. I’ll go again in a few days and see if things are any different.
December 19th, 2006 at 11:45 pm
Hello there! If you wait too long to do your Chrismas shopping, it’s only going to get worse! We have this strange tradition here: since we are all on a rather tight budget, we walk about and do some sort of inventory of what is available. It’s the most annoying of practices, I know…
December 20th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
Ah, so maybe that was just people seeing what was available on Sunday. I’ve still not started shopping…I always do it at the last moment. It’s a strange kind of fun.
December 23rd, 2006 at 3:13 am
Congratulations!
I saw your site listed on 9rules
December 24th, 2006 at 8:28 pm
[…] People seem to prefer to do Christmas window shopping in Buenos Aires, rather than actually buying, as Jeff Barry noted when in the Abasto shopping mall […]
January 23rd, 2007 at 10:49 am
They are probably in the mall, because it is nice and cold in there. Unlike the sweltering heat in las calles!