Sign of the times

Sign of the times

I posted a photo on Instagram yesterday that really made me think. It’s a sign of the times that you can buy Hot Cross Buns in January and July, all year round in fact. But is it a good thing?

Sign of the times

I know I’m a bit of a fossil, and don’t get me wrong, I’m not against change and modernisation, but sometimes I do wonder if we’re getting things wrong.  When I was a child the shops were actually shut on Sundays, as well as all over Christmas and the New Year.  We knew no different, it wasn’t inconvenient, we managed.  Ok, my Mum has always stocked the larder ready to bunker down during a nuclear war, but I really think it does none of us any harm to not go to the shops for a couple of days. The time with family was and still should be precious in my opinion.

But I guess I’m a bit of a hypocrite, as I was one of the first to take advantage of Sunday trading.  My ex worked shifts, so for us, an early Sunday trip to the supermarket was great. When it all started we were most definitely in the minority, we’d be in round and out of Sainsburys, no queues, peace and quiet and a pretty empty car park.  Of course, these days Sunday shopping is probably as busy as on a Saturday.

I get it that some flexibility is needed.  But Easter and Christmas were special times back in the day, the world stopped, or at least it seemed that way, and people took a break, a proper break.  Family time for everyone.  Having a workaholic husband I really see now how precious that time must have been for people working in retailing and catering.  Can we really not survive without a convenience store on New Years Day anymore?

Daddy P loves Hot Cross Buns and buys them throughout the year, but to me, these days, rather than being associated with Easter, these are just another sign of the times that we live in.  Monkey thinks nothing of having one of these buns whenever he likes.  But honestly, it makes me a little sad.  They used to be special.  Something to look forward, a treat as Easter approached.  You’d savour every mouthful knowing that they wouldn’t be readily available for another year.

Whilst I acknowledge that it’s great to have choice these days, I do wonder if we’ve lost something in the process.

I’ve seen lots of posts this last week of people finding Easter Eggs and Valentines Cards in the shops and asking why.  Yes Easter is in March this year, but the warehouses were full and ready to send out their deliveries before Christmas.  Does anyone really stock up on chocolate eggs this far ahead of the game.  I joked with someone about Valentines – do they really need to generally stock cards for wives and girlfriends before 13th February?  Yes , I can see husband and boyfriend cards being bought a few weeks in advance, but my OH will be surrounded by red roses from the florist side of the business and will still forget to buy a card until the day itself.

Perhaps I’m just totally bah humbug, a stick in the mud and it’s me that’s got it all wrong. Tell me, what do you think?

8 thoughts on “Sign of the times

  1. I am completely with you on this one. I think keeping certain things to special times of the year, makes them more special and this saturation just spoils it. I went to a Cadbury shop before Christmas and there were Creme eggs on sale, I made a comment and the woman at the till looked at me as though I was a dinosaur saying that kids loved Creme eggs in their stockings. Well mine certainly would never have that, crazy!

    1. I like convenience week in week out. There’s always something I’ve forgotten to get, or the OH springs on me. But around bank holidays I agree. A couple of days off isn’t going to hurt, and I don’t generally leave the house on holiday…although I might on Good Friday if I’ve not done an online shop during the week.

      Having worked at Cadbury it was essential to get the best run possible for creme eggs, they’re novelty chocolates, impulse buys, not like shell eggs saved for Easter, so I like to see them after Christmas (my waistline doesn’t), and they try and sell out at Easter, not dragging on to keep them special. That’s why they launched the creme egg bar because so many people asked for creme eggs to continue all year round, so they changed the format to be sold outside the season.

      Hot cross buns – I don’t eat them, but the OH probably has homemade ones around Easter weekend because that’s when his mum makes them. And might have some bought ones from M&S a couple of weeks before. A friend of mine keeps them in her freezer for kids to have as snacks/tea. I guess they’re a good size, although to me they’re a bit like toasted teacakes so she could use those instead. They must sell, hence why they’re available. But it does take away from the religious signficance of them.

  2. Ahh! I remember the shops being closed on a Sunday and on certain holidays….
    I have already bought some Easter eggs and chocolate but I save buying the Hot Cross buns until over Easter….It makes them more special x

I'd love to hear from you and try to reply to all comments