December 26th might be celebrated as Boxing day the world over but for me it signifies a start of the best sale season of the year. It is a little different in India because the official sale season starts sometime in January. I remember boxing day shopping with Inu, my Nigerian flat-mate, in Deen. Through Inu I have enjoyed the opportunity of interacting with a number of African people. Here's the thing about them -- they love their clothes. Fashion is extremely important and the louder it gets, the better it is. Inu must have all kinds of shoes in her closet. Heels are priority for me too but she took it to a whole new level.
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| I miss you Inu! |
That fateful boxing day, we woke up as early as 5 am and proceeded towards Union street. We thought we had done well for ourselves but the closer we got to Marks & Spencers (the biggest store outlet in Scotland!) we realized that around twenty females had beaten us to the race. So we stood patiently in queue and as soon as the doors opened at 6 am, we were rushing through random items we could get hold of. This might seem like an exaggeration if you have not experienced it yourselves but it is true. The scenes on television wherein women fight for clothing or shoes is indeed real. Stores don't allow trials on Boxing day because it is crowded to the hilt so our plan was simple -- we were going to take whatever we liked (and was available in our respective sizes), try them on back in the room and return what would be a reject. That day our itinerary included stop overs at Next, H&M, Dorothy Perkins, Topshop, New look and Jane Norman. Too bad Zara was to make an appearance much later when the Union Square would open up. By 2 pm we were back in our rooms, staring down at what looked like dominos of shopping bags. I was lighter by about 300 quids then but it didn't matter because it was my turn to enjoy some retail therapy.
Today I am celebrating Boxing day in my room. The winter chill has restricted me from doing much else. I think it is very easy to get lost in your surroundings. My life in Deen was perfect back then and I was very content with the everyday happenings. Then I moved back home and was so comfortable, it shocked my sisters who expressed their surprise during a joint intervention. For them I was always someone who would eventually marry a foreigner and stay outside, they couldn't believe that I could be so happy in that moment. But this is exactly what I am trying to say. We tend to lower our guards once we settle down according to a certain routine. Today I am in JNU and this day which had more meaning to it in the past is just another day now. Maybe if I was home then I could have dwelled in the Losoong festivities and learnt a thing or two about my culture. Everything seems so relative. But through all my travels and experiences, even though I have been hesitant in the start it has eventually taught me something worthwhile. Maybe that's why I push myself to explore something new, enjoy a fresh experience, a new challenge. Whether good or bad, it always makes for a good story and I love living these moments, knowing that I haven't restricted myself to certain boundaries. As long as I am aware of my responsbilities, I think this is a good philosophy. What are your thoughts??
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