Les soldes (lay sold = the sales)
We have two major sale periods here, January and June.
We don't have Black Fridays or crazy Walmart stampedes. You get your winter sale stuff in January and your summer sale items in June. The White Sale for bedding is just after the holidays. For the rest you have sale "seasons". If you need to redecorate your home you buy in the Fall as the DIY stores usually have sales on paint, wall paper, etc. If you need a pool for your kids, you better snap one up in the first weeks of the summer "season". The same goes for sandboxes, and even better, the sand. It is as scarce as road salt . . .
The sales always start on a Wednesday. This is ironic because it is the one day that children are home in the week. Working mothers however, take a half day off, and are able to shop in peace. I'm also befuddled by the date because I'm sure people see many Holiday sweaters that they paid full price for have now been marked down . . .
Like anywhere, it's first come first serve. The best choice is available through the first weekend and the best price comes in week 2 or 3 when everything gets an additional 10%-20% markdown. To me, turnout for the sales haven't been so great in recent years (yes, I participate every time, call it . . . research). Last year everyone was already on vacation or heading there when the summer sales started. Recession and unemployment were making headlines.
This year it seems like everyone is making up for lost time. At our nearest shopping center all parking lots were full, people were on the curb, in the grass. It was nuts! The usual lull during lunchtime never happened. People were out in throngs, bags in every hand.
So in the name of research I offer you a small visual of my favorite finds as of today:
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| Les ballerines |
