BY ERIC NEILSON
Christmas season officially arrived this weekend.
If the cold weather hasn’t sent you that message the insanity at any mall will. Dec. 1 rolled in on Saturday and that’s when every shopping centre becomes a zoo. This was especially true for the Oakville Mall in Oakville where stores were packed, and food court lines ran a mile.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of shoppers packed into the mall on Saturday over the weekend to get the Christmas shopping done and out of the way, and for some, it was just the beginning. Oakville Place extended its shopping hours for Saturday from closing at 6 p.m. to closing at 9 p.m. and the mall remained jam packed for the duration of the increased allotted time.
The stampede didn’t stop one partygoer though, Santa Claus himself made an appearance. He stayed for quite a bit of time and took pictures with lots of eager and excited kids. The boys and girls also had a chance to give Santa their Christmas list and finally got to see if they made the naughty or nice list this year. “It’s very busy here right now, but to see all the families and their kids taking pictures with Santa is always a fun time,” said Kasandra McCarthy, a Mississauga resident. “This mall still is nothing compared to Square One though.”
However, on the other hand, not everyone enjoyed Santa’s presence or the Christmas carols that played nonstop throughout the day. “I wish I had stayed home and just used Amazon,” said Lisa Hill, an Oakville resident. “It would have been so much easier.”
But customers weren’t the only ones who had opinions about the insane day.
With lots of last-minute deals flooding all the stores in the mall, the employees were sure to have their work cut out for them, and that they did. But it wasn’t all that bad however, as some found a way to make the day a benefit for them. “It’s difficult at times,” said Kayla Strong, an Oakville Place employee, “but it teaches me how to deal with difficult people.” On the other hand, some employees just could not handle “jungle” environment. “I just want to go home,” said Anton Marshall, Bluenotes employee. “I really can’t stand Christmas or Christmas time.”
It appears it just stays the same every year. Some don’t mind the hustle and bustle, as others can’t stand it. But don’t let it get you down – it’s the most wonderful time of the year.
