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Your ultimate Boxing Day survival guide

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Hello, troops and welcome to the hallowed ground that is the Canberra Boxing Day Sales.

I want to thank each and every one of you for coming today.

There is no denying that this challenge is one that sometimes defeats weaker humans.

One that forces them back inside their air-conditioned dwellings to browse online instead, but we know that the best bargains are the ones you grab with your bare hands!

…Ok, I’ll stop.

It may not be an actual battleground, but heading into the Boxing Day sales does require a game plan and a lot of forethought.

Here’s your game plan for Saturday 26 December.

TO FAIL TO PLAN IS TO PLAN TO FAIL

Don’t be that family who decides to ‘take a look at the sales’ at 11 am on Boxing Day, isn’t out of the house until 1 pm and are so fed up with the crowds by 3 pm that they give up and renounce the sales for the next four Boxing Days.

With the right planning, you can make the sales work to your advantage and avoid fatigue, impulse purchases and bad choices*.

*Look, none of these are guaranteed.

FIRSTLY…

Make sure you have your team on board.

Whether it’s your mum who can spot faux leather from the real thing at 100 paces or your child whose walking speed settings are ‘fast’ and ‘Usain Bolt’, make sure they’re briefed on exactly when and where you’re meeting and your plan of attack.

GET PREPARED

After you’ve fuelled up, make sure to dress appropriately. Loose clothes like maxi dresses, pants with drawstrings and shorts are best as they can be whipped on and off easily.

Pro tip: Wear nude coloured underwear and pack a strapless bra if you’re going after any formal or summer dresses 

Sandals and thongs are the easiest to slip on and off in the hectic rush of the shoe section but be aware that you could be walking for quite a while, so sometimes there’s a trade-off between ‘Difficulty’ and ‘Comfort’ in the shoe choice, with trainers winning out.

Pro tip: If you know you’ll be shopping for shoes pack your own set of stocking socks so you don’t have to hunt down a harried sales attendant for the disposable ones.

If you know you’re in the market for trainers, pack the socks you usually work out in to avoid any disappointments (and blisters) once you get them home. 

Your bag should be able to be comfortably hung from one shoulder or with the strap across your chest or on your back. If possible, you might also want to put some foldable bags without your bag to pop stuff in later.

This is perhaps most important this Boxing Day, where you’ll most likely be waiting in lines outside some stores for physical distancing reasons. Maybe bring a book or your new favourite podcast. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

The final tip is an obvious one—hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes will be key this year.

WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY WANT OR NEED?

Compile a list of items you know you’d buy if they were decently marked down or that you missed out on this Christmas.

Electricals, clothing, makeup, 2021 diaries and, of course, gift packs and Christmas-themed items will have some of the heaviest markdowns, so think ahead. 

Even if you hate ‘the sales’ with a burning passion, considering swinging by MYER or David Jones for an hour to take advantage of the amazing markdowns on luxury Christmas items like Wedgwood, Georg Jensen and Prince Albert or even just a new string of Christmas lights.

Lastly…

And perhaps most importantly—charge your phone.

If possible, take a portable power unit with you in your bag in case your phone runs out easily. There’s nothing worse than losing contact with friends or family, or worse children, when you’re out at ‘the sales’.

Your phone is also a great way to price check against other store’s sales while you wait in line to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

OPENING HOURS*

*Subject to change—we encourage you check the websites before heading out.

As for smaller boutique locations like Lonsdale Street, Manuka or Kingston—make sure you check their websites and social channels thoroughly beforehand.

Canberra Centre

8 am–7 pm

Canberra Outlet Centre

8.30 am–6 pm

Majura Park Shopping Centre

10 am–4 pm

The Marketplace Gungahlin

10 am–4 pm

South.Point Tuggeranong

10 am–4 pm

Westfield Belconnen

8 am–5.30 pm

Westfield Woden

8 am–5.30 pm

PACE YOURSELF

There’s nothing worse than spending an hour at the first sale you hit only to miss all the items you’ve planned to see marked down.

I realise that Christmas Day is the ultimate day of family and community—but sometimes the best way to nail Boxing Day with both your sanity and friendships intact is to divide and conquer, hitting some sales together but some alone.

Plan to re-meet for coffee or morning tea to share details of sales and gather your thoughts instead of spending the whole day by each other’s sides.

So take care, stay safe and have a wonderful Boxing Day 2020.

May the sales be with you.

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