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Post by josef on Nov 24, 2023 23:01:38 GMT
Back in the days when we had our main shopping stores in town or even when there were Malls, as we shopped we met many friends and even sometimes family shopping. We would wish Merry Christmas to strangers and friends and many times have conversations.
But in todays world were many shop online, you don't meet friends, family, or strangers to wish Merry Christmas or hold a conversation.
I know people and even my niece and her husband that do all their shopping online, even groceries and gifts. They never have to leave home.
Something seems to be missing, or am I alone in my thinking?
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Post by dlagrua on Nov 25, 2023 0:54:47 GMT
It seems that online shopping is taking a bigger and bigger share of the market. Years back when I was a boy growing up in Brooklyn, NY Lionel trains were available almost everywhere at toy stores, hobby shops, even appliance shops. We knew the people that we were dealing with. Today that connection has gone considerably weaker. While I still attend the Allentown Meet and I like seeing the train crowd, I've had better luck finding the pieces that I wanted online than shopping in person. All of the shopping malls are dying so this is an indication of the shift to online buying. Ive never found dealing with the multinational stores rewarding and cant wait until the small town ma and pa shops again become the main shopping places.
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Post by dennym57 on Nov 25, 2023 1:33:52 GMT
Nope you're not alone.
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Post by Bill on Nov 25, 2023 2:11:50 GMT
Back in the days when we had our main shopping stores in town or even when there were Malls, as we shopped we met many friends and even sometimes family shopping. We would wish Merry Christmas to strangers and friends and many times have conversations. But in todays world were many shop online, you don't meet friends, family, or strangers to wish Merry Christmas or hold a conversation. I know people and even my niece and her husband that do all their shopping online, even groceries and gifts. They never have to leave home. Something seems to be missing, or am I alone in my thinking? Well, you ARE asking us on-line . . . 
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Post by Country Joe on Nov 25, 2023 3:21:05 GMT
I know just what you are saying, Walt. I admit that sitting at the table wearing schlumbies (think pajamas or sweats), sipping on a hot cup of tea or a Pepsie Zero, placing an order and having it arrive at my door a few days later is pretty cool, but there’s something special about shopping at a store, especially a mom and pop, and spending time chatting with the owners. It’s even more special at Christmas. I doubt that mom and pop stores will make a comeback but you never know.
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Post by steveoncattailcreek on Nov 25, 2023 3:27:18 GMT
Back in the days when we had our main shopping stores in town or even when there were Malls, as we shopped we met many friends and even sometimes family shopping. We would wish Merry Christmas to strangers and friends and many times have conversations. But in todays world were many shop online, you don't meet friends, family, or strangers to wish Merry Christmas or hold a conversation. I know people and even my niece and her husband that do all their shopping online, even groceries and gifts. They never have to leave home. Something seems to be missing, or am I alone in my thinking? No, I think there are many of us who grew up long before there was a "line" to be "on-", who occasionally miss (at least in hindsight) the RL experience of holiday shopping. Often overlooked in the glow of nostalgia, however, is the sheer effort formerly needed to travel (repeatedly!) to the many locations offering the items on our holiday lists, and the chronic vulnerability to local supplies of the things needed. Sure, there have no doubt been some negative side effects of switching to 24/7 access to a vast (and literally world-wide!) network of products whose numbers dwarf the RL offerings in all but a few urban locations "back in the day", but all in all, there are good and IMHO sufficient reasons why shopping habits have changed over the years, as technology has made such shifts possible. There are other outlets (this and other forums are good examples!) for friends and strangers to meet up and exchange greetings, and to the extent on-line relations fall short, you can bet people will find a way to fill the gap! Thanks for the thought, but I'm not ready to return to the '50's! 
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Post by keithb on Nov 25, 2023 12:27:05 GMT
I never have never liked black Friday, to crazy, all the pushing and shoving and all that. But I do miss the others times, as stated where we would run into family and friends.
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Post by Adam on Nov 25, 2023 12:31:00 GMT
I’ll admit I do a hit of both. I shop online for some items and we like to also shop in the little moms and pop stores.
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Post by david1 on Nov 25, 2023 16:27:28 GMT
We don't even have a mall anymore in our town. The closest mall is about 30 minutes away but traffic is bad most of the time but the mall is worth going to.
It is the King of Prussia mall. The largest mall in America for retail space. It is huge.
Yes I do most of my shopping online now, no hassle, no driving, no walking myself to death. No running around with all the crazy people.
I can even buy a car online and have it delivered.
Yes there is something to say about getting out and going to the stores seeing friends and relatives but now at my age I really don't want to do that.
Of course maybe for me not having a car now forces me to shop online, thank god someone thought of that.
Dave
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Post by VietnamVet1967 on Dec 1, 2023 6:01:28 GMT
I am 79 and my wife is 78. Gone are the days of running around all over town or to the mall to shop for XMAS.
We did it for many, many years and now we have a system where we have our grandkids send us their list by email.
Everything on the list must be available at Amazon. It works for all of us so far.
Yes we miss the enjoyment of strolling through an indoor or outdoor mall and enjoying all the music and noise and sights and sounds and grabbing something to eat but we tell each other we did it many times.
Growing up on the eastside of Detroit in the 1940's and 1950's and 1960's we had the neighborhood shopping center where you ran into your neighbors and friends and school buddies while you went shopping. There was Federals, and Neisner's and Woolworth's and Kresge's and Vanity Fair plus all the Mom & Pop's stores. That was always a lot of fun.
As they say time waits for no one and nothing stays the same.
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