Insanity at LIDL today

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Does anybody have any explanation for the insanity I encountered at LIDL in Adeje today?  It is a Thursday, it is the 28th of November, and there are no immediate holidays coming up. 

I arrived around noon and the entire car park was full.  People were making their own parking spaces and that's what I had to do too.  When I got inside the store I was astounded.   I have never seen so many people in a grocery store in my life.  It was jam packed.  It was like the United Nations in there - seemingly every nationality was represented.  You could not move in the aisles.  Every single till was open, something I have never seen, and every one of them had a queue extending almost to the end of the first set of aisles.  I think I was around number 10 in the queue when I joined.  Now, strangely, the queues moved really quickly and I have to give the guys full credit for that. 

But I could not figure out why it was so crowded.  From the conversations and looks I observed neither could anybody else.  Any explanations?

[Janet]

Special weekend coming up, San Andres ... or Christmas stock has arrived ... ??   

[Perikles]

I think that it is a law in Germany that everybody must go shopping on the day or two before Advent Sunday, because that's when Christmas becomes official and they need to stock up before everybody else. That might account for the German contingent. 

Afterthought: the people with 14 salaries per year get their 13th one at the beginning of December or a little before it? Suddenly an extra salary to spend. 

[Nova]

Ah yes, you're right, I think some people are getting their extra payment about now.  I have to wait until the 20th December...

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Good ideas.

Many of the people were not of working age, many were clearly tourists.  The Germans were not a majority and had stiff competition from the French, Spanish, Italians and Brits.  And there was a good smattering of others. 

It was bizarre.

[Nova]

I think the double pensions are due tomorrow, which could explain the older people.  As for tourists, why would tourists shop at Lidl? 

[Delderek]

But surely people that shop their are verging on insanity anyway.

Bet that's won me a lot of friends.

[Perikles]

Bet that's won me a lot of friends.

Did you have any to lose? 

Actually, their beer is good and very cheap. Worth going just for that.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Yup he is on the money:  BEER.  That's why I go, to buy OH's beer.  And that's how I tore my intercostal muscle in August which is still giving me shit.  But I am a lot more careful lifting crates of beer.

[Delderek]

Did you have any to lose? 

Actually, their beer is good and very cheap. Worth going just for that.

Mmmn, thats made me think.

I thought you all had your own brewing facilities up in "Them thar Hills"