| Thinking of flying out to do a bit of | | | | you might be a 40(12) in the UK, in shops |
| Christmas shopping? Maybe a good idea if you | | | | such as Mango and Zara, you may find yourself |
| want to escape the crowded UK stores. In | | | | needing a 42 or a 44. A man who wears an |
| Spain, the shops tend to be more individual | | | | extra large in Marks and Spencer will have |
| with specialist shops selling specific | | | | difficulty finding his size in Spain. The |
| products, whereas in the UK, you can often | | | | Spanish people tend to be smaller than the |
| almost buy everything under one roof. This | | | | big boned Brits and the clothing |
| offers convenience in a fast paced life and | | | | manufacturers haven't yet grasped the concept |
| enables you to do all your shopping without | | | | of putting a smaller size label on the |
| getting wet. | | | | clothes to make women feel good and buy more. |
| | | | Likewise, for obvious reasons I would avoid |
| However, here weather is not normally an | | | | buying shoes even slippers in Spain as the |
| issue and you can enjoy a dry browse along | | | | shoes are often narrower than our UK |
| the high street in Estepona, Marbella or | | | | fittings. I was always a size 5 (38) in the |
| wherever you choose to shop. | | | | UK, but I now wear a 6 (39). I can explain |
| | | | why I now need much bigger clothes here, but |
| If you prefer the convenience of buying | | | | unless the food is going to my feet, I can't |
| everything under one roof and shopping in a | | | | think why my feet have grown. |
| mall, you still have that option here too; | | | | |
| choose from Miramar in Fuengirola or La | | | | If you are thinking about buying toys for |
| Canada in Marbella amongst many others. Even | | | | your children, there isn't half the choice |
| some of the high street names will be | | | | that there is in the UK. El Corte Ingles has |
| familiar to you such as Dorothy Perkins and | | | | a good selection but some might find it a bit |
| Wallis, but that's not really the point of | | | | sexist how all the 'girls' toys are clumped |
| doing your Christmas shopping in Spain. If | | | | in one section and the 'boys' in another. You |
| you plan to buy everything in Spain, be | | | | will find small toy shops in every town which |
| warned that there isn't half the choice that | | | | are quite reminiscent of those that we had in |
| you find in the UK and you probably won't | | | | the UK twenty plus years ago. A slightly more |
| save any money. Having said that, you could | | | | educational toy shop, similar to Early Centre |
| save money as you are more likely to buy only | | | | but again not the same choice is Imaginarium. |
| what you need due to the lack of choice and | | | | If you want your children to learn the |
| temptation. | | | | Spanish language, it is certainly worth your |
| | | | while coming to buy books and DVDs to use as |
| There's no doubt that Christmas shopping is a | | | | learning aids. In the larger shopping malls, |
| far less stressful process than in the UK as | | | | there are book shops, some often combining |
| the Spanish have managed to keep it in | | | | music and books. |
| perspective. Coming from the UK you may even | | | | |
| find it a bit of an anti-climax after the | | | | I personally will be visiting the UK to do my |
| imaginative array of gifts on offer in stores | | | | Christmas shopping and I can't wait to soak |
| such as Marks and Spencer, Boots etc. | | | | up the commercialised Christmas spirit to the |
| | | | beat of Slade's classic track. So, I don't |
| If you do decide to do Christmas shopping in | | | | know about the rest of you but I'm heading |
| Spain, take care with sizes when buying | | | | for Marks and Spencer to try on some clothes |
| clothes. Sizes do vary considerably and where | | | | and feel thin again! |