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