I once faced this exact dilemma in 2019. I had promised to make a Boxing Day bubble and squeak for the family. I needed sprouts. I needed potatoes. I needed hope. I trotted to my local Waitrose with the confidence of a man who has ignored all social cues. The car park was empty—like a post-apocalyptic film where everyone has already left Earth. The doors were locked. A sign taped to the glass said, “Closed 25th & 26th December. See you for the gravy reduction sale on the 27th.” I swear I heard a single tumbleweed roll past my wellies.
So, I went to the local Co-op instead. It was chaos. There was a queue of desperate people holding cheese strings and microwave rice. It was like a refugee camp for people who forgot to plan. But you know what? It was fine. The bubble and squeak was a bit drier, but nobody died. And I learned a valuable lesson: always buy three pints of milk and a backup bottle of wine on Christmas Eve. Treat yourself like you’re preparing for a small siege.
The Zen of Being Closed
Honestly, there’s a secret beauty to Waitrose being shut on Boxing Day. It forces you to stop. No more scanning aisles for the perfect stuffing. No more comparing the mineral content of two different brands of almond milk. You just have to sit there, in your pyjama fortress, eating leftover Christmas pudding straight from the tin. It’s a bit gritty, but it’s free.
Shops open on Christmas Day NEAR ME - opening hours guide | Express.co.uk
Plus, think about the staff. Imagine being the poor soul who has to work at Waitrose on Boxing Day. You’d be restocking the gourmet crisps while everyone else is watching The Holiday for the fourth time. No. They deserve the day off to fight over the last cold turkey sandwich at home, just like the rest of us. It’s only fair.
