“It’s Canada. It’s a little cold, but it’s almost like a tradition for us.”
It’s 5:40 in the morning. Environment Canada marks the temperature at minus 41 C with the windchill.
Outside Best Buy, more than two dozen people are lined up, waiting for the doors to open.
Another noted, “I haven’t decided yet — either a new TV or a new laptop.”
They shuffled as they waited, desperately trying to stay warm. To their relief, the doors finally opened and they flooded inside.
It was a similar story across the city as shoppers flocked to the Southland Mall.
“Just picking up some good deals on Boxing Day,” Jay Dufour enthused, both arms weighed down by a pair of large bags. “I picked up some new bedding and a new jacket.”
While there were plenty of deals to take advantage of, the malls were unusually quiet.
“That’s what I said when I pulled up,” Dufour said. “The parking lot isn’t as busy as it usually is.”
According to RedFlagDeals.com brand director Jeff Novak, there’s a reason for that.
“I think it’s lost a bit of its lustre,” he explained. “It’s definitely lost its place as the only really big retail day in Canada, but there’s still something quintessentially Canadian about Boxing Day.”
Perhaps it’s that national spirit that drove some to the the malls right after Christmas — even if they weren’t shopping.
“We like to stay in shape over the winter,” smiled one mall-goer. “We’re here walking and avoiding the crowds — so far, so good.”
Behind them, a mother and her two young daughters strolled from window to window.
“We’re just having fun at the mall!” exclaimed five-year-old Lizzie.
While online shopping might keep some buyers warm and cozy at home, for some, it’s clear there’s nothing like spending Boxing Day at the mall.