A former retail worker has urged people not to go shopping on Stephen’s Day in order to give workers a time off over Christmas. 

The Stephen’s Day sales see shops inundated by bargain hunters every year without fail. 

While the discounts might delight shoppers, former retail worker Aoife remembers it as “chaos”. 

“It was often a lot of angry parents, a lot of sad kids coming in with toys that would maybe not be working,” she told Lunchtime Live. 

“Or maybe they just haven't put batteries in them or maybe they were just not happy with what they got and they wanted to change them.”

She queried why so many people feel the need to go shopping so soon after Christmas.

“Well, what is the urgency? Like if you are going to get something in the sale, could you not wait the extra day?” she asked. 

“Or could you not waste the extra day to return something? It's not like there's an expiry date on a pair of shoes  or the things that you might be asking for Christmas. 

“Like take some of the pressure off, allow people to enjoy themselves, life is hard enough at the moment without rushing back into things.” 

A woman is handed her purchases from a shop owner. Picture by: Visuals Stock / Alamy Stock Photo.

Also on the programme, McDowell's Jewellers manager Noel Kelly said not all his staff feel the same as Aoife about Christmas. 

“Some people are away from home… and the reopening of a shop on Stephen's Day might be a welcome break for them,” he said. 

“And there's also the idea that it's more terrible for staff; some people are happy to work over Christmas because Christmas is not the same as it is to everybody. 

“Therefore, coming in on a Stephen's Day and working probably is a bit of a rest break for them. 

“So, that's only for certain people.”

Main image: People at the sales. Picture by: Alamy.com.