|
|
Italy - "Pronti . . . Partenza . . . VIA!" (Roughly "Ready, steady, go!")
Start of a marathon? Actually, it's more of a sprint. Finish line . . . the cash-register! Happens every winter. Mobs of giggling adults waiting for the stores to open on that first saturday of January. By law this marks the beginning of the Saldi, the season sales, and by law the sales will go on for exactly six weeks. That first day however is critical, as the choice items go quickly given that discounts can range from 20% to 50% off pre-holiday prices.
You would think that with the holiday season just passed, people would be all shopped out . . but by the hoards of shoppers waiting to be the first ones in the stores it is likely that quite a few people purposely hold back from a complete pre-holiday splurge.
|
Mind you, you will find neither auto-part stores nor framers, household goods or electronic stores offering saldi. Only stores that sell clothing, shoes, linens (and textiles in general), leather (and yes, ladies, this includes handbags), fur, and lingerie are allowed to offer saldi. The rationale behind this specificity is tenuous to say the least. Then again what does rationale have anything to do with a mob of giddy adults huddled outside of a store in winter waiting to buy yet one more pair of shoes?
Copyright ©2007 ItalianNotebook.com All rights reserved
