Return of Christmas gifts to shops in Nîmes: myth or reality ?

Échanges ou avoirs n’ont globalement pas été à la fête en ce jeudi 26 décembre. Midi Libre – Pierre Meuriot

Entre quelques doublons et des ajustements de tailles, les commerçants du centre-ville racontent un lendemain de Noël loin de l’effervescence attendue.

Ah, December 26th. While some are still digesting their Christmas turkey, others are already walking the shopping streets of Nîmes, package in hand, looking for a saving exchange. But then, the famous return of gifts, myth or reality ? We take stock with the merchants of the city center.

A discreet ballet of returns

It is well known that December 26th is supposed to be the big day for returns: duplicates, incorrect sizes, ill-adjusted tastes… And yet, on the side of the merchants of Nîmes, the predicted tidal wave looks more like a ripple. At the Librairie Teissier, rue Régale, a few duplicate books have made their return. Vincent Teissier comments: “It's part of the game, I've had some feedback for duplicates.”The same story goes for Manga Shoten, where three customers exchanged their morning manga: “It was almost planned,” says Nicolas Augros. People often have doubts about the volume number to offer. Don't stress, we do an exchange if necessary.”

Among ready-to-wear stores, the trend is calm. Claudia, from Jott, a boutique specializing in warm clothing, explains: “We take the time to advise our customers, so returns are rare.” A feeling shared by the Bensimon brand, where, again, no exchanges were reported. : “It's more likely to happen in January.” But in some cases, the ballet of returns takes on a completely different rhythm. “I only had that today”, they lament at the jewelry store L'Atelier d'Amaya.

The must-haves and good deals for the end of the year

But if we talk about returns, we have to ask ourselves what was given the most. No surprises at Jott, where down jackets reign supreme. Same observation at Paloma, where sleeveless knit sweaters made their little effect, accompanied by lamps and other decorative objects. At Perlépompons, jewelry and wool competed for popularity while on the manga side, Spy x Family established itself as “the all-purpose gift”.

And for those who want to prolong the magic of Christmas without breaking the bank, some stores are already starting to pull out offers. At Ludivine Passion, rue de l’Aspic, it’s a celebration of discounts: “50% off suitcases and 30% off leather bags,” Muriel explains. But in general, we’re already starting to prepare for the sales on January 8. Finally, on the literature side, Vincent Teissier recommends two favorites: Le Refuge by Alain Beaulieu and Les Jardins de Torcello by Claudie Gallay.

So while the return of gifts remains a reality in Nîmes, on this day after Christmas, it’s far from being the crowds we feared so much. But that doesn't matter: between jewelry, sweaters and decorative objects, it seems that the people of Nîmes have aimed pretty well this year. And for the few disappointed, we'll have to wait until January.