Thibaud Hue, edited by Solène Delinger 8:24 p.m., December 23, 2021

The countdown has begun.

In 24 hours, the French will meet to celebrate Christmas Eve.

And, like every year, many of them go about it at the last moment to take care of gifts for their loved ones and groceries for the meal.

At the Beaugrenelle shopping center in Paris, the latecomers were particularly numerous this Thursday, December 23. 

REPORTING

Shelves packed to the brim, customers with arms full of gifts ... Christmas has never been so close!

Latecomers, still numerous, flock to the stores to buy the last gifts and do their shopping for Christmas Eve.

There was therefore a crowd this Thursday, December 23 at the Beaugrenelle shopping center in Paris. 

20 to 30% more attendance on Christmas Eve

"I still have 24 hours, it's playable", confides Claire at the microphone of Europe 1. Overwhelmed before the end of the year holidays, this mother had no other choice but to go about it at the last moment to find board games to put under the tree. "It is not easy with the job and the children. But it is absolutely necessary to have gifts for tomorrow evening", she breathes.  

Jessica, the manager of the toy store, is used to it.

"Every year, the latecomers meet at the same time," she told Europe.

Since the start of this week, there are indeed a lot more customers than usual.

The flow is accelerating very considerably.

That represents between 20 and 30% more frequentation. "People are therefore naturally more in a hurry and more demanding." But we take all this with a good mood.

Everything is fine, ”says Jessica. 

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More than a day to finish shopping

The gifts, but also the food.

For Christmas dinner, Gisèle comes out of a supermarket with a full bag.

She welcomes her son tomorrow and has a budget of 200 euros.

So her schedule is busy.

"Today, I bought logs. My favorite flavor is coffee. For tomorrow, I have decided to buy some oysters and if I find some nice raw fish, maybe tuna", says Gisèle.

But, before sitting down to dinner, there is still one last day, tomorrow, to finish shopping and complete your Christmas list.