Generally, Boxing Day (BD) is Australia’s biggest shopping frenzy, even wilder than Black Friday. The best deals are on and buyers have marked this day red on their calendars. Before, trading commenced at 5am. Only the malls downtown were open. Once, my family went in at around 6am. We visited Myer, Pitt Street Mall, and Broadway Shopping Centre. We scored many bargains. These days, shops open at 7am or later. More importantly, the madness is now not limited only to the city centre. BD is also known for its great sporting tradition. The Boxing Day Test between Oz and India attracts tens of thousands. The Sydney or Hobart yacht race is a world class sailing tussle. To prove this, Rolex is the major sponsor. This year was one of the deadliest, with two participants going to heaven.

Pre-Christmas shopping spree

I did most of my Christmas buys BEFORE the 26th. David Jones sent us some vouchers. We snapped up a beard brush and Natio shower gel. The latter turned out cheaper at Amazon, but at least we used our coupons. JB HiFi also sent out a voucher. We got some pens and printer ink.

Days before the 25th, I got a new WordPress plan. This was my present to myself. Previously, I was on the Personal plan. By moving to Business, more options are at my disposal. They offer a two-year plan and it wasn’t peanuts. However, I’ll do what I can to enhance my writing opportunities.

On Monday the 23rd, we went to Bankstown Central. There, we chanced upon this bin that was perfect for my room. It had an eye catching diamond design and was made in Turkey. In a light grey colour, I got it at a good price.

The Apple Bubble

I bought an iPhone 14. I would’ve gone for the Plus but they did not stock that. They had two colours: midnight and starlight. I opted for the former, not that it matters. This would be lost in the phone’s cover. The 15 has the same amount of RAM and screen size, only utilising a more advanced chip. Of course, it will be supported for a year more than its predecessor. I found Face ID to be a game changer. No more drying of hands and awkward pressing. The screen size is middling. For that price, you’d have wanted something more substantial. Regardless, it feels like a premium phone as opposed to a solid midrange Android. See also: my last mobile, an Oppo Reno 11F. Reno’s have Touch ID integrated inside the screen. Handy. Battery was good. It was to get two major Android updates. All in all, a quality device…except it wasn’t an iPhone.

Returning to the Apple ecosystem is nice. Once you try it, staying is very tempting. Many years ago, I bought my first iPhone. It gave me 3.5 years of service. Before, at Myer, I grabbed the 64gb version. Nowadays, their entry level iPhone has 128gb. This is less than the Reno (256gb), which also had 8gb of RAM. In case you’re wondering, the latest iPhone sports 8gb of RAM. The sixteenth edition has a slightly larger screen and improved Articifial intelligence (AI) features. Since the 15, they pack twice as much battery cycles at 1000. Battery health and cycle count is also visible, negating the need for a third party app.

Since the iPhone 12, they’ve come with 5G. Having owned many 5G handsets, you’ll really feel the difference on Apple’s signature mobile. Others may have more RAM and screen real estate, but lack the smoothness of an iPhone. Moreover, the 14 offers eSIM support. This is convenient with service providers who aren’t available in retail stores. You could also utilise two sims at once.

I’ve downloaded 20 apps on my phone. They vary from fast food to productivity apps, Spotify to Protonmail. I have Flybuys and Woolies, David Jones and Afterpay. Brave is my default browser, although I use Google as my search engine. Other notables are Facebook, Qantas Pay, Webjet, Messenger, and Country Road. All these apps are optimised for iPhone.

Aside from the premium phone, I picked up a black Gecko case from the same store. It was 30 percent off. Unlike others, it had textile material instead of PU. This reminded me of my old iPad case. We had a look around the mall and the cheapest was $25. Others were $30. The front had a lizard outline, reminiscent of the tuko (gecko) in the Philippines. The flap is unideal, but I’ll live with it. The case comes with two card slots whereas others have three. This is more than sufficient, as I only need it for my Opal card.

Fahrenheit 26/12

On BD, we wandered at Castle Hill. The new Metro impressed my dad. It reminded him of ones in Taiwan and Japan. It was a hit with passengers from all walks of life.

I bought this lass a gift. I asked the staffer if they stocked the item. He was positive that they didn’t. I told him that I spotted it on their website. He checked and found out that they had one left. Had a look round the display and I beat him to it. He told me that he’d bring it to the counter. Admitted that he didn’t know they sold them. At the counter, I told the lady that they brought it in for me. She went to the back and scoured for clothes. When she returned, I pointed it out. At other stores, it was the same price. Unlike their competitor, I earned Flybuys points for this transaction. That evening, I bought a printed case from Amazon, with a lovely nature design. The order would arrive within three business days.

Today, I had a look at scents online. She was particularly keen on this high end fragrance. At David Jones, I smelled it and wasn’t convinced. She’s a fan of lighter floral perfumes. While out during BD, I tried Chloe, her favourite. Quite minimalist, the original didn’t blow my mind. Earlier today, I kept reading good things about this other scent. Buyers rated it 4.7/5. Considered a luxury brand, though not as dear as Penhaligon’s. I tested the fragrance and verified the rave reviews. The scent was sought after as two were left. I bought it on the spot, my first in-store payment using my new iPhone.

Los Fam

For BD, I yearned to head out early. Things didn’t go as planned. We did not make the 8am opening. The clothing racks told the story. Like a blustery tornado, only the really large sizes were left. The frenzy had come and gone like a deadly typhoon. That’s why I wanted to come in at 8am. Given, I have a lot of stuff already. Summer doesn’t last long and, by mid-March, we’d be going back to jumpers and knitwear. At least I got my main gift, though this is hardly a surprise. I also spent quality time with my fam.

Stifler, este, Topher Claus is coming to town. Ho ho ho! Belated Merry Christmas!