Getting up and about first thing is tiring work

What a revelation to do Christmas shopping first thing in the morning, says Fiona Duff

I got out of bed and instead of shuffling around in my dressing gown for as long as possible, I got dressed, walked the dog and headed up to Princes Street at 9am.

What a revelation to do Christmas shopping first thing in the morning. First stop Waterstones which was virtually empty – I had never seen it so previously in December.

Next stop Marks & Spencer which had not a queue to be seen. I wanted to find a smart-ish pair of boots and a couple of friends said that they had a good selection this year.

Unfortunately anything that looked like something to wear in the evening had pointy toes and I have big wide trotters which I couldn’t manage to fit into any of them. Never mind, I needed some celery and it was on special offer in the food department so it wasn’t a completely wasted trip.

Off to George Street to buy some make-up from Bobbi Brown as directed by one of my daughters. Well, blow me over and it hadn’t even opened. What a bunch of shirkers!

But this gave me the opportunity to have a meander round Oliver Bonas and pop into Lakeland to look at lots of kitchen stuff that I don’t need.

At 10am on the dot I was pushing open the door to the make up emporium and having smeared a few lipsticks on the back of my hand found one that me and the three sales ladies (they didn’t have anyone else to help at that time) agreed was a good colour.

But blimey it probably cost more than my whole make up collection. Then again I manage to pick up everything I need in Savers. Never was a shop so well named.

Then I came home and had a lie down. Tiring work this getting up and about first thing.

Getting up and about first thing is tiring work - Fiona Duff