A shopping bridge before Christmas

An added factor in the large cities of the Metropolitan Area of Tenerife It is the splendor of some lights that do not take into account for a few days the savings due to the high price of the kilowatt hour. Christmas is approaching and there is no need to skimp. This December is undoubtedly a shopping bridge before the holidays. A prologue that has come out even better than expected. You have to take the pulse of the street to start.

Mother and daughter

Ana leaves the car at home and goes down by tram from the Cruz del Señor on the day of the Immaculate Conception to meet her daughter Lucía. She confesses that she goes out “to look, but if I see something I like and at a good price, I’ll buy it.” Lucía is a shop assistant in a downtown store and acknowledges that sales at the beginning of December “have gone very well. There has been a great pace of work with the sale of many details for Christmas and clothes because company dinners are coming. Today (for yesterday) she only has part time and when she goes out in the afternoon she makes a Copernican turn to become a consumer. She claims to understand who is on the other side of the counter “Because I also know what happens there.”

A stop to eat. I stop by El Puntero, a mythical Canarian food establishment on San Clemente street where there are six tables in front, a half-hour wait. To find another place. Everything is full until it ends in La Compostelana, at the end of Plaza de la Candelaria, practically full as well. After lunch and coffee, mother and daughter walk for hours and go into a store. Lucia ends up not buying anything because “everything is very expensive”. At the end of the day, Ana takes clothes, some earrings and other details to give away at Epiphany. As she arrived she leaves, by tram, because she is “tired of walking”. The stops were made and the wagons were full at Weyler at around seven in the evening. Lots of atmosphere, even at lunchtime. And a large number of foreigners because the cruise ships are docked in the Port mein schiff herz Y Pacific Coast. Many different accents with a special presence of Italians. Even in the bus.

In first person

Leo goes for a run every day when the streets are “not yet laid.” He tours the city “among Easter flowers” and is surprised by “the crazy little pigs that have been placed in front of the Bar Atlántico” in the Spain Square –There are attractions, food bars and games for children in La Alameda al Pilar. The many tourists who move through the center also attract his attention. He looks at “the care with which the merchants put the chairs and tables for the terrace on San José street and its surroundings.” Leo goes out for a walk in the afternoon – like many chicharreros and visitors – but he doesn’t buy anything. Before coming home he enjoys a Christmas lighting that he likes very much and that he values. He is pleased to see the streets lively and full. He points out: “You can walk well, but there are people, without a doubt”

The business side

The bridge is better for restoration than for trade. If it were necessary to assess, a remarkable high for the first and good for the second. This is confirmed by Eulis, a waiter at another classic bar, the Royal, at the beginning of Calle La Rosa, which was full at the time. He sums it up: “A good day, a good long weekend and a good month since December began.” There is not so much optimism in adjacent streets such as La Luna and Puerto Escondido, if there are hardly any lights and with all businesses closed. Maybe they opened on Tuesday or will open later for dinner. As the road moves away from Castillo, San José or the Plaza del Príncipe, the impact of the festive day fades. This is confirmed by Junior, manager of the Goiano Cafeteria, in Parque Boulevard. “A rather normal day, neither too much nor too little, as usual.” On the trade side, a good day in general. This is confirmed by Lorena, who is on a split shift and is going home to eat. She clarifies that “today (yesterday) I have noticed more people than other days.” She works in a store with the funny name ‘Confía Coño’ that sells Canarian products from merchandising. She even carries a bag with the company motto on it.

lights and shopping

Afternoon falls and it is time for the lights to be turned on, a Christmas classic. The three colored tunnels in Weyler Square with their blue, red and white lights that flash on and off intermittently attract a lot of attention. People walk under it and take selfies or group photos. Entire families, many baby carriages and quite a few pets. Tesusi carries bags in her hands – she is loyal to many ». She has bought clothes and makeup. She likes tunnels of light “better than surrounding trees with wires like other times.” She is from Santa Cruz, as are Juan, María and her teenage son Jonathan. They just arrived and her idea is to pass without buying. They like the lights they see. Actually there are four of them, because in María’s arms is her dog ‘Gulf’ of hers. A little further down, little Triana, two years old, takes her little steps under the watchful eye of her parents, Manuel and Jesica. They have not been able to go out these days because they work and the intention is to enjoy their little girl because “we already bought Christmas things before because they are cheaper.” The same sensation in Calle Valentín Sanz and in Plaza del Príncipe inside and outside the venue. A starry sky of white, red, green, yellow and blue bulbs and at the end, near Patriotism Square, a large Christmas tree next to which everyone wants to immortalize themselves. Next to it, a large rectangle full of Easter flowers that no one has taken. They are all. And a little further up there is a queue to enter the Caixa headquarters to see the peculiar Lego nativity scene of the CajaCanarias Foundation. “So beautiful, it is out of the ordinary. Tomorrow we come to see him more calmly. As in the morning, the catering establishments around the square, in the Castle, in San José… More selfies at the Estrella de Belén in Plaza del Chicharro.

a long campaign

For the Central Zone, an association with 300 participating establishments, the Christmas campaign began on Black Friday with Isla de Moda, an added attraction for local and foreign users. Accompanied by “the multitude of activities developed.”

Zona Centro «bets one more year for the opening during the bridge». In this sense, and based on the data previously collected, “a commitment has been made to contracting in many SMEs despite the effort involved right now.”

The group values ​​that “we cannot yet know what the real return or economic impact is, but we hope that the numbers are positive.” In addition, “the number of tourists who visit our commercial area these days” is added. He concludes: “On Wednesday the weather was not good but it stabilized and that plays in favor of the Central Zone.” Because “it is outdoors and you can enjoy not only traditional commerce but quality services, leisure and restaurants.”

The lagoon

In the streets of Laguna there was also a crowd during the day yesterday. Starting in the morning, and after a few days of drizzle, the rainfall gave a truce and there were many who went out with the aim of resolving Christmas commitments. The central streets of La Carrera and Herradores showed more movement, as did the nearby San Agustín and other streets in the historic center.

Already with the afternoon, more Christmas atmosphere if possible once the lighting was activated. Old Aguere has spent years with a commitment to install a large number of colored lights. The large trees and other elements attract buyers and it was revealed this Thursday. In this edition, around 3,000 led motifs have been installed.

After the bridge from December 6 to 8, tradition suggests that you can put the tree or the portal and wish “Merry Christmas”. Well, in addition to buying, eating or drinking between party lights.