The retailer has warned shoppers of an issue that could ruin the big surprise on Christmas morning
Smyths Toys (stock pic)(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
The festive season is in full swing here on Leeside with footfall increasing across the city as people start to tick names off their Christmas shopping list. It’s a busy time for parents in particular, with many spending their afternoons checking out different toy shops as they try to grab everything from their child’s Santa letter before stock runs out.
Click and collect can be particularly handy over the festive season, but popular toy retailer Smyths has warned parents of one issue that could potentially ruin the surprise ahead of Christmas morning. It could be a disaster for anyone using it with curious children in tow, as orders are packaged in clear plastic bags, giving the smallies an opportunity to spot them as they’re being snuck into the house.
A notice on the Smyths website reads: “Please note your Click and Collect items will be in clear packaging with contents visible.”
Year after year, social media users warn parents to bring their own bags. In previous years, one Twitter user wrote: “Warning to anyone using the click and collect service from Smyths – they put everything in a clear bag. I repeat, the bag is CLEAR.”
They followed up in 2021, reminding everyone: “This is your seasonal reminder that Smyths plastic bags are still SEE THROUGH”.
To help parents protect the magic, Smyths has extended store hours leading up to Christmas, with most locations staying open until 10pm Monday to Friday – perfect for late-night gifting missions. The retailer also offers a range of Black Friday deals in-store and online, while supplies last.
The social media warnings have sparked parents sharing their own near-disasters. One person recalled: “A colleague here has Amazon Alexa which announced ‘your package will be delivered in 30 minutes’… to which the kids responded ‘Alexa, what’s in the package?’ and were duly told”.
Offering advice on how to fix the issue, one person responded: “You probably know this, but you can set Alexa to be more discreet about those things.”
To change the settings on your Alexa and stop anything from being given away, do the following:
- Open Alexa on your phone.
- Tap Settings.
- Choose Notifications.
- Select Amazon Shopping.
- Uncheck the box titled “For items in delivery updates” under the section “Let Alexa say or show titles for items you’ve ordered.”
Parents have also been warned to keep an eye out for deliveries, as some may not come in discreet packaging. One parent said: “I’ve had toys delivered with no box, just an address sticker slapped on them – would have been disastrous if the kids had seen”.
A second added: “The Lego online shop was shipping all their stuff last year in big Lego-branded boxes. Pure grace of God none of our kids came to the door when DPD delivered it.”
