第48話：The Gift-Shopping Season ショッピングシーズン

Photo by Kira auf der Heide

The Gift-Shopping Season    

It’s December and officially Christmas month! It may not feel that festive yet, but Christmas is indeed just around the corner. It’s that season when people spend time, effort and money to think of and purchase gifts for families and friends. So in line with this merry time of gift-giving, let me share with you some English expressions and vocabulary for shopping.   

ショッピングのシーズン

12月といえば、そう、クリスマスの月だね。まだワクワク感はないけど、クリスマスはすぐそこまで来ている。家族や友達へのプレゼント考えるのに時間やお金、努力を費やすこの時期にふさわしいので、今回は「ショッピング」にまつわる表現と単語をみんなとシェアしようとおもいます。

Words and Expressions about Shopping:  

1.     Shop around- To go around in many different stores to look for the best product, price, style, etc..

Example: Before buying anything, I shop around for hours to find the best items in the mall.   

Shop around：よい商品（値段、スタイルなども）を探しにたくさんの違うお店に行って回ること

例：私は購入前に、ショッピングモール内を数時間かけて一番いいのを探して回ります。

2.  Window shopping- The activity of looking at goods displayed in shop windows, especially without intending to buy anything.

    Example: We often like to go window-shopping even though we’re not really going buy anything.

    Window shopping：ウィンドウに飾られた素敵な展示を、購入することなく見て回ること
   例：実際何か買うわけじゃないんだけど、私たちはウィンドウショッピングにたまに出かけるのが好きです。

  

3.     Retail therapy- The practice of shopping in order to make oneself feel more cheerful.

Example: She needed a lot of retail therapy to help her get over her problems.

   Retail therapy：買い物をすることで気分をより高めること

例：彼女はかかえてる問題克服のために買い物セラピーが必要だった。

   4.     Shopping spree- A short period of time in which someone buys a lot of things.

Example: My sister was given a $1,000 gift card so she went on a shopping spree.

Shopping spree：たくさんの買い物を短期間に一気にすること
例：私の姉は1000ドルのギフトカードをもらったので爆買いした。

  5.     Good deal- A very favorable agreement, cost, or situation.

Example: Because it was the holiday season, there were a lot of good deals in shops at the local mall.

Good deal：納得いく契約、価格、状況
例：お休みのシーズンなので地元のモールにはたくさんのお買い得品があった。

Shopping is both fun and kind of stressful for many of us. It might even feel more tiring for others as Christmas nears. But despite all the hustle and bustle this season brings, I hope we’d all get to appreciate the wonderful idea behind shopping for presents, giving and receiving gifts. It’s more than the gift itself. It’s the lovely thought that came with the ribbons and the wraps!

Happy shopping, everyone!

ショッピングって楽しくもありストレスに感じることもあるよね。クリスマスが近づくと疲れすら感じる人もいる。あわただしいこの時期だけど、プレゼントを買って受け渡しするなかにすてきなアイデアがあるといいなって思うわ。プレゼントそのもの以上のもの、リボンやラップにまで気配りされた素敵なものをね！

さあ、ショッピングを楽しもう！

-      Teacher Marilou J

Vocabulary:

1.     festive (adjective)- offering fun and gaiety; merry 　陽気な
2.     around the corner (phrase)- very near　もうすぐ
3.     purchase (verb)- to buy; get in exchange for payment　購入する
4.     get over (phrasal verb)- to start to feel happy or well again after something bad has happened to you 乗り越える
5.     hustle and bustle (noun)- a large amount of activity and work, usually in a noisy surrounding　慌ただしさ