Its Christmas Eve, and for many today will be one of panic, perhaps even all out terror. These are the people who have left their Christmas shopping until today. I'm not talking about people buying incidentals, like buns for tomorrow's turkey supper. (You'd better not be thinking about buying turkey today, you'll probably get the bottom of the barrel.) I'm talking about folks who will buy all their presents today. As a result they'll be forced to brave massive crowds desperately hoping they can finally find the presents they need, that they're not sold out. Indeed some will still be trying to figure out exactly what they are going to get people. And is often the case when large numbers of frantic people are out and about the stupidity quotient will likely go up, driving store clerks everywhere up the wall with stupid requests and childish behaviour. Of course this probably isn't the worst day of the year for Canadian retail employees. In much of the country that will be December 26th, Boxing Day, when stores have massive sales and hence bargain hungry consumers descend en masse in a frenzy, their common sense overriden by the need to buy that 39 buck DVD player or what have you. Not to mention the dumdums who just can't get it through their heads that most places will not be taking returns that day.