It's just 35 days until Christmas, but parents shopping at Smyths Toys have been issued a warning ahead of the festivities.
Smyths Toys has stores dotted right across the capital with stores on Jervis Street, Fonthill retail Park, Swords, Blanchardstown, Tallaght, and Carrickmines. In recent days the retailer has issued a warning to parents urging them to be cautious when buying presents for Children this Christmas.
Smyths Toys has a handy click and collect service, but it could be a disaster for anyone using it with their kids in tow. Click and collect orders are packaged in clear plastic bags, which could ruin the surprise.
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Smyths Toys wrote on its website: "‘Please note your Click & Collect items will be in clear packaging with contents visible."
But there is a solution, as parents can buy a €2.00 XL XL Shopper Bag of Fun or bring a different bag with them for the Christmas goodies. This way the children won't be able to see the presents inside.
Many parents have taken to social media over the past few years to give the public a heads up about the clear plastic bags at Smyths. One parent Sarah wrote on Twitter in 2020: "Warning to anyone using the click and collect service from Smyths - they put everything in a clear bag. I repeat, the bag is CLEAR."
In a follow-up message in 2021, she stressed: "This is your seasonal reminder that Smyths plastic bags are still SEE THROUGH". Clear plastic bags aren't the only thing with the potential to spoil surprises for kids this Christmas.
Parents commented on Sarah's post with their own horror stories. One said: "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."
Meanwhile, parents are also warned that Disney and Lego bags may also accidentally tell children what kind of present they are receiving for Christmas. Last year, parents took to X complaining that Lego uses packaging that visibly displayed its logo.
Another store to be mindful of is the Disney store, as the name and or logo will usually be branded somewhere on its packaging when ordering online.
Smyths Toys will be open until 9pm from Monday to Friday until December 22. The extended opening hours are to help parents get gifts after they finish work in the evening.
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