I spent some time on line today looking at possible Christmas gifts for our youngest grandchild. It was sometimes frustrating as often clicking on a button that I thought would take me to exactly what I wanted whisked me into a whole other category of items for sale with flashing orange signs ordering me to sign up now!
So many items for sale and so many great bargains if you just sign up for a (presumably life time) membership deal. I resisted, persevered, found what I wanted, and successfully placed my order.
I found myself longing though for our wonderful wish books. Those big thick catalogs from Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward. The original mail order system. Every fall the wish books would arrive, two inch thick catalogs full of clothing for men, women and children, household goods, tools and, most wonderfully, toys.
My brother and I would lie on the living room floor paging through those catalogs, marveling at the toys available and letting our parents know what our dearest wishes were. We knew we couldn't have everything we wanted but it was such fun to think about the wonderous choices.
There was something very satisfying about turning page after page to see new marvels revealed - doll babies and doll houses with little people families, cap pistols (two guns in holsters were the best) and cowboy hats, Lincoln logs and Erector sets and bicycles and train sets.
I hope that shopping on line is just as satisfying for kids today, I really do.
No comments:
Post a Comment