About 12 days before Christmas, the 13 yr-old shared his Christmas list with me on Google Docs. 

I’d heard stories about uber-organised families setting up this kind of thing, with information about current interests, clothing sizes, general ideas, gift card locations, etc. Not something we’ve ever thought to do, but, hey ho ho ho, I’m all for convenience in the frenetic run-up to the festivities. 

My son had helpfully included links to amazon.ae to make things easier. 

Main stuff

RK Royal Kludge RK61
Bloody A60L
COD Vanguard ps5

I scanned the list – and I have to say, I didn’t have a clue what any of the things were. I mean – COD – that’s a fish, right? I was sure it must be in a foreign language. 

So, ever obliging on these matters, he thoughtfully went back into the document and added photos so I, erm, I mean Santa, couldn’t mess up.

“Mom, you might want to be careful about the delivery dates,” he warned.

“If you don’t do it soon, Amazon might not be able to deliver before Christmas.” 

I noted the hopeful glint in his eyes, and told him I’d let Santa know not to delay. 

What on earth had happened to the good ole days of circling things in the Argos catalogue, I wondered?! It was a rite of passage, wasn’t it, ringing all the stuff you wanted with a highlighter. 

It even got me thinking about standing at the counter in our local Argos store, flicking through the laminated book of dreams and carefully copying the precise product code onto the order slip with one of those stubby biros. Then the goods arriving, Larry Grayson Generation Game-style, on the conveyor belt. Oh the excitement! 

Now that the Argos catalogue is no more (as of January 2021, they stopped printing it after almost 50 years), my kids will never feel their legs go numb as they sit with the giant book sprawled across their laps.

Merry Christmas everyone! Some more nostalgia below… then it’s back to Google Docs I’m afraid!