I can’t recall why my husband and I were discussing shopping via the Sears and JCPenney Christmas catalogs back in the “1990’s”, but we were – in front of our 27-year young daughter. If you are under 45 years old, you may not know what these thick Christmas books looked like.
“Wait. What did you say?” Our daughter interrupts with a line of questioning. “There was a giant Christmas book where you completed a form with a pen and m-a-i-l-e-d it with a paper check to have something delivered?!”
Husband and I exchange glances, hearing these truths as preposterous as she did. “Yes,” I laugh. “During our first Christmas in 1993, we shopped JCPenney and Sears for stuff like Dad’s electric razor and a new microwave.”
“Paper and pens and snail mail, oh my!” We laugh.
We extended the conversation into how only select stores sold decent undergarments and how the department stores were a special trip – and, oh they were decorated for Christmas…with nativity sets! Now, anyone can purchase undies even at the local pharmacy – and, great effort is expended to avoid Christ-mas décor that actually reflects Christ.
Things change and often for the good. But, I’ve started telling stories using the dreaded words I never thought I would say: “back then (whatever-the-topic) was just better.” How about something as simple as a shopping bag for your Christmas purchases? I miss the days of big, pretty (and strong) store bags, handed to you over the counter.
Remember receiving several glossy garment gift boxes for your Christmas gifts at the checkout? Then, being irritated when stores started running out of them by December 15th? Followed by years later feeling sad when you heard, “sorry, we no longer carry boxes”? Sure, there are a few boutiques that wrap it all shiny, but for a cost and those places are few.
The anticipation for the late-November arrival of Christmas “big books” was real. Circling way more gifts than we would ever receive was just part of the fun. Waiting two weeks for the presents to arrive was normal.
Turning the highly decorated pages had the ability to transport us to a feeling of “warm and cozy”. Now, we swipe and scroll images that are razor sharp HD-quality, too often generating a sense of impossible, perfection and luxury as if their attainment is the only route to a memorable Christmas. Ask anyone over the age of 50 and you’ll (mostly) hear special Christmas stories about people, food, and that weird, silver tinsel on grandma’s tree…
Sure, there were arguments, busy-body relatives and gaudy decorations. But, those are real-life stories, not some imagined, unattainable false expectations about Christmas that are so easy to adopt if we’re not careful.
Nine days until Christmas!
Tales from a Mid-Lifer 
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