Remembering 'Store Bought'

It is the time of the year when everyone is frantically shopping, and I am guessing that a lot of shopping is done online anymore. Do you remember when getting store bought items was a really cool thing?

Getting “store bought” things was really exciting, especially when school shopping, but equally so when you received that item for a gift at any time.

I am willing to bet that many of our ancestors never considered what a luxury it would be to be able to just turn on the computer, or use their phone, to get their Christmas shopping done. Instead, they had to be thinking about gift giving well ahead of time as these gifts required much more time and thought than is required today.

Oh, something I never have given a thought to until just now, what about wrapping paper and trim? Do you think that is why Christmas stockings came about? Most everyone had stockings around. They may have been darned in a place or two, but I am sure the real thing was to find a big one!

Store bought also referred to some of the items on our holiday table.

I remember green olives. We always had adequate homemade pickles but getting to have green olives was almost as good as pie. Each of us “older generation” individuals have our own memories of these special store bought things.

As you wrap or unwrap your gifts, or set your holiday table, give a thought to store bought, and have a Christmas season that generates memories.