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I used to buy bits and bobs from Hawkins Bazaar when it was just a mail order catalogue. I knew they had shops now. I saw one in Bluewater (BIG shopping, although not as grand as American malls) when I had time to eat up and Uncle Ken's discount travel meant it was 90p to travel 3 hours on the bus (45p & 1.5 hours there and the same on the way back and a centre to wander round for a couple of hours) but I had no spare cash to spend.
Imagine my delight when I realised there is a Hawkins in Aylesbury! And our shopping centre is tiny. I spent nearly an hour in there, wanting to buy just about everything. Of course I didn't, couldn't, wouldn't. But I got my nephew's Christmas present there. A Mystery Stocking (Christmas, not fishnet) which is guaranteed to have £10 more in it than if you bought items separately. A blessing for me because sadly, apart from knowing he likes loud noises, smells and farts which combine both, I never know what to buy him. It doesn't help that he has a birthday on 15 December, so I have to come up with two in one month, selfish child.
A funny thing I learned about myself though. I like the exclusivity of buying from a catalogue. I was devastated when Cosmetics To Go went into receivership. I used to tout their catalogue round the office, and when we had a huge order - good stuff, very tempting and I gave user reviews - I'd send it off and keep the discounts and freebies to myself. Everyone knew I did, they saw it as the perk of collating the order, collecting the money and distributing the goods. Then Lush opened. Same people, similar products just different names and scents. But it was never quite the same. I have at least 3 Lush products in the bathroom/ bedroom still, but since they stopped doing the Ginger range our relationshoip has never been the same.
Same with Hawkins Bazaar. They sell weird and wacky things, and hit upon the device of showing a 50p piece to denote size on the smaller items. Again, I'd tout it round the office (different office) and reap the reward of zero postage and free gifts. It was so exciting! But hearing dull people in the shop, talking rubbish about the products they haven't properly read the POS cards for, or with children who whine, "Vem! Vem, iss vem ones I want!" it's just not the same.
Am I forever trying to recapture the exciting post (mail) of my childhood? Where any day in the summer holidays might bring the toy I saved up tokens for? Or photos, when the camera was only brought out for special occasions? Or the hamper at Christmas? Is that why this Secret Santa excites me?
Maybe I'm just lonely. Which is why I've written a long post about nothing. In the Cellar bar I'm the bore who tells you how to get the best from your nudges on your fruit machine.
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