'Tis the Season - for Catalogs

They start coming right after school starts – sometimes by the boatload. One of my best writing buds and I comment on it to each other.

“Well, it’s catalog season.” LOL

And I know exactly what she means. Another friend swears that more often than not we get the same catalogs over and over, but with different covers. We feel a little deceived. Hey, this has the same stuff as last time we think. I throw most catalogs away, but some are put in the tonight-in-the-recliner pile. Here’s why.

I’m a creative person and love the creativity of others. The clothing catalogs are the ones I most frequently toss, but I almost always hang on to the toy catalogs and the ones for home décor / gifts. Some are combos. One has some of the funniest t-shirt lines you’ll ever read. Like this one.

Greco Roman columns on each side of the following words, splayed across ther front, and for whom several family members come to mind.

Behold Farticus!

And another.

My Indian Name is Runs With Beer.

I laughed out loud when I read those two. I’m also happy to report that some of my old favorites still merit attention. This on a sofa throw.

Wise Men Still Seek Him.

I think of the wonderful minds whose job it is to come up with new ideas that will please and inspire the buying public. There are also catalogs like the one from The Vermont Country Store that cater to the desire in us for all the old creative ideas - still going strong - that we can't find anywhere else. The MaKenzie- Childs catalog shows us what's new in the world of ceramics and glass. They're pricey, but I like to know what the other half is offered, too. I even bought something from them - once. The variety and scope of what's presented in catalogs boggles the mind. I love it.

And while it’s true most of us don’t need more stuff, we do, on occasion need change. We need to feel like we can buy a new thing-a-ma-jig once in a while just to show we have a choice about it. All of our money needn’t go for necessities. Sometimes you just want a little mood booster in the form of a pretty pillow or a truly innovative toy for a child or grandchild. We can sit comfortably and decide at our leisure, another benefit of having the merchant come to the door, so to speak.

It’s the American way, I guess. One creates and the other buys. Both are happy. It keeps the economy running. I tell my husband this all the time. I do my duty as often as I can to keep the wheels of commerce chugging. I gently incline my head and speak with solemnity. Calms him right down.  

No, I don’t keep every catalog but I hope they never go away. I want to know what creative minds are up to out there. Besides – I need reading material to keep in the basket just outside the bathroom door.

What do you think of Catalog Season?

Image: Vlado                                                                  Free Digital Photos