Hot dog! The arrival of Sears and Roebuck Catalog always started a battle. In the fifties and sixties, it had everything: clothes, toys, appliances, tools, furniture, and almost anything else you could dream up.
As soon as I could wrest it out of someone’s hands, I’d go first to the kid stuff. Every toy imaginable was available. I’d flip straight past the dolls in search of skates, pogo sticks, and cowboy outfits. I just knew my life would be perfect if I could just get a cowboy getup….and oh, yes, a BB gun. My parents made it clear I would not be getting a BB gun, but as long as I could admire them in the catalog, it was always a possibility! Periodically, I’d meander away and a sister or brother would grab it and run. Occasionally, Mother would tell us to look together, and pages would invariably be torn in the ensuing tussle, ensuring big trouble and banishment. We learned to discipline ourselves to battle as quietly as possible to maintain possession.
Once I had sated my toy yearnings a bit, I’d move on to the swimming pool and swing set section. Though I’d admired the amazing models in the book, Mother was quick to burst my bubble about the Olympic-sized pools and towering swing sets the lucky kids frolicked on. “That pool is tiny. It would barely come up past your knees. It’s not even big enough for all you kids to get in at once!”
That burned me up! I could clearly see a dozen kids standing neck deep, swimming laps, or diving off their dad’s shoulders in that pool. Besides, Who cared if there was room for everybody. That pool would be mine!
Moving on from the pool, I admired the refrigerators with their wide-open doors, loaded with watermelons, pies, hams, turkeys, fruit, and molded jello salads. The freezer section was stuffed tight with ice cream and Popsicles. I coveted those refrigerators packed with endless culinary delights, so unlike our clunker with a few aging onions, a bowl of leftover pinto beans, a jar of fresh cow’s milk and a bowl of yard-eggs.
When the competition for the catalog abated a bit, I’d smuggle it to a quiet corner to try to get a little sex education in the ladies and mens underwear section. I never learned much, but I remained ever hopeful, snapping the pages shut should I hear approaching footsteps. When I discovered hernia trusses and maternity girdles, that was the biggest mystery of all. They were forever linked in my memory. To this day, I still hope to discover them in a shameless tryst.
Seems like the JC Penney catalog was the sought-after Mail for is growing up. And anyone who says they didn’t curiously look at the undies is lying! Lol!
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It was exciting!
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Great memories. Ours was the Montgomery Ward catalogue. We fantasized through the pages–like you did. It was my first sex education. National Geographic filled in the rest of the blanks. Did you know that John Davidson, the singer, actor, performer in the sixties, was a catalogue underwear model?
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No. He must have been so proud. Probably no one ever recognized his face.
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I’m still amazed he owned up to it on national TV.
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When I went to the UK in 1971 I saw my first ever catalogue of this kind, I was astonished that so many things could be ordered from one place. Nothing like that where I grew up.
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You could even get washing machines and step ladders.
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We fought over it, too. I remember it well. So impressive that you made your way out of the toy section…not sure I ever did. ☺ I also felt sorry for that postal carrier on that day. Ouch.
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I didn’t has access to much else!
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I wonder if one of those fabulous 3D printers could recreate some of those wonders. Although there must be some around…
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I wonder.
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Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Linda Bethea with the wonder that was the Sears and Roebuck catalog – I had a similar love of my fashion catalog that would arrive every season and even though I knew that the dress or shirt would look nothing like the photographs when it arrived in all its nylon glory… I just could not resist.. If you had a favourite let Linda know by visiting the post.
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How did they do that?
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Oh, I like the cowboy outfit I saw on the picture that accompanied this post on your front page. Sadly, I doubt it would fit me.
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Good. Since I never got one, I don’t want you to have one either!
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Haha! Well, you got your wish. Looks like I’ll have to stick the goldfish bowl on my head again and pretend that I’m an astronaut. 🙂
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That will never be as cool! Just saying!
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Don’t forget the Montgomery Ward and JC Penney catalogs – especially the Christmas ones! It’s always fun to dream.
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We never got those.
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Oh the joys of the Sears & Roebuck catalog! My mom would hide ours until it was close to Christmas and then bring it out for our endless hours of enjoyment trying to pick out “1” item we would like to have for Christmas. Of course there were budget limits which made it so much more difficult! Oh and Roy Rogers! I never missed a Roy Rogers and Dale Evans show!
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Oh, I loved Roy, but thought Dale was kind of lame. I was sure Roy could do better!
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Hahaha! I was too young to think that way. LOL!!
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Oh, I remember the Sears and Roebuck catalog! My older sister were already gone so I did not have to share. Mysteries and dreams were certainly to be found in those slick pages!
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You were one lucky kid.
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Those cowboy outfits were the best. Of course I are up in Detroit and if I showed up in an outfit like that kid i would have lost my pants. Good post.
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Thanks. I never had a thing to worry about. Mother always got me a doll every chance she got!
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🙂
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