My mother worked and had no time to shop for us kids. We ordered all our clothing and lots of household items from the Sears Catalogue….kinda like the Amazon of it’s day.
The joy of Christmas catalogs. Looking through them to choose all the toys you wanted Santa to bring and then on Christmas the reality of the presents you actually got.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac still has a hole drilled in one corner. They started doing that as a favor to people who would use old issues in the outhouse. Made it easier to hang. True story.
On my Grandparent’s farm there was only an out house – no indoor plumbing at all. They were also poor so we used magazines for toilet paper. Couldn’t wait for peach season! For those younger people, peaches came in a crate individually wrapped in tissue paper. MUCH nicer to use!
Early in March husband became one of the “We need toilet paper” people – and yes, we found same at BJs – easier to let him buy. We had over half of a Costco sized package, 2 spares and one started roll in each of 2 bathrooms – and a spare and started roll in our RV plus he has “special” TP he uses sometimes and we had a sealed Walmart package, a started and a full roll in each of the 2 bathrooms and in the RV. This went on like this with everything – hand soap, shower soap, dish soap, laundry soap, paper towels… we had plenty in the house and also had in our RV (think Chevy Express van conversion, not one of the big ones one sees on TV when traveling. If he found it, he bought it, even it if it was not the brand we use (meaning he prefers).
It is now 5 months – less a week or so – since he panic shopped. We still have not started any of the new items he had to buy in March and won’t need them for some time. It is just the two of us – how much of these things do we need.
Ok, to be fair – I am only allowed to use 1/2 a paper towel – and they are half sheets to start – at a time. Before this started I had been washing the dishes with paper towels (had to toss the sponges I used to use as he was sure they caused the ants we had in summer 2019) and he told me in March I could no longer do so. “Back to sponges?” I asked. “NO sponges- ants! NO paper towels – will run out!” Okay what could I wash the dishes with? I had some old dish towels that were just this side of rags – each made 9 washable, reusable dish washing cloths.
amethyst52 Premium Member over 4 years ago
I miss catalogs.
Da'Dad over 4 years ago
…and phone books too.
Rich88865 over 4 years ago
Sephten over 4 years ago
‘Exchange & Mart’ in England!
Dawn Premium Member over 4 years ago
Love the upturned chair! LOL!!!
fuzzbucket Premium Member over 4 years ago
The catalogs aren’t nearly as popular since they started using glossy pages.
dlkrueger33 over 4 years ago
My mother worked and had no time to shop for us kids. We ordered all our clothing and lots of household items from the Sears Catalogue….kinda like the Amazon of it’s day.
Tom_Tildrum over 4 years ago
But even if you ordered toilet paper from the Sears catalog, it would take days to arrive!
;-)
Jeffin Premium Member over 4 years ago
A&J were on a roll, even back then.
Michael G. over 4 years ago
Glossy paper is less useful than the paper shopping bags (grocery sacks, pokes) widely available then.
david_42 over 4 years ago
One may joke, but that was the option at my uncle’s cabin. He said the (unnamed) critters stole TP from the outhouse.
rbarnold over 4 years ago
Watch out for those staples, Arlo.
Weakstream over 4 years ago
im 84, grew up on farm in Kansas. I remember the catalog very well.
assrdood over 4 years ago
I once heard that WLS AM radio station in Chicago originally meant “Worlds Largest Store” (Sears), Can anybody confirm?
Oakwood13 over 4 years ago
The joy of Christmas catalogs. Looking through them to choose all the toys you wanted Santa to bring and then on Christmas the reality of the presents you actually got.
B.comics.61 over 4 years ago
Great. Now my web browser is filled with ads for toilet paper.
ChessPirate over 4 years ago
I once got a “gag gift” at Christmas that was a paperback book of a very old Sears catalog. It had some really fascinating things in it.
Emperor Rick over 4 years ago
1980’s Sears catalogs are going for over $30 on eBay. One person’s fodder, another person’s treasure.
Cincoflex over 4 years ago
That’s right: Toilet paper shortages aren’t funny—especially if you’re the one on the porcelain throne.
ahnk_2000 over 4 years ago
The Old Farmer’s Almanac still has a hole drilled in one corner. They started doing that as a favor to people who would use old issues in the outhouse. Made it easier to hang. True story.
CynthiaLeigh over 4 years ago
With that tiny nose, good thing Janis didn’t wear glasses.
Purplelady Premium Member over 4 years ago
On my Grandparent’s farm there was only an out house – no indoor plumbing at all. They were also poor so we used magazines for toilet paper. Couldn’t wait for peach season! For those younger people, peaches came in a crate individually wrapped in tissue paper. MUCH nicer to use!
Ginger Vedder over 4 years ago
So, did Janis “knock him off his block” in the original comic? Come on Jimmy, I want to see the original!!!
paranormal over 4 years ago
That’s why you save newspapers! Online version is too bulky and messy!!
Petemejia77 over 4 years ago
Did we the reader just punched him out in the last panel? How violent!
Kawasaki Cat over 4 years ago
Me too.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 4 years ago
That slick paper is the opposite of toilet paper. Also too hard to recycle.
Homerville Premium Member over 4 years ago
JC Penney was a good backup in case your Sears had only the sports section left.
JoHo Premium Member over 4 years ago
Anybody ever get a Service Merchandise catalog?
washatkc Premium Member over 4 years ago
Man I love you
mafastore over 4 years ago
Early in March husband became one of the “We need toilet paper” people – and yes, we found same at BJs – easier to let him buy. We had over half of a Costco sized package, 2 spares and one started roll in each of 2 bathrooms – and a spare and started roll in our RV plus he has “special” TP he uses sometimes and we had a sealed Walmart package, a started and a full roll in each of the 2 bathrooms and in the RV. This went on like this with everything – hand soap, shower soap, dish soap, laundry soap, paper towels… we had plenty in the house and also had in our RV (think Chevy Express van conversion, not one of the big ones one sees on TV when traveling. If he found it, he bought it, even it if it was not the brand we use (meaning he prefers).
It is now 5 months – less a week or so – since he panic shopped. We still have not started any of the new items he had to buy in March and won’t need them for some time. It is just the two of us – how much of these things do we need.
Ok, to be fair – I am only allowed to use 1/2 a paper towel – and they are half sheets to start – at a time. Before this started I had been washing the dishes with paper towels (had to toss the sponges I used to use as he was sure they caused the ants we had in summer 2019) and he told me in March I could no longer do so. “Back to sponges?” I asked. “NO sponges- ants! NO paper towels – will run out!” Okay what could I wash the dishes with? I had some old dish towels that were just this side of rags – each made 9 washable, reusable dish washing cloths.