List of Christmas past

SIR – Always throw away old lists (Letters, September 1).

I once came home with items from a short supplementary Christmas list in June. Adrian Talbot

St Jean du Gard, Gard, France

SIR – The husband of my aunt’s neighbour once returned from shopping with a massive bag of mushrooms, having mistaken his wife’s request for 1oz mushrooms on a list for 102. Robert Cox Gillingham, Kent

SIR – I put “loo rolls” on the shopping list. My husband phoned from Sainsbury’s wanting to know if he should get 100 assorted bread rolls or if they all had to be the same. Lynda Cox Southampton

SIR – My daughter makes a lot of lists, but one thing she has taught me is that when I make a list I should start off with several things I’ve already done. Ticking them off makes me feel so much better. Charles Pugh London SW10

SIR – Many years ago, my husband regularly got an earful when he arrived home with too many bananas, which then went to waste. I continued to harangue my poor husband until a wise friend asked me whether I really wanted to end my marriage over a bunch of bananas.

I am happy to say that we have just celebrated our 44th anniversary. Clare Byam-Cook London SW15

SIR – My wife and I have separate lists and, once in the supermarket, go about our business. I draw up my list on a grid so that items in each section correspond to their approximate location in the store.

There are at least two advantages to this. One is that, as I reach each aisle, I only need to refer to a small section of my list. The other is that, as I am often unable to decipher my own writing, by knowing I am in the correct area I might be able to decode my words.

Keith Macpherson

Clevedon, Somerset