Stocking fillers are not what they were

I REALLY am beginning to wonder whether some journalists live on a different planet from the rest of us.

The list of Christmas ‘stocking fillers’ recommended by one such last weekend ranged in price from £30 to almost £300!

All but the least expensive item (a £35 apron) would be well beyond the reach of most people in this country, especially in these harsh economic times as a main gift – never mind as a stocking filler.

When I was growing up, stocking fillers were an orange, nuts, chocolate coins, candy, small inexpensive toys or items of stationery.

These suggested stocking fillers are about as relevant to present times as one newspaper’s ‘recipe of the day’ recently for Beef Wellington. I doubt whether many of its readers’ shopping budgets stretch to fillet of beef at £50-£60 a kilo!

Robert Readman Bournemouth