As Christmas approaches, I have been scouring the papers for a sign of that most traditional festive item - the great toy con.

Yesterday I read that the Pokman is to be this year's 'must have'. Pokman is evidently short for pocket monster and I'm sure that the fact that it looks cheap, plastic and nasty will not for one minute stop over-indulgent parents queuing for hours in the freezing cold to acquire one for their little darling.

I don't suppose they will be in the least surprised when an assistant announces a shortage - "Only one per person Madam".

You'd think they would learn wouldn't you? A few years ago I was walking along a local alley at the end of January when I tripped over a Buzz Lightyear toy in perfect condition still in the box.

No doubt little Johnny or Jenny had become bored to tears with that year's necessity and were screaming for a Furby, as I picked myself up.

The joy of Christmas when I was a child, was the surprise of it all, and it was always a wonderful time.

Although I realise that times change, I feel so sad that the magic has gone out of Christmas and that I, like thousands of others are thinking about it already - in October!

Ella Hirst,

Coggan Close,

South Bank, York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.