The latest series of I’m A Celebrity is nearing its conclusion as the stars face the final sets of endurance challenges before finding out who will be crowned King or Queen of the jungle.
There’s been the usual Bushtucker trials in which the celebs have to compete gruelling missions to win food for the camp, though personally we would find Mike Tindall’s snoring, Boy George’s early morning yoga chants and actor Owen Warner’s constant hunger whines just as challenging.
Meanwhile, back home UK shoppers have already been caught up the annual festive challenge of ensuring they nab the must-have Christmas gift of 2022 for their loved ones.
You can tell a person’s age by the wistful look in their eyes as they recall the excitement of finding their favourite toy under the Christmas tree. Little did they know then of the blood, sweat and tears parents had endured in order to secure the prize.
The seventies began with skateboards, chopper bikes and trips to casualty before Star Wars figurines swept all before them at the turn of the decade. If only we had left that 1979 Boba Fett figure alone in its box it would now be worth over $200,000.
The Rubix Cube and Cabbage Patch Dolls ruled the roost in the eighties before Gameboy topped the list to Santa in 1991 followed by a revitalised Barbie doll the following year.
In 1996 demand for the must have Christmas gift reached such unprecedented heights that emergency shipments of Buzz Lightyears had to be shipped across the Atlantic.
They arrived in the UK on Christmas Eve with thousands queueing overnight outside the few lucky stockists to receive them. Disney had completely underestimated demand, with Marketing Week calculating it cost them $300m in unrealised sales.
The 21st century saw Christmas fever for High School Musical dancemats as well as Xbox and Playstation as online shopping promised us no more queueing.
Well, tell that to the 76,000 people waiting patiently online this week to purchase Kevin the Carrot cuddly toys. Perhaps it was FOMO (fear of missing out) or nostalgia for the nineties that led to several instead opting to camp outside Aldi stores from 4am, sleeping bag and flask at the ready, in order to secure a Kevin.
Who would have thought the must have gift for children (and no doubt adults too) would have been a £2.99 toy from a discount supermarket chain?
At SK our chefs work all year round perfecting our delicious range of world food both online and in supermarkets. And the good news is that SK food is not just for Christmas, although you will find some of our festive crackers in most chilled aisles at the moment!
About Oliver Parkinson
Sous Chef of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
