Christmas is quite possibly the most depressing time of year when you don’t receive the present that you’ve had your heart set on. When you have progressively got less and less subtle with your hints and pictured yourself opening the gift on the day. Christmas Eve comes early

in my house, the presents are put out before we go to bed- obviously to heighten the temptation of opening the gifts and ensure that the children are going to have minimal sleep due to ridiculous amounts of excitement.

The tree is laden with tinsel, baubles and the lights all lay, twinkling away.

So, you go to bed, your heart filled with hope. You wake up; do stockings yada yada yada THEN it comes the moment of truth, main present time. No one cares about all the little shit things you get like the Nivea sets from your Great Great Aunt Mabel, you’ve got your eyes set on the big boys lets not sugar coat the truth.

In the Christmas of 2003, I was just 13-I’m a December baby. All I wanted was a mobile phone. I had bargained and bartered with my parents, showed them the different tariffs that I could be put on. Did all the research for it so they could easily pick one and then surprise me on the big day with a beautiful mobile phone, so I could interact with my 13 year old friends.

Did I receive a mobile phone shaped box? Yes. Was it from my parents? Yes. Would they have bought me my main present that could quite possibly be a mobile phone? Yes. Would a hopeful teen automatically assume it’s the present they have prayed, longed and wished for? Yes. Was it a mobile phone? No. No it was not. It was a fucking set of walky talkies. Did I give a shit that it had up to a 30ft range? Oh, no I surprisingly did not. Did I have to pretend that I had always wanted to pretend to be an Army soldier with my camouflage walky talkies? Yes, I did.

The reasoning behind this shit present was, “Ellie (the best friend) could have one too and it would be cheaper for you both to communicate” Did I care about the expense of a phone? I did not. It is safe to say that I did not use those walky talkies. They did however come in very useful at Leeds festival when I was thankful for the 30ft range, it was cheaper than a mobile phone and 19 year old Ellie and Anna did appreciate them then.

By Anna Vassilissin