[The Earl of Chesterfield]

Got a call from the missus on Thursday asking if I could pick-up 'Kevin and Katie Carrot' soft toys for the grandkids.

'Yeah, no problem' I absent mindedly replied, having a vague idea they were the manifestation of Aldi's Christmas ad campaign.

Anyway, they only had a few 'Katies' left, yet when I asked if they'd any 'Kevins' the lass looked at me as if I'd gone barmy saying 'Are you joking?' Then when I pulled a bemused expression continued 'Folk were queuing an hour before we opened this morning just to get one!'.

Now I've no idea where all this came from or why there was such a scramble for these things, however given I spend much of my working day driving I told the Wife I'd get one elsewhere.

No chance. Everywhere I visited had the same story - a crazed rush that'd left shelves empty. Ever seen the film 'Jingle All The Way'? Where an increasingly frustrated and desperate Arnold Swarzenegger chases all over to grab that season's must-have toy for his son? Yeah, that was me.

But then making my way through central Nottingham I remembered there was an Aldi there, so, after a cheeky bit of parking, in a I went to find a single 'Kevin' sat in an otherwise deserted tray. I picked it up and examined it, wondering if there was summat wrong with it. No. I'd got one. Heart beating I queued at the checkout receiving strange looks from the two women in front of me. 'This'll get me into the good books' I offered with what was probably a weird assed half-smile.

All's good. My endeavours were met by appreciative squeals from daughters and grand daughters alike. Thing is, though, I've since heard these plushies are going for absurd amounts on 'Ebay'. The cynicism of some folk. Well they're welcome to whatever ill-gotten gains they might get, as the looks on my youngsters' faces when receiving theirs' was worth much, much more than money.

[valemadness]

MDCCCLXVI, on 26 November 2017 - 01:30 PM, said:

Got a call from the missus on Thursday asking if I could pick-up 'Kevin and Katie Carrot' soft toys for the grandkids.

'Yeah, no problem' I absent mindedly replied, having a vague idea they were the manifestation of Aldi's Christmas ad campaign.

Anyway, they only had a few 'Katies' left, yet when I asked if they'd any 'Kevins' the lass looked at me as if I'd gone barmy saying 'Are you joking?' Then when I pulled a bemused expression continued 'Folk were queuing an hour before we opened this morning just to get one!'.

Now I've no idea where all this came from or why there was such a scramble for these things, however given I spend much of my working day driving I told the Wife I'd get one elsewhere.

No chance. Everywhere I visited had the same story - a crazed rush that'd left shelves empty. Ever seen the film 'Jingle All The Way'? Where an increasingly frustrated and desperate Arnold Swarzenegger chases all over to grab that season's must-have toy for his son? Yeah, that was me.

But then making my way through central Nottingham I remembered there was an Aldi there, so, after a cheeky bit of parking, in a I went to find a single 'Kevin' sat in an otherwise deserted tray. I picked it up and examined it, wondering if there was summat wrong with it. No. I'd got one. Heart beating I queued at the checkout receiving strange looks from the two women in front of me. 'This'll get me into the good books' I offered with what was probably a weird assed half-smile.

All's good. My endeavours were met by appreciative squeals from daughters and grand daughters alike. Thing is, though, I've since heard these plushies are going for absurd amounts on 'Ebay'. The cynicism of some folk. Well they're welcome to whatever ill-gotten gains they might get, as the looks on my youngsters' faces when receiving theirs' was worth much, much more than money.

The thing that really annoys me about the people selling them on eBay, is that the money from the sales at aldi go to the teenage cancer trust, yet I can almost guarantee that the people selling for huge profits will not even consider giving anything they make to the same or other charities.

[The Earl of Chesterfield]

valemadness, on 26 November 2017 - 07:25 PM, said:

The thing that really annoys me about the people selling them on eBay, is that the money from the sales at aldi go to the teenage cancer trust, yet I can almost guarantee that the people selling for huge profits will not even consider giving anything they make to the same or other charities.

Agree one hundred percent, Marcia.

Only just learned of the charity aspect and surely Aldi will fill the shelves with another batch.

[brianclose]

We went to Aldi Thursday at just gone 8 and got 6 no problem. Surely if they were that rare/sought after there would have been queues a mile long. I dont think the ebay prices will hold up and anyone who would rather pay £50 that take a little trip to the shops has got too much money!

[valemadness]

brianclose, on 27 November 2017 - 09:58 AM, said:

We went to Aldi Thursday at just gone 8 and got 6 no problem. Surely if they were that rare/sought after there would have been queues a mile long. I dont think the ebay prices will hold up and anyone who would rather pay £50 that take a little trip to the shops has got too much money!

Some people can't be queueing when they got to take the kids to school etc. I couldn't queue up as I was driving to Leicester, by the time I got to an aldi in Leicester at 10, there were none left. I certainly won't be paying eBay prices and wasn't desperate to get one, but would have liked them for my son's stocking. I thought there was a buying limit of 2 per person?

[brianclose]

valemadness, on 27 November 2017 - 02:20 PM, said:

Some people can't be queueing when they got to take the kids to school etc. I couldn't queue up as I was driving to Leicester, by the time I got to an aldi in Leicester at 10, there were none left. I certainly won't be paying eBay prices and wasn't desperate to get one, but would have liked them for my son's stocking. I thought there was a buying limit of 2 per person?

2 of each per person. We could have got 8.

There were no queues at the Chesterfield Aldi at 5 past 8. Plenty of time to get the lad to school after this.

[calvin plummers socks]

valemadness, on 26 November 2017 - 07:25 PM, said:

The thing that really annoys me about the people selling them on eBay, is that the money from the sales at aldi go to the teenage cancer trust, yet I can almost guarantee that the people selling for huge profits will not even consider giving anything they make to the same or other charities.

But the people who originally bought them will have paid the contribution to the charity....