Nowadays there are several little modern traditions that herald the Christmas season getting into full swing. Santa takes up residence in your local shopping centre. Channel 4 shows the movie Elf on a Sunday afternoon. The yearly John Lewis Christmas advert debuts and pulls at our heart strings. Last year we had Mister & Missus Snowman, the year before it was the little boy counting down the days until he could present his Mum & Dad with the carefully wrapped gift he'd chosen for them. I wonder what Christmas 2013's advert will be like, and most importantly which old, familiar hit song will get a breathy, indie remix as it's soundtrack?

While we wait the annual unveiling, you can do some early holiday shopping on the John Lewis site, as their Christmas collections are already in stock. They have lots of exclusive items for making your home extra cosy. Quaint wrapping paper & ribbons, unique tree baubles, bright indoor and outdoor lights, Christmas garlands and much more.

What does your landline telephone look like these days? It's probably that black BT Hub phone everybody has, isn't it? That's what our's is. Which is a bit of a shame when I so carefully choose retro vases, Eames' style tables and 70s' kitsch lamps, then have a monolith of 2010 sitting in the middle of it all, with an obnoxious samba ringtone.
Yes the landline isn't as important as it once was, and it definitely isn't used at home as often as it was. I think I only use mine to phone my parents or the Doctor. Still, we all have them there, and its a missed opportunity to add flair, and I hate missed opportunities to add flair.
There's a sale on and a selection of retro style phones at John Lewis which is a good place to start for a dial phone with some jazz. I think I need a green one.

Before you pick, here are some phone calls from memory lane. Did you own anything similar?