TikToker Ryan Forbes caused a stir on the app after sharing a clip of him opening a sealed Sears Wish Book from 1998, which he claimed to be his favorite catalog out of the six he owns. He got up to 600,000 views and thousands of comments from users who felt nostalgic upon seeing his reveal.
Forbes showed the books to his kids; however, they were not interested, so he shared his findings on the internet instead. He soon became popular for his collection and garnered a fan base asking to see the toy section and more Sears Wish Books.
Ryan Forbes’ grandmother left behind a Sears Wish Book Catalog
@ryan.elf Like it was just delivered! Opening a sealed Christmas 1996 Sears Wish Book 🎄 #nostalgia #90s #90stoys #childhoodmemories ♬ White Christmas – The Drifters
Forbes was cleaning out his grandmother’s closet when he found a 1998 Sears holiday catalog that looked as good as new. It marked the beginning of him collecting more, noting that they gave him the strongest sense of nostalgia ever.
In addition to his previous books from childhood, Forbes was able to collect more catalogs online and from garage sales, with prices ranging from $25 to $150. He admitted that his desire for more toys as an adult, the glossy feel of the Sears Wish books, and their distinct smell never gets old.
TikTok users bond over Ryan Forbes’ book collection
TikTok users could relate to Forbes’ feeling of nostalgia and shared their thoughts in his comments section. They mostly agreed on the smell, with some saying they could perceive it from just watching his content. “Oh man, I wish my kids got to experience the excitement of the Wish Book coming out every year…Good times,” someone said.
Forbes, a writer and illustrator in Manitoba, Canada, intends to add more Sears Wish books to his collection, even though his wife is not impressed by how much he spends on them.