I Hacked LIDL and IKEA so Merry Christmas
A Christmas story about curiosity, wooden trains, mixed ecosystems, and teaching the joy of hacking by example.
On Christmas morning, Santa Claus arrived at our place.
Filippo was still half asleep, but the living room was already full of magic. Wrapping paper everywhere, excited parents, two confused dogs, and that familiar feeling that Christmas brings. Something special is about to happen.
Among the gifts Santa left, two of them immediately caught our attention. A classic IKEA wooden train set. Simple, solid, timeless. And a LIDL battery-powered locomotive. Bright, noisy, full of energy. Two gifts from two very different worlds, sitting next to each other under the tree.
At first, they stayed in their boxes. Then curiosity took over.
We opened the IKEA train and laid the wooden tracks on the floor. Filippo watched closely. Then the LIDL locomotive came out. Different brand. Different idea. Different ecosystem. Or so it seemed.
Out of pure instinct, I put the locomotive on the wooden tracks.
It fit perfectly.
Same wheel width. Same gauge. No friction. No resistance. The train started moving smoothly, as if it had always belonged there. Santa might not know about product roadmaps, but he clearly understands compatibility.
That moment. That quiet click when two things work together even though nobody ever promised they would. That is the thrill of hacking. Not breaking anything. Just discovering hidden possibilities.
While I was enjoying this tiny Christmas miracle, Filippo had already moved on to the next idea.
He grabbed a small toy car, walked toward the locomotive, and placed it right in front of it. Calm. Focused. Determined. A perfect, instinctive homage to the final scene of Back to the Future Part III.
He did not know the reference. He did not need to. He simply understood that systems can be pushed a little further.
That was the real gift Santa brought this year.
The reminder that hacking is not about tools or brands. It is about curiosity. About trying. About showing by doing. If Filippo learns one thing from me, I hope it is this. Do not be afraid to mix things. Do not be afraid to test assumptions. And never stop asking “what if”.
So here we are, sending Christmas wishes from our living room. From me, my wife, Filippo, and the whole pack. Two dogs included.
Merry Christmas 🎄. May your holidays be full of wonder, curiosity, and gentle hacks that make things work a little better.