Christmas presents in the late 50’s

Nostalgically, I bought two of my granddaughters French knitting sets one year, but none of us could remember how to use them.

Silverlinings
We had those clip on candles, lit only on the day,
This is so nostalgic, we didn’t have very much money, and my parents definitely ones for making merry, but we always had what we asked for at Christmas. Having said that, we only asked for one thing, and then I probably got a book, and maybe an Alice band, or some gloves.
One year I desperately wanted an anorak when they became all the rage, I had to have it for Christmas, but I didn’t mind that.

Juliet27

I loved those French knitting sets. In fact I found a wooden cotton reel with nails in in an old box the other day and I might have a go again!!

But what do you do with the knitting when you've done it?

I remember bouncing on my parents bed one Saturday morning and falling off only to find a Basil Brush tea set I had asked Santa for underneath it. I was a very confused little girl after that....

Callistemon21

^Although one Christmas, I did feel cheated. I received a suitcase from my parents^

My parents gave me a suitcase for my 21st birthday - I think it was a hint 😀

I had a dear great-uncle who used to give me half a crown (2/6d) and always told me that when he came up on the Pools, he'd buy me a pony. 🐴

The first Christmas I was with what is now DH in 60's,
he gave me a wrapped present inside was a Co-op box saying women's vests. he'd obviously got his mum to buy my present.

OxfordGran. I remember a lot of these! Our favourite annuals were Oor Wullie, The Broons, The Bunty and Judy ! Best present for me as a wee girl was a walkie talkie doll that was bigger than me when I first got it. Had that doll for years, until my wee brother cut off all her hair!

I remember most of the things mentioned, but one of my favourites from the 50s was a wind up dancing doll. You wound them up and they teirlled around and around. I played with them a lot. The only ones I can see when googling around seem to be the Cinderella and Prince Charming but my favourite had a black sparkly dress. Such simple pleasures.

What a beautiful, beautiful thread. I remember my brother had a small train in a box, with a station and landscaping and a tunnel; it was battery-operated, and you could change the points to change the route. The box was made of tin, the train and carriages some type of early plastic; a real little work of art, and you simply folded it away when you were finished playing with it.

Witzend I remember real lit candles in metal holders attached by clips to the branches. My dd didn’t believe it until I found them recently.
I think as has been said already, we had just one present with a few sweets nuts etc which meant we cherished what we had becayse there woukd be no more until birthday or Christmas.

I hate to say it but the piles of gifts children get now are unwrapped put aside immediately as they look fir the next and the next. Until no more. Any of these would have been special but times have changed. It’s not children’s fault we have done this, but it is sad in a way. Too many things mean they won’t be as valued as they used to be. Unless it’s Lego of course...

The School Friend Annual

Yes, yes, yes. All of those above, also a cardboard cut out panto theatre. Happy happy Christmas to all.

What a lovely thread so many memories!
John Bull printing set, colouring books, Bunty annual, selection box, bath cubes, books, embroidered handkerchiefs in a flat box,post office sets, compendium of games and always a stocking with tangerine and nuts at the bottom.

Although one Christmas, I did feel cheated. I received a suitcase from my parents

My parents gave me a suitcase for my 21st birthday - I think it was a hint 😀

I had a dear great-uncle who used to give me half a crown (2/6d) and always told me that when he came up on the Pools, he'd buy me a pony. 🐴

Yes, I agree. I can't help wondering whether modern children have the same sense of awe and wonder at Christmas. They have so much these days. The best presents, in my opinion, were the home made ones. Made with love and not mass produced. Although that might be a retrospective view, as I also coveted those high heeled sparkly dressing up shoes. My mother wouldn't let me have them. I'd probably have broken my ankle, so she was probably right. She usually was! Although one Christmas, I did feel cheated. I received a suitcase from my parents. Granted, it has a teeny tiny teddy in its silk inner pocket. But it was a "sensible" present, given to me prior to a school trip to France (yes, in 1969, and from a primary school on a London Borough of Redbridge council estate). I still have the case, although I don't use it except for storage. I was only ten, and I can remember being very disappointed. Of course, I said nothing, because I knew that I was lucky to be going on the trip. My first time abroad, but not my last! I ended up studying languages at university and then teaching them for my entire career. And my daughter caught the bug and is now married to a Frenchman! So maybe the present had magic powers. But when I was only ten, I felt robbed!

Such a lot of wonderful memories for those of us with a 50s childhood but do you think the reason we remember those presents so well is because we were only given gifts for Christmas and birthdays? Unlike my grandchildren today, I was never given presents at other times of the year, except perhaps the odd half a crown by relatives that I saw rarely. So Christmas, when I was allowed to write out a "wish list", was always very special and looked forward to with great excitement.

What lovely memories! Many of them resonated with me, especially the Floral Garden, which I loved. I made a garden to surround my doll's house. My dad made it and all the furniture by hand. That was in 1962, and I still have it! It even had electric lights and little "coal fires" which glowed when switched on! They still do, but the electrics need replacing as they are probably a fire hazard! Originally powered by battery, Dad later made a 12 volt transformer, which weighs a ton! Same principle as a modern mobile phone charger but the size of a house brick!

Annuals, Beano, Topper and Dandy, then Bunty. A new dress - a rare event. One year an amazing 'Magician' game where a smart little man in the centre of the board pointed to the right answer every time, and a very special gift another year was a large 'Bayko' building set. I spent hours building the sort of house I would love to live in. An uncle bought me 'Little Women', and I became so lost in the story - the book had to be forcibly removed at mealtimes.

@calendargirl - I also had some brushed cotton pyjamas in a lovely dark blue box as describe so well: what a memory for detail you have. You've reminded me of the name Land of Nod as I remember asking my mum where that was.

Yes I remember those big tree lights. Ours were in various shapes and colours, and inevitably needed new bulbs in each year or they wouldn’t light up! We always had a real tree with many of the decorations used year after year. And lots of home made paper chains made by me and my brother. No efforts at colour coordination in those days!

Lorna Drake???? My goodness that takes me back.

"Little Mary Mouse" books and pictures by Margaret Tarrant

I must have been very small indeed, because I still remember being put to bed in a (well padded) wooden drawer! We were staying at my maternal Gm’s house for Christmas and I have a fuzzy memory of a small doll, actually on the Christmas tree, which I really wanted - and which my granny eventually gave to me.

Does anyone else still remember (if you’re old enough!) the first time you actually had lights on the Christmas tree? We only ever had a very little tree, so there were maybe 12 quite big coloured bulbs - nothing like tree lights now. But those very first lights were so exciting!

A mecanno set
A second hand bike which I had for years and cherished
Pogo stick
Wooden stilts
Enid Blyton books, loved them all particularly the Magic Faraway tree, and gave me a love of reading for ever.
Cadbury selection box
Writing set for those dreaded thank you letters.
A penknife 😱 yes, I did cut myself but only once!
Always a lovely new Vyella dress made by my mum who was an excellent seamstress. She was a divorced single mother and although money was very tight we always had a lovely Christmas. The above were not all given the same year! I was never into dolls..

Another enjoyable aspect of this thread for me is seeing lots of unfamiliar names to me posting. Or maybe you all do post often but just not on threads that I’m interested in?

John Bull printing set
An annual, would read it over and over again all year through
Book, where, if you painted over the pages with plain water, the colours would come through
Snakes and ladders
painting by numbers (the paint always dried up)