Toys you remember from your childhood Christmas

I used to see a black bear in a shop window and was delighted when Father Christmas gave him to me! I don’t know why my mum threw all of my dolls and teddies away. She even threw out a photo I’d taken of them. I think it was her disappointment in me leaving home when I was 17. Used to love my Bunty Annual. I’ve spent years hunting down the books I had in my childhood and feel the same delight when I find one as I did when I first got it on Christmas Day. I’m currently re reading my favourite book, Ghost Horse by Joseph E Chipperfield that I found via a book search a few years ago. What’s even more nostalgic is that I’m on several Facebook pages that show the plight of the American mustangs that are being rounded up and, in some cases, sent to kill pens. It’s breaking my heart. In the book (1950’s) they said that the government was going to protect the wild horses. So much for that….

Sorry, that was in reply to WW2’s comment about magic painting books.

Christmas was different in our house as there was very little spare money. The fun of all the kids plucking a freshly killed chicken on Christmas eve still puzzles me as I don't know where it came from !
The only present I remember was a doll who walked if you held her hand in a red pram. That year my brother's had an electric train set to share. Wonder where they came from ?!!

Fairy wings and wand at the bottom of my bed along with the stocking presents when I was about three.
Yes, WWM I remember the magic painting books…the ones where you just added water and the colours appeared? I also liked the books where you rubbed pencil over the page and a picture appeared.

Whitewavemark2

Anyone remember the magic painting books?

Yes! I bought a Halloween one WW from Sainsbury’s last week for our ‘L’il Miss’ who is 4y old. She was amazed when she dipped the paintbrush into water and set it on the page to see colours appear! ‘Is the paintbrush magic grandma?’.
?

Father Christmas read my letter and all my Christmas dreams came true!! My brother left this trike in the lane and someone stole it. I've forgiven him, but only recently

A princess Ann doll I wasn't allowed to play with it sat on the sideboard! A magic set and chemistry set with a bunsen burner that used methylated spirits a relation added chemicals to it and it foamed all over the carpet banned to the top cupboard.
My cousin's dolls house and small bicycle.
My gran knit us all a jumper or cardigan. Endless selection boxes from different relations.

A toy sweet shop (cardboard) which had little tiny jars of teeny weeny sweets (hundreds and thousands) and a pretend till. One year a doll's pram and doll. I kept it pristine, it had proper suspension and then it was passed on to my sister (9 years younger than me) who used it as a chariot with the boy next door sitting in it and trashed it. I was so cross, even though I would have been 14 by then! A toy cooker made of tin that you could use firelighters with and boil water in a real tin kettle - Elf and Safety didn't exist in those days. I also remember those paint boxes with the names of all the colours printed underneath!

Ooh this thread takes me back! Just recalled getting a tin washing machine with a tiny agitator, a lid and a wringer for the wet washing (handkerchiefs!) . It came with tiny boxes of REAL washing powder. I was thrilled. About 4y old and remember playing with it stood on a stool at the sink for ages. It was dark outside and my hands were as cold as stones. Mummy & daddy would have been in the other room watching tv. I think. I was in seventh heaven.

A red plastic telephone, which I was thrilled with. A doll and cot, which I was initially chuffed to bits with. But I soon changed my mind after watching an episode of Tales of Mystery and Imagination (which I shouldn't have been watching!). It showed a doll coming to life and murdering the children who owned it ? I wouldn't sleep in the same room as it after that, and put it in the pantry!
My most favourite present of all was a pair of pink sparkly plastic shoes - they were held on your feet by two elastic straps and had stiletto heels - I was in my element, but they only lasted until Boxing Day, the elastic broke - I was absolutely devastated ???

I had a dolls house made from cardboard boxes that my mother made. My dm did all the d i y in our house. She went on to make some beautiful dolls houses two of which are in a toy museum in Scotland.

One of my brothers had a large rocking horse which was left downstairs as we all got into bed with my parents to open presents. My brother was given a present to silver (a slice of bread) which he had to take downstairs to discover his horse.

I felt very sorry for one of my brothers who was given a large tricycle for Christmas 1962 but he couldn’t ride that day as we were going to my grandparents and on Boxing Day it started snowing and didn’t stop until March!

Curlywhirly

A red plastic telephone, which I was thrilled with. A doll and cot, which I was initially chuffed to bits with. But I soon changed my mind after watching an episode of Tales of Mystery and Imagination (which I shouldn't have been watching!). It showed a doll coming to life and murdering the children who owned it ? I wouldn't sleep in the same room as it after that, and put it in the pantry!
My most favourite present of all was a pair of pink sparkly plastic shoes - they were held on your feet by two elastic straps and had stiletto heels - I was in my element, but they only lasted until Boxing Day, the elastic broke - I was absolutely devastated ???

I too had a pair of those sparkly plastic ‘Cinderella’ shoes. I can beat your record as I managed to break mine within two minutes of putting them on on Christmas Day. I had wanted them for so long and was so excited to get them I took a fairy like leap through the air and they snapped in two as I landed. Needless to say I sobbed endlessly. ?

Like most, I used to always get a printing set, a toy sweetshop or post office, plasticine, and painting by numbers, usually of horses.Also the obligatory Christmas Annual, usually Film Fun
Or Rupert Bear.
Lacy hankies in a pack, and a choccy selection box.One year I remember a tin postbox for keeping pennies in ( which would have been useful if anyone had actually given me some pennies.)An Aunt used to send us a pretty tin of toffees every year.

Similar to lemongrove - a post office set, a colouring book and crayons, a knitting set in a cardboard “basket”, and was delighted to have a plastic “vending” machine that dispensed miniature bars of Cadbury Dairy Milk when you put pennies in.

Oh FoghornLeghorn I feel your pain. I bought the very same shoes for my granddaughter a couple of years ago, but, sadly, she wasn't as impressed with them as we obviously were!

Zoejory

I was an incredibly lucky child. My father was the director of a massive department store in London. We'd go along on a Sunday and play real shops.

As for toys I tended to get everything I wanted. The only thing ever denied me was a real tiger cub.

I took that quite badly

Zoejory! ?
What a lovely thread. Had forgotten about those paints in real tins.
Once I got a Petite typewriter and was tap tapping all day. Drove mum mad. One year it was Sindy. And oh yes, those tiny twinkly pianos. I'd always wanted to play and wasn't till older and my kids went off to school I could go to lessons and had my own real one. Parents couldn't afford things like piano lessons. Not many working class kids had them anyway.
Bunty Annual. Selection box's. Yum.
And real nuts to crack open where you'd be finding bits all over the carpet for days!

I would always have something like paints, crayons, paint by numbers, colouring and tracing books.
Then an annual, Beano, Dandy or Rupert Bear.
I had a couple of weaving looms and a French knitting set [not my favourite]. I preferred matchbox cars.
Sometimes I'd have a plastic Airfix kit to make an aircraft or ship. Doing the 'Mayflower' ship took me months.
One memorable year I had a bus conductors outfit with a punch machine and tickets, and a hat.
A distant relative always sent a 'Cherry Ames' book every year. She was a nurse who nursed in different departments. I did not become a nurse sadly despite relatives efforts.
Roller skates were a great success one year.
Always a selection box or a chocolate smoking kit! And a sickly sugar pig in the bottom of the stocking. I preferred the adults Newberry Fruits and Turkish Delight.

However I always wanted a black doll, a tricycle, a scooter, a Davy Crockett hat...and didn't get any of them so was a bit disappointed at times. So ungrateful! Money was tight though, I didn't realise this at the time.

Magic painting books available from'The Works' too.
My aunt always bought me a matching little nylon, lacy half slip n knickers set. Once I reached 12 I should add.

Zoejory

I was an incredibly lucky child. My father was the director of a massive department store in London. We'd go along on a Sunday and play real shops.

As for toys I tended to get everything I wanted. The only thing ever denied me was a real tiger cub.

I took that quite badly

Gosh, that must have been horrible! I hope you reported them to Social Services for abuse and neglect.

Like many of the above, I routinely received the Bunty & Judy annuals, chocolate in various guises, satsumas wrapped in silver paper, paints and also each year a new fountain pen in my stocking / on my armchair. Main presents I remember were the big trike, the first two- wheeler, roller skates, a sledge, and a chemistry set. I used to stand at the kitchen table, mixing my chemicals, heating them up on my little paraffin burner ( the pharmacy had no problem selling me, a 9 year old girl) methylated spirits by the pint!!), making invisible ink et al.

My best friend had a microscope one Christmas. We put all sorts on the slides...if you can imagine. It was amazing.

He also had a Magic Robot game, which we loved. He also had a Davy Crockett hat [which I wore a lot]...and a feather Red Indian headdress, cap pistols and a rifle for our Cowboys and Indians games.

I'm so enjoying this thread. It's reminding me of other presents I had. My parents had some hard times financially and one year my mum took an old doll of mine to the Dolls' Hospital and had a new head put on her. She was given to me on Christmas morning with a trunk (made by my dad) filled with a whole wardrobe of clothes which my mum had sewn and knitted from things she'd unpicked.

My brother had a toy farm our grampy had made which was filled with animals including little yellow ducklings swimming on a pond made from a little mirror.

The work and trouble they went to so us little ones would have a happy time. I'm so grateful to them.

Elless - I had Tippy Tumbles too. It's interest didn't last long though. I also had Action girl one year with her horse. I liked books too.

Don't know if this has already been mentioned.
Anyone remember the plastic Projector that came with a set of slides that lit up a set of scenes shown on a wall in the dark?

I've just remembered Katie Kopycat. What a disappointment. The advert was amazing. I was so looking forward to getting her. Absolute rubbish. She was totally illiterate no matter how hard I tried