Memories from Christmas past

Waking at still-very-dark o’clock, and crawling to the end of the bed to see whether Father Christmas had been - oh joy! Yes! And having a feel of all the bulges in the stocking or pillowcase - but we wouldn’t have dreamt of opening anything until we knew our folks were awake, though.

Besides the rest, there was always a tangerine (a rare treat then) a pink sugar mouse, and some chocolate coins.

For a few years our stockings were the thick, grey, sea boot socks knitted for my father by my mother, when he was in the Royal Navy on the N Atlantic convoys. They eventually wore out but my younger sister told me not long ago that she’s still got one!

When I was a bit older I adored the carols we sang in school assembly - always starting right after the beginning of Advent with O Come O Come Emmanuel.

I still really love traditional carols, when sung by proper choirs and not mucked about.

Washing the foil tops from milk bottles and making them into bell shapes to hang on the Christmas tree.
Making our own streamers out of red and green crepe paper.

Advent calendars with just pictures.
Not a chocolate in sight! but I loved opening the doors each morning.

After waking at the crack of dawn to discover what Father Christmas! had brought us, we would scamper downstairs where Dad would have lit the fire in the front room, a once a year occurrence. After a big breakfast of home cooked gammon with poached eggs, we would be off out to see what all the other children had received, skates and scooters, a new coat or a set of fives. After lunch granny would come and we would open family presents and play games. The fire cracking, the smell of pine needles, the paper-chains falling down as the heat melted the glue and me retreating into a corner to read the new book my big sister always bought me. The joy of a new Jennings book by Anthony Buckeridge or best of all, a Malcolm Saville ‘Lone Pine Five’ story.

Grandmabatty

I remember saving up my money to buy mum a pink necklace when I was about eight. It was in the local co-op. I was so pleased although she never wore it.

I bought my mother a bracelet in Woolworths, she still had it when she died so obviously treasured it.

sweetcakes,
I really love your memory.
🎄
Thanks for sharing.

My aunt playing Xmas carols on the piano and all of us singing along. Those dangling strips of coloured foil that use to hang above the fireplace and twist in the heat. My big present was my Girls Crystal annual.

It was the week before Christmas and we were being quiet as mice as Dad had come home from the Night shift and gone straight to his bed. But Mum encouraged us to shout up the chimney (which was shared by the 2 adjoining bedrooms) to tell Santa what we would like for Christmas presents. It was quite magical as we heard Santa calling us (big sister and I) by name and promising to do his best to fulfill our wishes. Then with a hearty laugh he was gone. We were sorry that Dad had missed this visit but He was sound asleep in his bed and later told us we must have dreamt this.

I remember the Christmas tree on the window sill in the huge bay window. It had proper miniature candles on it for lights - placed in candle holders that clipped on to the tree's branches and we lit them with matches. It was a real Christmas tree from our large garden - but what a fire hazard it must have been.

I remember when I was about 8 and we had just arrived back from seeing my nan in Wales we always went to see her before Christmas, my dad opened the front door and omg the most biggest tree I ever did see. My siblings were all older than me and as a surprise got a real tree and decorated it with anything and everything I loved it don't think my parents did though! But I'll alway remember that tree 🎄

There was a beautiful big bride doll in the window of a hardware shop in the Main Street near where I lived.,I had admired it so much!
Was overjoyed to get it from Santa that year. Took it with me when visiting my cousin and her family. Was a bit miffed she had an even bigger doll. Was huge!
Dad had to work many Christmas days on shift at the local Power Station for the overtime to pay for it all. Eight children to provide for. Often had to wait for Christmas dinner till he got home after the 6am-2pm shift.
Very happy days and fond memories of board games: Monopoly (arguments!), Totopoly and many others.

Yes so many memories. I swear Christmas itself had a smell .. perhaps it was the real tree we had plus the mince pies, puddings tangerines (in tissue paper) etc - all very special.😊

I remember being taken into Glasgow city centre on the bus to see all the Christmas lights, they were spectacular. All the big stores had special Christmas window displays which were magical.

Dad was a smallholder, always busy even on Christmas Day looking after the poultry and the pigs.

But after tea on Christmas night, when he had finished for the day, we would all be sitting round the living room fire (only lit at Christmas or other special occasions). That’s when we all opened our presents, (apart from our pillow cases in the morning). Nothing big or fancy, but oh, how lovely it all seems looking back 65+ years ago. ‘Chestnuts roasting on the fire’, tangerine oranges in tissue paper, eat-me dates in the long box….

How simple it all was, how basic, but oh, such happy memories of family time.

Damdee thank you. She kept it for years though, so it obviously meant something to her.

My brother was sent to drive to Woolworth's to buy paper chains for Christmas decorations. I was seriously impressed by them.

These days he'd have lit the outside of the house so much it would have been visible from space lol.

My dad was a Christmas fanatic. When we were small and poor he would make decorations with bits of coloured paper and cardboard boxes. As we got older and his income had substantially improved he took decorating to the extreme. When my eldest DD was 3 he turned the conservatory into Santa's Grotto and, using the stop start on his video camera, he made the pile of presents magically appear. He told DD that Santa didn't appear on the film as he was magic and the film couldn't see him. Bless her, she was so excited to see a film of her presents arriving even though she didn't see the big man himself.

I thought that was sad Grandmabatty that your mum never wore the pink necklace. She should've done, just to please you - even if it was only in the house when you were with her.

I remember saving up my money to buy mum a pink necklace when I was about eight. It was in the local co-op. I was so pleased although she never wore it.