An old fashioned Christmas. 🌲🎄

I'm enjoying this lovely Christmas 🎄 thread, thank you, NanKate.

Christmas was always magical as a child. I’m an only child but never a lonely child. We had a real tree which smelt Devine. Mam made Christmas lunch then me and dad walked to the cemetery with a holly wreath for his gran and aunty who brought him up. Boxing Day was cold meat and chips with pickled onions. Sat in front of the fire doing a jigsaw. Then visiting relatives the rest of the holiday. New Year’s Eve spent with next door neighbours. I loved it all.

This thread tells us what is so different about Christmas ‘now and back then’.

Just the simplicity of it, the modest presents, food, decorations.

Now it all seems about excess, presents, food, drink, the huge trees and decorations….

On our local Facebook page, I pointed out to DH a young mum we know was advertising for sale a 7 foot Christmas tree, plus a box of 150 ‘immaculate’ blue and silver baubles, plus indoor and outdoor lights, ‘no longer needed’.

I said “Looks like ‘Jane’ is having a change of colour scheme this year for her Christmas decorations’.

(Unlike us, with our many years of same tree and decorations ).

Goodness knows what presents her children will be getting.

Always loved Christmas, but my husband died then. Glad I remember all the lovely ones before. I loved seeing the extended family when I was young. Tried to recreate it for my own children. Then one estranged some years ago. I would always keep the magic for children however I felt.

apart from the Christmases when my DS was young, with cousins, they were lovely.

but its not generally been good for me, too many echoes long past. (tricky childhood ones)

My best Christmas expect for when DS was young, and we met up with cousins en famille, it was in my 20's, in the 1970's.

I lived in a fairly "alternative lifestyle" area inner city, and was not particularly going to do much, when word got around that X and Y were having a Christmas get together - bring food and booze.

We all had the best time ever 🙂

(btw, others in the family were having Mum, prior arrangement, or I would have of course stepped in)

Calendargirl, it must be 25 years ago now that a neighbour - slightly older than me - asked what colour Christmas tree we were having that year.
‘Er, green?’
What she meant, of course, was the ‘theme’ - every year she’d buy a whole new set of tree decorations, in red or silver or whatever. While complaining of being hard up!

I cannot remember when I last bought a Cristmas decoration. 10 years or more. in our last house, and old house in a village I cut variagated holly from the tree in the garden, I went foraging along local footpaths, secateurs in hand for ivy and draped that everywhere, then added ribbons I bought years ago. The tree had decorations dating back to childhood plus decorations made or given to me.

I am not sure what i will do thiss year we have moved house, old house in a town centre. There is a little bit of holly in the garden. I have contemplated the ivy in the churchyard, but decided that would be theft, and if I did it, others would and the churchyard would be denuded. But as all our belongings including Christmas decorations will not be delivered to our new home from storage until 12December, thee is nothing I can do until then.

My everlasting memory of a Christmas back then was 1960, I was three and a half. Went to bed on Christmas Eve, house not decorated. Woke up on Christmas morning to a stocking on my bed which contained a small tin plate 'musical box' which I loved although it wasn't very tuneful 😂. When my Dad carried me downstairs into the front room I couldn't believe my eyes. There was a decorated Christmas tree, decorations hanging from the ceiling, Christmas cards on the mantlepiece and presents around the tree. My parents must have worked like crazy to do this. It was the first year my parents had rented the whole house rather than just the first floor so it was a special time for all of us.

I must watch it, I personally have decided to go retro with my decorations.I ordered shiny garlands ceiling decorations and multicoloured baubles online.my kids and grandchildren will be surprised.
Back to the 70s and 80s

It's on my Christmas essential viewing list which I try to watch every year. The story, cast and locations are enchanting.

I wonder how many people can remember making paper chains for Christmas? It stays in my memory - maybe we did it every year. And the magic of a tree with lit candles is another lovely memory.

I’m not a fan of modern Christmas, but as a child it was without a doubt the most magical time of the year. Looking back I have no idea how our divorced mother managed to make it so wonderful, a full pillowcase each although I don’t have much memory of what was in them, apart from an Enid Blyton book which we devoured.

As for Christmas decorations, I used to loathe seeing them so early, until one year we went to Switzerland at the end of January, and they were still about every where. I was told that they are not Christmas decorations, but winter decorations, put up early and taken down late to bring cheer to long dark nights, so I look at them a bit differently now.

Goodness me, why on earth do you join them, I would rather be on my own and cook a ready meal that endure that experience.

I love The Box of Delights, so very atmospheric.I loved our family Christmases in the 50s , with all the cousins. My nan made the Christmas puddings and my mum and the aunties all contributed something to the meal. We only had mince pies at Christmas so they were a treat. Presents were very modest, I still have the dolls house my dad made. It's a long run up to Christmas now I agree, though I do enjoy it. The grandchildren love going to Christmas at Kew and its a tradition that I have to go down the helter-skelter skelter( I'm 76!)
I used to love going to midnight Mass but haven't been recently. I'm sceptical about religion now, but also miss it.

Esmay

I have to admit that the Christmasses of my childhood weren't magic.
My mother hated the season and complained a great deal about the chaos and expense.

I tried to give my childhood wonderful memorable Christmasses .

I've spent the last three Christmas days with my neighbours.
They are a family ,who are continually at war with each other .
They never stop complaining about each other continuing this habit throughout the year .
If invited,I'll spend most of Christmas day waiting for the lunch .
It is always burnt and almost stone cold .
The grown up daughters sit around the table glued to their phones and wanting to be elsewhere.
Gifts that I buy for them aren't even acknowledged with a bat of the eyelid.
Their faces faces remain impassive.
Their parents don't speak to each other .
I usually sit drinking wine with the husband who is completely ignored by the rest of his family .
I make attempts at conversation and feel like a court jester with bells on my hat.

Sorry, but why? I would rather do my own thing, my own way, than sit amongst neighbours who are so unpleasant, and try to eat a stone cold meal as well.

Anyone else remember getting a Dymo label printer?
Not exactly a toy really but I remember twirling the dial to name things that really didn't need a label!

Usedtobeblonde

Talking of presents in the pillowcase, who else had a John Bull printing set, so every new book and any bit of paper has a crooked inscription in it?
Also a miniature toy sewing machine, alas it never gave me a taste for sewing if any kind.

Reading through posts with interest, until I saw this one which took me right back to my childhood. I loved my John Bull printing set. Also had the miniature sewing machine one year, I remember my Great Aunt showing me how to make dolls clothes. That same Aunt provided a complete set of knitted clothes for my baby doll each year too. I still knit and sew myself based on her lessons. Everything was very busy in our home right up to late Christmas eve as parents had a shop and were busy making sure everyone got their Christmas orders. On Christmas Day, after opening presents it was churh, then lunch. In the afternoon my Dad would always give me what I used to think was the biggest box of chocolates ever, always with a beautiful picture on the lid. The Father Christmas presents were always in a pillowcase at the end of my bed, but the chocolates were most definitely from my lovely Dad.

WelshPoppy

My everlasting memory of a Christmas back then was 1960, I was three and a half. Went to bed on Christmas Eve, house not decorated. Woke up on Christmas morning to a stocking on my bed which contained a small tin plate 'musical box' which I loved although it wasn't very tuneful 😂. When my Dad carried me downstairs into the front room I couldn't believe my eyes. There was a decorated Christmas tree, decorations hanging from the ceiling, Christmas cards on the mantlepiece and presents around the tree. My parents must have worked like crazy to do this. It was the first year my parents had rented the whole house rather than just the first floor so it was a special time for all of us.

We still do that now. It was a tradition in my husbands family which I loved and we kept up. It was always a bit of a struggle waiting for our little one to be sound asleep before we started, but worth it to see his face on Christmas morning. We continue to do the same, and much to our delight that little one who is now all grown up with a family of his own does do too, and his children love the idea that Father Christmas came and the house was magically decorated.

Just to say….I’ve really enjoyed all your Christmas nostalgia stories

In Holland we had the present giving part on the eve of the 5th of dec. called Sinterklaas avond.
Saint Nichas day was the 6th.
No tradition of father xmas.
Sinterklaas on his white horse arrived each year by boat in Amsterdam from Spain with a lot of helpers called Zwarte Pieten, or Black Peters.
No thoughts of sexism or racism then! There then was a lead up of a few weeks during which we each used to put our shoe before the stove a cple of nights a week, filled with a carrot for the horse and a crust of bread with some water. Zwarte Piet came down the chimney during the night, but only if you'd sung your Sinterklaas songs, and something small might be in your shoe in the morning, a colouring book or some special marsipan sweets or a satsuma but if you'd been bad you found a roe in your shoe, a small bundle of sticks tied together, like an old fashioned brush.
Sometimes zwarte Piet came to our house and there would be a loud banging on the front door then the door of the room we were in wld open a crack and a hand (black or gloved!) would appear filled with pepernoten, special Sinterklaas biscuits a bit like ginger nuts. This would then be thrown into the room, with great force, the harder the better....oh the suspence of it. . That was zwarte piet's job. Oh and he came down the chimney at night....it was such a given that nobody i knew ever asked how zwarte Piet managed that feat!

Every December 1st I settle down for the afternoon with the DVD of BoD and a box of Maltesers. Watch all of the episodes and finish the chocolates. Bliss!

Esmay

I have to admit that the Christmasses of my childhood weren't magic.
My mother hated the season and complained a great deal about the chaos and expense.

I tried to give my childhood wonderful memorable Christmasses .

I've spent the last three Christmas days with my neighbours.
They are a family ,who are continually at war with each other .
They never stop complaining about each other continuing this habit throughout the year .
If invited,I'll spend most of Christmas day waiting for the lunch .
It is always burnt and almost stone cold .
The grown up daughters sit around the table glued to their phones and wanting to be elsewhere.
Gifts that I buy for them aren't even acknowledged with a bat of the eyelid.
Their faces faces remain impassive.
Their parents don't speak to each other .
I usually sit drinking wine with the husband who is completely ignored by the rest of his family .
I make attempts at conversation and feel like a court jester with bells on my hat.

That sounds horrible. Better on your own with a few treats !

Apart from the commercialisation, etc, the joy of Christmas has disappeared for us, because we became Adults and had the responsibility of all the cards. Presents, decs and food, etc, etc, etc. There may be those amongst us who love organising it all, and it was fun whilst kids were small and we had abundant energies… but once the kids grow and we have other jobs… and grow older and tireder, the joy fades. Lovely to see Grandchildren enjoying it, but they are in Japan. I had enough of everything else, and doing all the cards, gifts etc, has become a real chore. Last couple of years I deliberately spent it on my own … I was exhausted having sent off all the cards, gifts, etc to Japan. Canada, other parts of the UK … it was nice to have some rest days! I am still self- employed and working part time from home, and, at 80 next year, Christmas is just another day. I will Face Time with family… and cook myself a small version of Christmas dinner. Happily watch TV or read, etc. Then heave a sigh of relief on Boxing Day that ‘it’ was over!
Not just a case of Nostalgia, but a case of growing up!

keepingquiet

I remember watching it but soon went off it as I thought it was a bit posh for posh people.

I agree about the magic of Chrsitmas though- for me it still lies in the music which can transport me back to childhood in just a few notes...

This - especially when children are singing

I still remember the music from the “Box of Delights” - the Carol Symphony, if I remember correctly - haunting and magical - so fitting for the story.