Going to see Father Christmas - memories?

“I still sometimes marvel at the change from today - nobody turned a hair at the thought of my taking myself off down the road, alone, to my aunt’s flat!”

Nowadays, such a request for time off would not be granted or would be recorded as unauthorised.

Oh, I don’t know, Ashcombe, my Gdcs’ primary has been very accommodating over the odd request for time off, for a very particular, special reason.

There is a photograph of me, aged about three, sitting on a wooden reindeer and holding a (live) dove on my hand. I am looking very dubious 😂 . I believe it was taken in Lewis's big store in Glasgow in approx 1961. I wasn't too excited about Santa either 😂

During the 1950s, I went to see FC at Selfridges in Oxford Street, London. A man called Uncle Holly showed me in and then I got to meet FC himself.

I have no recollection of what happened next apart from the fact that the whole experience gave me nightmares. I was very prone to nightmares at the time so I don't think it was the fault of UH or FC. I still have an Uncle Holly badge somewhere.

During the 1960s I took my little sister to see FC at Bearmans in Leytonstone. All I remember about that is seeing FC round the corner from the grotto with his beard pulled down and smoking a fag.

My best memory was seeing Santa at Lewis’s in Manchester. Queueing up alongside the decorated and animated windows was half the fun.

My happiest memory of Christmas, as a child in the 50’s, is of being taken to Heelas’s, in Reading, to see Father Christmas. To be honest I wasn’t that bothered about FC but I loved watching the animated elves, fairy tale figures and animals while we queued.

I remember being taken on a bus by mum to Croydon at Christmas. We went to a huge Department store, I think it was Kennards. There was, just outside the store a few ponies that plodded round an earth track giving kiddies rides, which, being a great lover of horses at the time, I loved.

Then we'd join the queue for Father Christmas, who was rather loud and bad tempered and never gave me the present I wanted (a white horse). Mum would do some secret shopping we'd get the 157 red bus home.

We went to somewhere in Cardiff. Howells perhaps. We sat in a large white swan, a bit like the ghost train but with fairies and elves instead of ghosts. I don’t remember the Father Christmas bit… just the swan. I was six I think.

Magenta8
I also went to Selfridges and vaguely remember meeting father Christmas.
I still have my 'Mr Holly' badge!

We used to take our daughter to see Mr Holly at Selfridges. That is until it got too dangerous to go into London with the IRA bombs.

I can only remember going to see him once and had a photo taken of me sitting on his knee.

Queuing in a long queue along the staircase in Lewis's in Birmingham to see Father Christmas and Uncle Holly. Oh the excitement of getting a present. The building is a Wetherspoons now.

He is Uncle Holly on my badge and when I saw him. Mr Holly must be a later incarnation.

I well remember my dad taking me and my two sisters to see Santa at the big Co-Op department store in Belfast, probably around 1956.There was a beautifully decorated grotto to walk through before entering Santa’s room.There were elves all around to guide us. We got to sit on Santa’s lap and chat to him, before leaving we were given a little wrapped present, probably a colouring book and crayons. Almost 70 years later I still remember the wonder of it all.

Yes Magenta8 - you are right.
My badge says -
MEMBER OF UNCLE HOLLY CIRCLE

It has a picture of him wearing a green top hat.

I was frequently off school due to illness as a child. On the way to a hospital appointment my mum took me to a local department store (remember them??) to see Father Christmas.
I don't remember the conversation or the present I was given, but I do remember the magical little dioramas in the tunnel we had to walk through. It seemed so magical to me!

I think those magical shop displays are no more with the advent of inter-net shopping. My 5 year old GC has never been to see Father Christmas, nor my older GC and it is now too late.

Maybe their magical memories of Christmas will be different to ours but I still feel sad about it...

Kate1949 I think you and I have had this conversation before about how exciting it was to go to Lewis's. Uncle Holly used to give you a badge while you were queueing to see Father Christmas. No one else seems to remember him. The excitement of the Christmas present you were given from him, wrapped in red crepe paper. Happy times indeed.

Magenta and Blue yes uncle Holly's face was on the badge! A big jolly fellow as I recall. He should make a comeback

My one clear memory of seeing Father Christmas was when I got lost in the store. I was so excited that I was marching off towards his grotto and didn't notice that my Mum had stopped to look at something on one of the counters. At 77 I can still remember turning around to talk to my Mum and she wasn't there. I could only see strangers. In the few moments I was 'lost' I felt very scared. I was soon found by a Mum short on sympathy who kept my arm in a firm grip from then on.

I have a photo of me aged about 4 with Santa and I look so sad. I remember why. I was given a present from the box for girls and they were dolls houses. However I really wanted one from the box for boys as they were train sets. I so wanted a train set. I didn’t get one until I was 55 and bought myself one and it comes out every Christmas to remind Santa not to be sexist 😂😂

I have a memory of being taken to see Father Christmas at a store called Ranbys in Derby.
I think it must have been during the war because I was 8 when the war ended , too old to be taken.We went on something that moved but I think it was only the illusion of moving , we didn’t go anywhere and I don’t know what I was given but my mother was given a bowl of Hyacinths, I assume all the mothers got gifts.
We took our D , now aged 60 to Lewis’s in Manchester and queued for ages but I don’t remember much else about it.
Another year we took her to Kendals but I remember that was quite disappointing, it wasn’t decorated very well and FC wasn’t what I expected.
The thing I really miss now is the beautifully decorated shop windows in the large stores from Nottingham of my youth and Manchester of my C’s young days

Kate1949

Queuing in a long queue along the staircase in Lewis's in Birmingham to see Father Christmas and Uncle Holly. Oh the excitement of getting a present. The building is a Wetherspoons now.

That's where I used to go or to Beatties in Wolverhampton.
I have a photo of me sitting on Father Christmas's knee, looking quite serious.
There was a Grotto, I think, but don't remember Uncle Holly.

The building is a Wetherspoons now.
Oh no!

If anyone's in the Gloucestershire area or surrounds, and has young grandchildren, I can recommend going to see Father Christmas in Clearwell Caves.

I hope that's not advertising, but it is a great experience, my DC and then DGC enjoyed it over the years.

67notout

I have a photo of me aged about 4 with Santa and I look so sad. I remember why. I was given a present from the box for girls and they were dolls houses. However I really wanted one from the box for boys as they were train sets. I so wanted a train set. I didn’t get one until I was 55 and bought myself one and it comes out every Christmas to remind Santa not to be sexist 😂😂

Gosh, they were much fancier presents than the usual little colouring book and crayons! Did they charge an arm and a leg?

I remember going to see Santa with my brother when we were about 6 and 7. DB was given a toddler's toy of hammer and pegs in a frame. He was furious! I don't know what I was given, just that the day was ruined. We didn't believe that it was the real Santa but had looked forward to visiting the grotto and receiving presents.