Christmassy stuff

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We must have a fair few Christmases between us, are there any special memories that stick with you from Christmases past?

I recall our post-war Christmas tree, made of what appeared to be green bottle-brushes, hung with an assortment of decorations, the only one I actually remember was a pale blue plastic crescent moon! We also had small holders that clipped onto the tree branches and held candles, which were lit briefly on Christmas day.

'Trimmings' were those expanding tissue-paper garlands and the paper ones that we had to lick and stick to make loops.

Most dramatic Christmas day was the year my younger sister got a scooter, which she scooted round the (very small) living room then put the brake on and went over the handles. A very grumpy doctor had to be called out to stitch up her knee

That was pre-telly, so Christmas day was jigsaws and new toys and toffees. And for me, hopefully, books! And I'm certain there was Christmas dinner, but I have no memory of it at all, except we were allowed a small glass of port and lemon from being around age 7, (my sister does not drink at all, and I drink quite modestly, so it didn't do us any harm :P) Come to think of it maybe that's why I don't remember the dinner I do remember trifle for tea.

So, what Christmas memories of childhood does anyone else have?

Jellybaby1

The Christmas decorations - tissue paper streamers looped from the four corners of the room and meeting together at the single bare light bulb in the middle of the ceiling. Tissue paper Chinese lanterns which don't seem to be around any more - you could fold them up.

Always a real tree with that special smell they have. Strangely, I never remember it arriving or leaving - it just appeared mysteriously, then after Christmas, it disappeared, just as mysteriously.

The whole family playing Housey Housey (Bingo), Ludo, Snap.

Dandy and Beano Annuals, later it would be Bunty and Judy.

Playing with balloons hitting them to each other - great fun! We also hung the balloons up.

Holly along the mantel piece (one year she actually fell off it! )

Taylor Keith Lemonade and also Cidona.

We lived in a flat in the city so we had the coloured fairy lights all down our street and they dangled past our window, it was like fairyland. It was lovely when it rained as the rain seemed to double, nay treble, the amount of coloured lights. I used to stare at them for hours and watch them swing frantically on stormy nights.

Rock hard icing on the Christmas Cake which nearly destroyed every tooth we had.

Mech1

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Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Dandy and Beano Annuals, later it would be Bunty and Judy.

Oh yes, I had forgotten the annuals - exactly the ones you mention jb!

OldGoat

Giant tubes of smarties and jelly tots.

Rubecula

Corgi cars and sweet cigars for the tree

Teagwee

My first experience of resentment and feelings of discrimination as Santa brought so much more to the kids who already had and so much less to our family. I particularly remember the new bike brought to the girl next door (who already had a perfectly good one) and the schoolbag that I got that same year