Christmas when you were young


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Just wondered as Christmas is fast approaching, what memories you have from when you were a child & beyond?

I remember living on Ryehill St & we were sooo excited as Christmas approached.

Don't remember Christmas starting before December unlike today when it starts in October [well it does here in Australia] When we woke up really early on Christmas morning it was so cold, but we didnt care, we could see our santa sacks at the bottom of the bed, & everytime we moved our feet we could hear the paper rustle.I dont remember if we were allowed to open our pressies in the bedroom or if we had to wait until we went downstairs in front of the fire,but I do remember we had an apple,an orange & a sugar mouse, they were white & pink & we never finished them as they were so sweet & sticky but it was part of christmas,& we always got at least one selection box. I remember my dad died close to Christmas & he was in the R.A.O.B & the local men from his division bought us so many toys it was incredible.I think there was 3 of everything,we didnt know what to play with first. I also remember Christmas seemed to hang around for much longer than it does now,probably because the large stores didn't open until after the new year so you had to stay in as there was no where to go, none of this shopping on Christmas morning like there is today. Bring back the old way's I say & i'm not even old!!!

Caz

;)

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This was always a treat as a child, to visit Santa's Grotto at the Co-op. I would be about 7 here. Camel coat, matching scarf and hat, socks and brown lace up shoes. got a much wanted wooden pencil ca

Got this one Christmas (that's me) then missed Boxing Day & New Year after old Hercules (I loved that dog) ran after a train!

The first Christmas I recall would be in Southglade Road Bestwood Estate.  Me and my late big Sis sitting in bed with Mum and Dad very early.  Still dark outside. This would be around 1953. Certa

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hi babe( caz is my sister by the way )....oh i remember mum let us open our pressies on our bed it was wonderful...we always had a wonderful christmas didnt we thanks to mum....i think christmas should def start on december the 1st regarding shops selling chrimbo things...this is the lady who yesterday morning woke at 5 i couldnt sleep so i did loads on shopping at ARGOS and it comes on tuesday !!! lol well if u cant beatum join un !!! :rolleyes:

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I remember the Metal Pop Gun (rifle), you you broke it in half to prime it,

then stuck a cork in it. I remember trapping my finger in it when closing

it up. Nearly chopped the thing off. I would have been safer with an AK47 :o

Perhaps the kid's today get a similar item,

Da' complete Drive-by-Kit!

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Remember getting a train set I didn't get near coz my Dad & Uncles were playing with it, of course they broke it, them Mam went  mad & shouted & I cried. Another xmas I got an inflatable Zeppelin, Uncle frank was blowing it up when Mam said "I think it's blown up enough now Frank!" he carried on & it went "BANG!" Mam went mad & shouted & I cried. Best pressie was the book 'World Of Science'  when I was 11 or 12, that's when I fell in love with science & joined Wilford Grove library..

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#10

 

Thank goodness they didn't manage to damage that, Colly!

 

I had several nurse's outfits for Christmas between the ages of 3 and 8 years. An early memory is of the health visitor calling at the house when I was around 3 and me telling her I wanted to be a nurse. I was actually togged up in the blue/white striped dress and white apron with a red cross on it at the time. To my disappointment, the nurse's set contained no hat, so I made my own by wearing a pair of white pants on my head! My father dubbed me 'Nurse Knicker' and the health visitor fell about laughing!

 

I turned out to be far too squeamish for nursing. It involves needles....:wacko:

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The first Christmas I recall would be in Southglade Road Bestwood Estate.  Me and my late big Sis sitting in bed with Mum and Dad very early.  Still dark outside. This would be around 1953.

Certain presents stick in my mind, but I've probably merged a few years together in my mind.

 

A train set which was clockwork, but was smallish, like 00 gauge.

A presentation box of about 6 Dinky Cars in the blue striped box.

Sis and I both getting those little wooden sets of shapes like squares, triangles, diamonds etc., in differing colours, which you made into patterns, animal shapes etc.

Some Meccano.

A die cast 'Muffin the Mule'

A 'Crow Shoot' toy which was basically a cork firing pop gun and a set of little plastic crows on a wire, which you shot at.

New slippers, selection boxes etc.

Crayons, Pencils.  Paintboxes.

 

School Christmas parties where everybody took something to contribute.  Then a thinly disguised caretaker would come in with a sack of pretty basic gifts.  All the same, with a couple of sweets, crayons, something to colour in etc..  Never really occurred to me at the time that this might be all some kids got.

 

One Christmas morning around 1958 getting new football boots, a leather football, a shirt, shorts and socks. Alll from different relatives and a  mixture of colours.  The current Forest kit was a thing of the future, by which time I'd lost interest in footy.  Me and the lad from next door but one in our rainbow kit and dribbling our new balls down the street and back, and being asked by some kids "Did you get those for Christmas?"  ( It was Christmas morning... what did they think...?? )

Maybe around the same time a FROG ('Flies Right Off the Ground') rubber powered flying model plane which was beautifully made and came with all sorts of accessories.  Originals are worth a small fortune now.

 

Christmas Dinners were always good.  We typically had beef every Sunday anyway and I loved it.  Chicken, or sometimes a big lump of Pork, was a bit special and a Chistmas thing until at least mid 60s.  One year ( I think times must have been extra hard) my Dad got hold of what he called a 'boiling fowl'.  This I assumed to be a clapped out old laying hen.  My Mum scrubbed out the old gas fired copper boiler in the kitchen and boiled the unfortunate creature in it for hours. It came out very tender and seemed delicious to me.  But then I didn't know what Chicken was supposed to taste like....   Even with Goose fat etc., I have never managed to reproduce the flavour of my Mum's roast spuds.  She made her own stuffing from breadcrumbs and dried herbs.  She made Christmas cakes and Christmas puddings for us and for various relatives, well in advance of Christmas.  Also Mince Pies.

We also always had Figs, Dates and Nuts.  I'm sure they're still available but not something we've had since I was married.  Must get some next year.

 

Col

 

 

 

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8 hours ago, DJ360 said:

......She made her own stuffing from breadcrumbs and dried herbs.

 

My Mother taught me that recipe including flour and an egg.....Rare to see now as the bread now doesn't go dry and brittle but turns blue with mould.

 

My main memory is entering the sitting room around the 23rd where my Mother was with a relative....fully kitted out in a cowboy outfit and guns and saying..."Look what I found under your bed!" I don't recall the outcome. 

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Col, I also remember getting those wooden coloured shapes and I'VE STILL GOT THEM but not in the box - that's long gone.  I also got a Muffin the Mule but was disappointed that playing with him wasn't as good as I hoped  because he didn't have a life of his own, like he seemed to on TV!  One year I got a tiny wooden piano with about 8 playable keys on it and went into my older brother's room on Christmas morning to show it to him, but then he showed me a 'piano accordion' which he'd received! I remember feeling a bit deflated....  I think I've still got that little piano in a box in the attic.

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I remember one Christmas,I was probably 10/11 years old, I got sod all,I must have misbehaved at some point well before Christmas,maybe October/November and mother threw all my presents at me and forced me to open them there and then,this included presents from aunts/uncles,grandparents etc,It's no wonder I don't get excited over December 25th (true story)

 

Rog

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Don't be sad Margie,I survived as have so many others who were probably in a similar situation,I put it down to character building

 

Rog

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As a child, I never thought anyone had a different family or way of life to the one I had.  I'm afraid I lived a sheltered life in many ways.   

Nowadays, I do try to help those people - especially children - who are less fortunate and am sadly very aware that neglect and other forms of abuse are still very much part of some children's lives today.  

I'm pleased that you both seem to have positive things to say about your early lives, but that still doesn't make it right...  

However, I'm really happy that you have made good lives for yourselves despite your early experiences

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On 28/12/2016 at 6:38 PM, catfan said:

....what you never had you'll never miss ! So true, ......

 

That used to be a popular saying in my youth.  I suppose it was because we weren't well-off and some of my pals had more than me and therefore more to miss when the things were broken or mislaid.

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  • Cliff Ton changed the title to Christmas when you were young

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