Oztalgian 3,269 Posted November 10, 2017 Report Share Posted November 10, 2017 Bayko, many childhood memories there. At least they did not cripple you when you stood on them with bare feet unlike Lego 6 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,576 Posted November 11, 2017 Report Share Posted November 11, 2017 My Grandaughter Ruby's birthday is Christmas day, that was one of my nicest presents Rog 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sue B 48 1,226 Posted November 11, 2017 Report Share Posted November 11, 2017 My Grandsons birthday is on the 15th Dec he is 7 this year. His parents won't have anything to do with Christmas in the house not even a Christmas card until the 16th and that makes his day special. There was a girl I worked with who's birthday was on Christmas day always got her Christmas cards signed PS Happy Birthday 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mary1947 2,079 Posted November 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2017 When my eldest son was about one and a half year old, I brought him for Christmas a train that you pulled along with bells on, on Christmas eve son went to bed quite late (I was hoping leaving him up he would go straight to sleep) well waited till 1 00 am and crept upstairs with his pillow case and presents only for the train bells to go off. Mum son called "Santa's on his way I've just heard his sleigh bells ring" .Son his now going on for 50 and believe it or not I've never told anyone this story till now. 5 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,721 Posted November 14, 2017 Report Share Posted November 14, 2017 I think my first memory of Christmas is of me and late Sister Pam sitting in Mum and Dad's bed very early. It was still dark outside. The room was dark too as there was only a single lamp in the ceiling. Bedrooms were (almost ) exclusively for sleeping those days, so no heating and no tellies etc. That said, there was a gas fire thing in the wall but I only remember it being lit once. It was quite scary. I'm guessing 1952/3. Seems like that same morning I got a toy where you shot plastic Crows off a wire with a little popgun. We each got one of those little sets of wooden diamonds and squares in different colours that you made patterns with. There was other stuff but it all blends into one in my memory now. We always seemed to have Dates, Mixed Nuts, Dried Figs etc., and a full on Christmas dinner that was followed a couple of hours later by a full on Christmas tea. Ham, Tongue, Pork Pie, Pickles, Cucumber and Onion in vinegar.. ( WTF? ) and later... Sherry, Port, Stones Ginger Wine etc., but mostly not until the mid 1960s. At my Maternal Grandparent's house one Boxing Day, I got a little clockwork train set with a miniture 'Coronation' loco. Only a cheap pressed tin thing.. but I loved it. I recall my Grandad asking if anyone woud like a drink and my Uncle Jack asking for 'A Drop of Forest Brown'. Mum made Christmas Cakes and Puddings for us, and for relatives.. long before 'the day'. We usually went to the Bestwood Hotel which my Grandma kept. Can't remember if that was Boxing Day, or New Year, but we Grandkids would line up dutifully to receive our 'Christmas Money' It was 15 Shillings for as long as I recall. That would be around late 50s, early 60s, because I remember Uncle Frank singing 'Mary's Boy Child' a la Harry Belafonte. Frank also used to entertain us with: 'Once on a dark and stormy night.. Three Bold Robbers sat in a cave.. One said tert t'uther.. "Tell us a tale" And so he did.. 'Once on a dark and stormy night.. Three Bold Robbers sat in a cave..' One said tert t'uther.. "Tell us a tale".....' You can guess the rest.... Another lovely memory I have is of the High Pavement Grammar School Carol Service. Here, we are talking early 1960s. We would all troop down to the High Pavement Chapel, in.. oddly enough.. High Pavement. This was where the school originated in 1788. I was always very conscious of the history. The Chapel would have a tree, nicely lit. Assorted 'older boys' would do Folk type renditions of 'Mary's Boy Child' and so on.. The late, great Stanley Middleton, English Teacher and novelist, would play the organ and do his 'Phantom of the Opera' impression. It would all feel very warm and safe, with that little 'frisson' of excitement that precedes Christmas for kids. We would sing our favourite carols etc. and head back to school for the afternoon. Gosh!!! .. so many memories... 6 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted November 14, 2017 Report Share Posted November 14, 2017 Good grief Col, the old grey matter has been working overtime remembering that little lot. Well done. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oldphil 331 Posted November 14, 2017 Report Share Posted November 14, 2017 whoa!! DJ360, brilliant post. That's dredged up some memories. Especially the carol service. I must have been there with you a few times. The church became the Lace Hall, now the Pitcher and Piano? Mum and Dads bedroom, Christmas Day was the one day they lit the fire in the (tiny) grate. Carrying the Christmas tree up from my grans through the snow - my dad carrying the heavy end. Christmas Day dad drove us all over to Lincoln to spend the day with Mums wartime friend and her family (he's a headteacher now in Derbyshire), and they came to us on Boxing Day., so we travelled back from Lincoln about two in the morning. Brilliant, when you were a kid. Dad was chuffed to bits when I passed my test and could drive us back. Definitely more to come on this topic, just need to engage the grey cells. And the Cucumber and onion in vinegar! my dad was forever making that. Had to be left overnight in the fridge, or it wouldn't taste right. The tray of toffee with its own little hammer? 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,454 Posted November 14, 2017 Report Share Posted November 14, 2017 On xmas day my grandparents - from Radford - came to our house and stayed overnight, leaving on boxing day afternoon. Around midday, the routine was to go to the local off licence (which opened for a couple of hours) and get a few drinks - mainly for my grandad. My parents weren’t really drinkers so the whole subject was a bit of a mystery to me, and the visit was a step into the exotic unknown. I’ve always remembered that the purchases were Shipstone’s Nut Brown, and Dandelion and Burdock. For a 7 year-old, that was surreal; what on earth was Burdock, and how can anyone drink Dandelions ? 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted November 14, 2017 Report Share Posted November 14, 2017 Not sure what Burdock is or who discovered you could drink it mixed with dandelions? I do know that if you had a good drink it certainly made you burp loudly. No we didn't have burping contests. Honestly. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oldphil 331 Posted November 14, 2017 Report Share Posted November 14, 2017 12 hours ago, DJ360 said: Another lovely memory I have is of the High Pavement Grammar School Carol Service. Here, we are talking early 1960s. We would all troop down to the High Pavement Chapel, in.. oddly enough.. High Pavement. This was where the school originated in 1788. I was always very conscious of the history. The Chapel would have a tree, nicely lit. Assorted 'older boys' would do Folk type renditions of 'Mary's Boy Child' and so on.. The late, great Stanley Middleton, English Teacher and novelist, would play the organ and do his 'Phantom of the Opera' impression. It would all feel very warm and safe, with that little 'frisson' of excitement that precedes Christmas for kids. We would sing our favourite carols etc. and head back to school for the afternoon. Gosh!!! .. so many memories... Also remember the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve at Christ Church, and walking home in the early hours 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,599 Posted November 14, 2017 Report Share Posted November 14, 2017 4 hours ago, carni said: Not sure what Burdock is or who discovered you could drink it mixed with dandelions? I do know that if you had a good drink it certainly made you burp loudly. No we didn't have burping contests. Honestly. We bought some dandelion and burdock this last weekend to see if it tasted as good as it used to. It didn't, and wasn't particularly fizzy either. It Just tasted a bit like liquorice. Drank it anyway... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,427 Posted November 14, 2017 Report Share Posted November 14, 2017 For what its worth I did a quick search on Burdock. A number of sites came up but here is one you might be interested in. I'd just about forgotten about Dandelion and Burdock. Never questioned it when I was a kid. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-111-BURDOCK.aspx?activeIngredientId=111&activeIngredientName=BURDOCK 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oztalgian 3,269 Posted November 14, 2017 Report Share Posted November 14, 2017 12 hours ago, carni said: Not sure what Burdock is or who discovered you could drink it mixed with dandelions? I do know that if you had a good drink it certainly made you burp loudly. No we didn't have burping contests. Honestly. It sure did, we used to call it Dandelion and Burpdock Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted November 15, 2017 Report Share Posted November 15, 2017 On 09/11/2017 at 8:10 PM, plantfit said: \snip\ get a clout for talking without being asked and get a clout for not talking when spoken to,\snip Rog I think we must have had the same father, Rog! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted November 15, 2017 Report Share Posted November 15, 2017 On 10/11/2017 at 10:41 AM, nonnaB said: \snip\ I still lick the bowl .......do you? I most cerrtainly do, nonna! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted November 15, 2017 Report Share Posted November 15, 2017 On 10/11/2017 at 0:12 PM, katyjay said: Forgot the Bagatelle. All together now, She's a pinball wizard........ Just for Katyjay....here's my bagatelle and yes, it will be coming out this Xmas 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sarahjay 9 Posted November 15, 2017 Report Share Posted November 15, 2017 Hi plantfit, Jill, catfan & others not keen on Christmas, I’m completely with you on this. Many people find it a difficult time especially if they’ve gone through family breakdowns, bereavement, parents who were very strict or abusive, etc. Others don’t dislike it exactly, but it’s nothing special to them. I think it’s a very over-hyped celebration and get fed up with the way the hype seems to take over the last two months of the year. I’m always relieved when it is over and I can look forwards to the days getting longer. 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,576 Posted November 15, 2017 Report Share Posted November 15, 2017 1 hour ago, Compo said: I think we must have had the same father, Rog! It were me mam that did most of the hitting/abusing Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
siddha 825 Posted November 15, 2017 Report Share Posted November 15, 2017 On 11/14/2017 at 1:15 AM, DJ360 said: 'Once on a dark and stormy night.. Three Bold Robbers sat in a cave.. One said tert t'uther.. "Tell us a tale" And so he did.. 'Once on a dark and stormy night.. Three Bold Robbers sat in a cave..' One said tert t'uther.. "Tell us a tale".....' You can guess the rest.... That has brought back memories for me our version was slightly different............... 'One cold stormy night in the midst of November And the wind blew And the snow snew And three Robbers sat in a cave.. The captain said to one of them "Tell us a tale" And then the tale began 'One cold stormy night etc. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gem 1,430 Posted November 15, 2017 Report Share Posted November 15, 2017 On 09/11/2017 at 8:21 PM, Gem said: I remember a christmas when i was 6/7 coming downstairs on christmas eve to see my mum filling a pillowcase, all i can remember is sitting on the stairs crying. I must ask mum if she remembers and what she said to shut me up, her long term memory is very good so i may find out. I now know what happened, dad picked me up rushed upstairs saying Santa's gone to toilet so mums helping him out so he won't be late. Worked at the time, now of course it wouldn't work as the bathroom was next to my bedroom. Lovely memories. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted November 16, 2017 Report Share Posted November 16, 2017 15 hours ago, plantfit said: It were me mam that did most of the hitting/abusing Rog Me mam used to tell me dad and he used to beat us until the stick broke. The worst bit was the "Wait till your dad gets home!" From that moment on terror was struck into our little hearts. Have to say, although I know this is meant to be a jolly thread, that each Boxing Day we would go to my father's mother for dinner. It was a big family and we had to eat in sittings. There was always apricots for dessert and one thing I couldn't eat was apricots - I don't know why but they always made me sick, although I can eat them now. So....each Boxing Day I would be forced to eat apricots and subsequently, throw up. That would mean a beating from my grandmother and another from my embarrassed father. I hated Boxing Day! So much for good Catholics. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted November 16, 2017 Report Share Posted November 16, 2017 In a few weeks time I'm off to Letchworth to visit my son and his family. It will be the first festive meeting (normally a summer affair) and they are looking forward to me helping them put up their Xmas decorations. They are planning a special early Xmas dinner for us as a family - which is nice of them. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,599 Posted November 16, 2017 Report Share Posted November 16, 2017 Compo, I never liked tinned apricots when I was little - there was a sort of rough feel to the outside. I would never buy them even now, but I love dried apricots. Hope you'll have a lovely time in Letchworth x 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted November 16, 2017 Report Share Posted November 16, 2017 OldPhil mentioned the little toffee hammer.... I think most of us lads made one at some point; either at school or as apprentices. I still have one in the shed that I made in metalwork and I shall take a photo of it to post in here.....watch this space. It will not be easy, Margie, I don't really do Xmas but it will be nice to see the children's excitement and given that my son's wife is a traditional Pole I'm sure the hospitality will be second to none! Oztalgian, The Bayko sets were a lot cheaper than Lego and thus I was able to have one. The bricks didn't interlock very well and there never seemed to be sufficient components to complete a building - but hey, it was fun Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted November 16, 2017 Report Share Posted November 16, 2017 On 11/11/2017 at 7:55 AM, plantfit said: My Grandaughter Ruby's birthday is Christmas day, that was one of my nicest presents Rog My ex-wife's birthday is also on Xmas Day which made life difficult, present-wise. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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