We would be very grateful if you could spare a moment to share with our students your memories of Christmas.
“Shopping in England on cold wet December evenings with the wonderful windows of the stores lit up and inviting you to come in. The butcher shops with their turkeys hanging up and the lovely green grocers with their fresh herbs and mistletoe.”
Eileen M
Friday, November 23, 2007
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I live in Australia now and Christmas can get quite hot, but I was born in England and have some lovely memories of my Christmases. My eldest sister and I always went carol singing usually two weeks before Christmas and back then in the late 1950’s early 1960’s everyone would let you sing and give you sixpence and a mince pie or sausage roll. It was a very special time. The money we collected we used to buy Christmas presents for others. The last time I went carol singing was the Christmas before I got married in 1966 and I only went because my youngest sister wanted to go and she had no-one to go with. I felt I was a bit old then and hid behind a big white fluffy hat which was all the rage then and a white coat, but it didn’t matter people still like carol singers and we were still given our sixpences or more often shillings and mince pies.
Our Christmas mornings would always be the same. We’d get up very early and we too would have a stocking and in our younger years they would be full of toys, sweets (which we now in Australia call lollies), and we would always have a tangerine in the toe. Our stockings as we got into our early teens were little white boots which were quite hard and glittery and they would have small things like lipsticks, perfume, eye shadows and things like that. They were so pretty. Then we would “unload” the tree after breakfast and everyone would be given a gift one at a time and that gift had to be opened before any others could be given. Lunch was always a feast of turkey and all the trimmings, with crackers on the table and we also had a large hollow Father Christmas or Snowman which was filled up with little gifts and this would stand on the table until everything was finished and then we would have a lucky dip and pull something out of the Father Christmas or Snowman whichever we had bought that year. (I’m going to try and make one of these for our table this year). We often played games in the afternoon until everyone basically flopped with exhaustion from such a busy day. We did have really nice Christmases as youngsters.
I married my husband in 1967 and we decided in 1972 to come to Australia with our children to live and of course this meant that Christmas was then in summer. Even though I have experienced wonderful Christmases here I still hanker after a cold snowy Christmas. Our last one in England was snowy (not that it snowed on Christmas Day) but there was snow everywhere that year and it was beautiful.
Christmas here for us is still a very traditional English Christmas, in that we do all the trimmings, even have a hot lunch with turkey and Christmas pudding. If the weather is sunny we usually set up trestle tables under the back verandah and decorate the verandah with Christmas decorations and the tables have crackers and Christmas crockery and we have a great time with family and friends.
We still have Christmas stockings in the morning, that is anyone who stays over on Christmas Eve gets a stocking, it’s just a bit of fun for everyone before the tree is “unloaded”. We have a lot of fun and my husband and I usually go to the midnight service at our Church on Christmas Eve so the day starts early really, as we’re no sooner in bed than we seem to be getting up again. But it is the most blessed time. We too “unload” the tree after breakfast and after I’ve started the turkey and pork cooking so that we can take our time and enjoy each person’s gift as they unwrap them and see what they have been given.
We often play games as we used to back in England and then have a fairly easy afternoon. Tea time is leftovers and cold salads and desserts if anyone wants it. I often make pavlovas which are a light dessert like meringue but with a marshmallow type middle. They are quite delicious and usually have cream and fresh fruit on top.
We as a family, are still very traditional English for Christmas, but there are an awful lot of people in Australia who prefer to spend the day on the beach with a barbecue or as with our first Christmas in Australia, we were invited to spend it with friends and it was at the Botanical Gardens, I can’t say I liked it that much but it was nice to share with others a completely different type of Christmas (we had sandwiches that day).
Christmas in South Australia tends to start the day of the Christmas Pageant which was November 10 this year. This has been a tradition in SA for 75 years and is a parade of floats about 84 this year and the parade weaves its way all through the streets of Adelaide city – we attended the pageant this year and there were bands and clowns and a lot of colour it’s a special time for the children and of course the last float of all is Santa in his sleigh with the reindeer. So even though it is hot here we do have some fantastic things that happen.
My husband and I will be putting up our Christmas trees this weekend. We have a house that has a large dining room whose window faces the street so we have a tree in that room with a large Santa standing beside it with a sleigh and reindeer and we have a huge lounge where all the fun goes on and we have a tree where all the presents are placed. So Christmas will
So this is just a token of some of the things we do at Christmas. Australia is a lovely place to be and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, but just at this time, I think about Christmases in England and would like to go there. After Christmas I love the sunny weather as it is our holiday season and we go away in our caravan or go for lovely long drives to the beaches where we can let our dogs run off the leash and really enjoy the summer.
I wish you all a bright and happy Christmas and New Year. God bless you all
I was born towards the end of the War, so my memories date to the late 1940’s. Our Christmas always started late on Christmas Eve. Mother would have invariably been to the market as it closed hoping for some last minute bargains.
As we prepared for bed we would write our present requests and holding them above the flame allow them to drift up the chimney in the smoke to Father Christmas. Then upstairs and our stockings (large socks) were placed at the bottom of our beds. It was so difficult to get to sleep.
We would wake while it was still dark. ‘Has he been yet?’ ‘Yes!’ We’d grab our stockings and run to our parent’s room. Only to be sent back because it was too early. We’d sit on our beds feeling every bump and shape. What was in there? We’d never dream of unpacking them on our own.
Eventually the shout would go up. ‘He’s been!’ Dragging our stockings we’d all tumble into my parent’s bed. Who’d get the best place, in between my parents. It was warm. No danger of getting cold when the excitement began to fade, and there was no danger of falling out when someone got over enthusiastic. I had five brothers and sisters, so it was a bit of a squeeze.
Then, officially at least, we’d take it in turns to remove a present and show it to the others. At the top there was always something soft and cuddly. A small doll, or teddy, or something similar. Then a painting or activity book. I always liked magic painting books, where you just had to add water for the picture to appear, or those shiny scribbling book where your pencil produced the same effect. A small pack of colouring pencils, we might need those for school. A toothbrush. We always had a new toothbrush. Some sort of game, perhaps a pack of cards. Old Maid, Happy Families and Snap spring to mind. Or maybe the latest playground craze. Jacks, Five Stones, Yo-yos. Then if we were really lucky another small toy. A car or, in those days, a gun for the boys and tomboys of the family, or perhaps something to make. A packet of sweets or a small chocolate bar. Finally the essential item of clothing, a pair of gloves, socks or pants. We’d reach the heel, an apple, an orange and a handful of nuts. Then joy of joy a pink or white sugar mouse. Something that had to be eaten immediately.
Right in the depths of the toe was a bright shiny penny. Not a lot, compared with what some lucky children seem to receive these days.
Although we did not realise it at the time, we were the lucky ones. We had not been evacuated during the War. My father had not been in the forces. We had not been bombed out and lost everything. My father had lost a brother during the Battle of Britain, but we were not faced by the mental, physical and social problems of so many living near us. Problems still faced by so many, both in this country and throughout the world.
Our home was filled, especially at Christmas, with love and security. I think my Christmas stocking expresses the anticipation of Advent, and the wonder, joy, magic, mystery and love of Christmas. The two days of Christmas were filled with fun and laughter.
In addition to our own family we were normally joined on Christmas Day by my uncles and aunts and 3 cousins, and on Boxing Day by my uncles and aunts and 7 cousins. Both my parents came from large families.
We have an artificial tree and we usually put it up at the beginning of December. The decorations include ones the children have made over the years. You can definitely tell it’s a family Christmas tree.
My children have their own trees in their bedrooms. My daughter has a pink 3 foot tree. My son has the more traditional green tree. I like the idea of them having their own decorations, that way when they grow up and move out they have their own decorations from when they were children.
We go to the family church service on Christmas Eve afternoon. It is very pouplar and so we arrive arly in order to get a seat. We love holding lit candles through out the service.
The children open the presents in their christmas stockings very early on Christmas day morning. After breakfast we gather around the tree to open the presents.
After Christmas Dinner, we have more presents when other members of the famly join us.
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