If you remember these at Christmas you were a child in the 70s

[BreakfastAtMilliways]

Testing the lights on December 23rd, then having to try out every one on the string to find out which one had blown…

Frantically trying to find a shop that sold spare Christmas tree lightbulbs at 3.25pm on Christmas Eve…

Lugging the tree out to the garden on January 6th, and spending the next 2 weeks hoping it wouldn’t die…

Driving (or rather being driven) into London to see the lights on Oxford Street…

Walking home from school after the carol concert and peeking through the front windows of each house on your road to see if you could spot their Christmas tree…

Arranging all the cards from your schoolmates around your bedroom…

Any more?

Yes!

The smell of newly opened male family members' Christmas presents of Brut/Old Spice

That’s because practically none of them are specific to the 1970s. The thread would be more accurately titled “Christmas things I remember as a child”.

Did ANYONE ever get a Mr Frosty? Whenever these threads appear it is one of those things several people say they wanted.

We were not allowed anything that was advertised on TV.

Glass baubles on the tree. If you knocked one they would smash.

The Twinkle annual.
A cube shaped clear plastic box full of bath oil beads.
Going to the baker for a Black Forest gateau and a large pork pie.
Finally spending the co-op stamps my mum had been saving in booklets all year (and that I had religiously licked and sticked!).

Our tree went up much earlier than the 23rd! But yes testing the lights and never having the right spare bulb. Waiting with anticipation for the once a year airing of Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer. Driving around to see the lights, still do that!
One of the department stores (long gone) used to do an animated puppet snowy village and Santa's workshop that you walked along - I loved it.
The Christmas Variety Specials on TV - Andy Williams' was one of my favourites.
Just that feeling of nothing but good things for a few days - no school, good food and presents! It's a bit different now I have to do the work and pay for it!

I had a Mr Frosty! I adored it. The little sachets and the tiny scoop...fabulous

Are / were you in Yorkshire? When we lived in Lancashire my dad was sent, 'over 't border' to get a stand pie.

@sprigatito Lucky you, I'm glad it wasn't a disappointment.

@sashh Yes. (East) Yorkshire. From Skelton’s. My birthday cakes came from there as well.

this is a lovely thread but makes me feel sad thinking of all the people that made those xmas memories that are sadly no longer here
Each year my dad would dress up as father Christmas and on Christmas eve knock on everyone's door in our close that had children
I was a child of the 60s and remember all of this
What about the advent candle you had that had the days marked on the side of it and each night you lit it so it could be burnt down to the next day
Grandad doing his magic tricks at Xmas
Playing part games such as Mrs Brown had a baby Magic Wand My aunt come home from India spin the plate I pass these scissors and another one than young kids were not allowed to play that involved rolled up newspaper and blindfolded people then trying to hit each other!!
Snowballs dates liqueur chocolates cracking nits jellied sweets foxes glacier mints salted peanuts by the bucket load homemade trifle and later on blackforest gateaux and home made strawberry flan squirty cream homemade choc log and xmas cake
yes to baubles with thread on them that began to come unravelled and ones that had front bit cut out and tinsel and xmas cards strung all around the room

sorry child of the 70s not 60s!!

The absolute highlight each year for me as a child in the 70s and 80s was when the Christmas hamper was delivered.
Mum would pay a neighbour a bit each week throughout the year and mid-December the 'hamper' would arrive.
I can remember us all sat around watching the grand opening to see what we had. It was so exciting as there were always items that we wouldn't usually have but we weren't allowed to eat any of it until Christmas Eve.

Getting book tokens and looking forward to spending them in WH Smith. Every year!
Bags of whole nuts in their shells. I only remember eating nuts like this at Christmas.
Opening the Christmas hamper from my dad's work. It came in a big wooden tea chest. There was always a tin of sausages, which we used to save for the school Harvest Festival.

I think my mum used to get hampers from a company called Andy Hampers.

Going through the Brian Mills catalogue for presents.
Buying presents for your friends - Miners make up, Matchmakers, bath cubes.
Silk thread covered baubles - I'll never forget the exact shade of the blue one as it was my favourite.
The set of Good King Wenceslas Christmas stamps.
Orange and lemon slices - I loved them!
Snowballs - still one of the most delicious drinks ever.
Writing thank you letters.
Tiny Tears and all her accessories. Mum knitted matinée jackets and little dresses for her.

I'm a Dewsbury lass, so West Yorkshire.

I remember when you would get an advertisement on tv of all the programmes which would be on.
Morecome and Wise show
it was a big deal when the TV mags came out.
the selection stockings with the nets
The Carol Singers coming round the doors
The Woolworths Christmas catalogue.

Ah those were the days

@BreakfastAtMilliways

Yep. Most things on your list except driving to see the lights. No car.

Anyone remember those awful old bell shaped decorations. Mum loathed them and used to hate putting them up and the paper chains we insisted on . She let us decorate the tree and could care less how it looked (unlike my SIL who admits she is a tree nazi and re-decorated once the kids had left the room!!)

@MrsDanversGlidesAgain i remember those! Sometimes DM would get Roger et Gallet soaps, those 3-4 ones in a box in paper. I thought that was so posh and the lovely scents!

Oh god the paper bells! Yes I remember those, at home, nana’s home and at school.

I suppose it happens now but does anyone recall the glass baubles which would smash and then you’d feel bad or not… I did this one year was in bare feet and trod blood over living room carpet whilst DM ran for first aid box. She wasn’t best pleased!

And yes to random tree decorations with no “scheme of colour”. Whereas as soon as I got my own tree and flat/house I could do a theme.

Oh yes, book tokens! I’m sure you could get WH Smith or Our Price record tokens.

The endless boredom or us playing games at Christmas. No internet then maybe computer with games.

My best friend and friends at school got them. DM either couldn’t afford them or thought they were plastic tat!

The Christmas toy adverts for Simple Simon (Simon says?), and other toys! Now it’s just Smyths

I remember seeing this in the local corner shop and wanting DM to buy them! One year she did buy them (not at Christmas but maybe near) for I think a family friend who was ill. Can’t recall if we were allowed to try one when there but think we were!

Sounds brilliant!