Then and now - Christmas things you don't see any more

[housemum]

I was buying some Christmas cards in Sainsbury's and for some reason remembered how we bought cards in my childhood (1970s). I remember going into Woolworths, where you bought a selection box of 20/40 different cards. Mum would spend ages looking through the boxes, but whichever you chose there would always be a couple of really naff kitten-looking-at-a-bauble cards and that dismal brown-tinted sheep-in-the-snow painting. Everywhere now sells a couple of designs only in a pack. Also whatever happened to:

Paper chain garlands, like a honeycomb that stretched out and you pinned to the ceiling

foil garlands - the expensive version of the paper ones

matt wrapping paper by the sheet, usually with the print a little off-centre on each colour. Up until a few years ago I bought this from the local cheap market, and used it to differentiate Father Christmas presents.

Peanuts and cashews in ring pull cans (usually given as gifts - whoopee! )

Christmas tree lights shaped like Victorian lanterns

Christmas may have been tacky back then but it seemed cosier when everything was less "tasteful" :)

White dog poo! Don't see that any more!

It's because dog food doesn't contain as much calcium in anymore

grins at knowledge :o

smileitssunny

Oh the agonies over whether Jennifer McCauley should get "love from suzikettles" or "love suzikettles" (the latter - in my head - indicating a greater affection).

That is impressive knowledge, StealthPenguin! :)

hehe, but it was 'Luv' not love for me :)

Yes I remember the twisted crete paper too. The would always snap! And paper chains. As kids we would spend hours making them. I have actually bought a couple of packets of strips to make with the girls to decorate their bedrooms with :) The tradition will live on!

Has anyone mentioned dates? We used to have numerous packets of Dates about at xmas that no one ever ate but we HAD to have them!

Oh and the little round rum truffles... Mum would search every shop till she found some. Did last year too but I think she gave up in the end.

I know :o

Anyone else remember that one lone satsuma that was just stuffed at the bottom of your stocking??

Those were the days...

I always have a satsuma in my stocking.
it's not a stocking without one.

Aldi do the pretzel snack selection box thingies - plastic tray with 8 different ones in. I bought one for Christmas but we ate it yesterday
Remember Bluebird toffee in tins with lovely pictures on?

pigleychez I said figs but I think I meant dates . They came in an oval-ended long box and no-one ate them but we HAD to have some.

Also Quality Street (and they used to have that rock hard nut one that broke your teeth if you tried to bite it and not suck it) and a box of posh biscuits, ie where some had foil and them and anything that wasn't a Rich Tea.

Christmas dinner was turkey, roast and mashed potatoes, peas, cabbage, carrots and sprouts. No arguments.

(Oh and I still allocate cards based on how much I like the people - nice people get the best cards, family-rarely-seen get the slightly naff ones!)

I don't see turkey any more, not since I reached adulthood. I really don't like turkey so that's a big plus.

Proper multi coloured tree lights, that flashed. With big flowery plastic covers on so the lights looked huge when you squinted at the tree in the dark, not piddly little led lights like we all have now

Bars of xmas cake rather than round ones.

yy to stocking shaped stockings, only ever see them in petshops now.

Birthdays have non choc advent calendars :)

presents wrapped in stretchy crepe paper

big bell and tree shaped hanging decs that opened out like a concertina and you sticky taped them to themselves.

Fairies that looked like Sindy dolls. it's all stars and angels now

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=1970s+christmas+tree&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1280&bih=634&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=0Z9Wgd59kXLJEM:&imgrefurl=www.fashioncentral.pk/blog/2009/12/25/time-to-light-up-the-christmas-tree/&docid=d-xa1dZxkKNq6M&imgurl=www.fashioncentral.pk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/christmas-tree2.jpg&w=350&h=467&ei=kefDToXWL4Gu8gOHlqHsCg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=557&sig=110068976805864084785&sqi=2&page=3&tbnh=129&tbnw=98&start=48&ndsp=23&ved=1t:429,r:22,s:48&tx=52&ty=41" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">See this is what a Christmas tree should look like

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=purple+christmas+tree&num=10&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=634&tbm=isch&tbnid=uZ6xpB239_PjfM:&imgrefurl=www.decodir.com/2010/12/kitty-christmas-tree-decorating-ideas/hello-kitty-christmas-tree-purple/&docid=g17jQoa6RwigrM&imgurl=www.decodir.com/wp-content/uploads//2010/12/hello-kitty-christmas-tree-purple.jpg&w=1024&h=1352&ei=JOjDTtWjN8P48QOM5o2mCw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=713&sig=110068976805864084785&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=127&tbnw=99&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:23,s:0&tx=25&ty=70" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Purple is my favourite colour but this is just wrong

watney party 7

I remember coveting the girl Christmas stockings in my aunt's Freemans catalogue - I never had one and with hindsight my was right. The catalogue pic. (to me ad a child) was a veritable cornucopia, a sight of wonder at this toy explosion. As an adult, I realise it was a load of cheap party bag tat in one of those net stockings like the sweets came in.

And the Argos/Freemans/Kays catalogue only had toys in the winter edition, was something to look forward to - would spend ages poring over the pages and wishing, but would never dream of writing a huge long list from the catalogue as I know many kids do now (not mine - much to their disappointment, they're only allowed to ask for something small from FC "as he has to go to all the boys and girls"!)

We had balloon's up as well, at Christmas, amongst all the ceiling decs, in each corner there was a cluster of balloons!

Knowing it was Christmas when the BBC One ident (the spinning globe back in those days, no swimming hippos or skating penguins) became a Christmas pudding

Does the old Toys R Us advert now officially count, since they changed it?

"There's a magical place, we're on our way there! With toys in their millions all under one roof!" has now been changed to "I don't wanna grow up, I wanna be a Toys R Us kid...kid...kid...kid...kid...kid...kid...kid...kid...kid...kid..."

I almost cried when I saw that. Ruined my childhood memories.

Sidge - our tree looks like that (first link, obviously)!

It does in the dark anyway. In the daytime you can see that it's a glorious mismatch of random bits and pieces collected over the years

Stealth... You are too young!! Back in my childhood we didn't have toy shops in huge chains. We had woolworths. No retail parks, no online shopping, no big supermarkets.

MIL gets us little boxes of those rum truffles every year. Morrisons sell them 2 for £1.50 or something silly like that.

Gifts from Woolworths made by Ronco. My mum had a Ronco flower maker that used wool which was twisted around a plastic circle thingy. I was fascinated by it.

Stones Ginger Wine

Royal Mint Chocolate Liqueur

I still have multi coloured lights on my Christmas tree, because I like them, so there.

nickelbabe - totally agree its not a stocking without a satsuma in the toe!

Christmas always had an overtaste of sherry in our house, pre Christmas dinner drinks, and the ice cream Christmas pud generously laced with it. Ditto for the trifle

Oh yes, the flowery lights! I know exactly what you mean!

DD1 (3) has taken a liking to the new Toys R Us advert and can often be heard singing 'I wanna be a Toys R us Kid' aarrgghh
However having just watched The snowman and Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs she currently singing ' Another Blooming Christmas!' over and over again!

I always remember my nan having Posh crackers with little porcelain animal figures in them. Should of kept mine as im sure I remember seeing something similar on one of the antique shows a while back.