The little things that make it Christmas

[Psammead]

From my childhood

The Argos catalogue
The Radio Times with a highlighter pen
Cream Soda, and Dandelion and Burdock. Only had those at Christmas.
Getting your Christmas pillowcase out of the attic
The grumpy bear christmas card. It looked so miserable and was brought out every year for a good laugh.
Dad making apple pie, mince pies, and jam tarts

The really loud talking reindeer that bellowed when you went past (plastic, am not on drugs)
Bucks fizz in the morning (from 15)
Bacon sandwiches then presents

Dad driving really slowly by the house which went OTT with Christmas decorations (life sized nativity scene in the front window) so we could get a good look. Now ever other house seems OTT.

Getting up at four am.

Pinching my baby sister to wake her up at four am so my mother would have to get up.

My poor mother.....

The Peanuts Christmas program.
Lasagna dinner on Christmas Eve in our pajamas then Christmas cartoons.
Deciding which cookies to leave out for Santa.

Midnight Mass. I am no longer a believer, so don't go to church, but it was magical to go out so late into church full of candlelight and sing lots of lovely Christmas carols then come back and jump into bed quickly to get to sleep before Santa came!

I came on here to write Radio Times! We never get it at any other time of year (in fact we barely watch telly, preferring DVDs) but I HAVE to have it at Xmas. Tis the law.

Baileys. :o

My 'baby's first Xmas' decorations that an American friend gave my parents when I was born.

Orange and lemon slice sweets, and in particular the round one in the centre as my grandma always saved it for me. Having trouble finding decent ones though :(

Snowballs (apparently a child friendly cocktail! )

My dad going downstairs to check if Santa has been (clearly a ploy to stop us going downstairs before my parents were ready to get up). Now DH does it for DS.

Me and my siblings used to wake very early and we would scoff chocolate from our selection box and read whatever annual Santa had left before jumping on my parents bed to wake them up. Happy days.

My brother and I used to stay up very late and wake up very early; we'd be exhausted after presents. My dad would burn all the wrapping paper and boxes in the wood stove and the house would get warmer and warmer and we'd fall asleep reading our new books. :)

Driving 1000 miles between 24 Dec and 2 Jan to see lazy family who, after 20 years, do not understand that their cars are as capable of droving north as mine is of driving south.

Coupled with Christmas eve dinner (if we are lucky, lunch) at Hopwood Park services.