What was Christmas like when you were a child?

[ScrabbledLeggsAndToes]

I like hearing / reading about all the different ways people celebrate Christmas. I like hearing about all the seemingly insignificant things that happen, and end up becoming treasured memories, or special traditions

So, what was Christmas like when you were a child?....

Oh I remember mum buying me a Dairy Diary from the milkman most years!

Think ill buy one for next year.......

Yes, asda has had those orange and lemon slices in the last few Christmases, as I've been buying them to get my hands on the round middle one!! Only £1 a box too :)

We were pretty poor growing up, but my parents scrimped and saved all year for Christmas. I remember the studio cards catalogue arriving and almost going dizzy with excitement!

DM made all the cakes, pies and everything else from scratch, so December was a cooking frenzy. She always gave us the off cuts of pastry so we could make something, and it got baked (and eaten) along with the rest.

We were allowed our stockings as soon as we woke up, an there was always a chocolate orange - a tradition we still keep. However, we had to wait for the grandparents to arrive before opening our presents which was hugely frustrating as DGM could never get her act together and actually be ready for when my dad went to collect them - unlike DGD who was always sat at the front door, coat and shoes on! DM would let us raid the selection boxes while we waited, as she felt sorry for us :)

I'll never forget the year I saw grandad walking up the path with a giant teddy bear under each arm and a massive grin on his face!

For me it's always been a lovely, cosy time with good food and loving family. I've been very lucky, and I aim to keep it this way for us and our DCs. Here's to good Christmases for all of us

Oh, and I'll not be making DCs wait to open their presents ;)

Oh I remember mum buying me a Dairy Diary from the milkman most years!

Brought a tear to my eye, i forgot all about my mums fussing over xmas milkman order and whether to get irish cream or not! I miss milkmen!

We had those metallic decorations hanging from the ceiling making our house look like a pub.

we had those too, like a grotto! Loved it, I hang things now, not the same unless have something hanging.

Awful. My mum made an effort to make it nice for us but it always ended up in arguments and violence (stepfather). I missed my dad and had no other family around.

I go way over the top with my children, not so much with presents, just trying to make it special for them. I still feel like I did when I was a child on Christmas day though, I hope I hide it well.

We had some pretty nasty horrid times too, but I prefer like op to try and cling onto the good.

The weekend before Christmas the decs would go up and then we would go to our civic hall and listen to carols from all the community choirs, it was a lovely show. We knew xmas was on its way.

We used to have lovely times with a day so packed that we fell into bed in our new pjs quite early tbh.
Then fun again the next day, usually at an aunties and all the cousins would be there.

I feel sorry that our dc have missed out on extended family at Christmas time, they either died or we lived too far away from them.

Thank you Chilling

And to each of you who might be finding this time of year difficult for whatever reason.

I genuinely don't remember, I only remember what I've seen in photos. I lived abroad in a hot country for a couple of years and they were memorable purely for being out of the ordinary.
I remember waking too early most years and just lying and waiting in bed for my parents to get up.
I'm not sure if I dreamt it but I'm pretty sure I crept to the top of the stairs one year and saw my folks trying to put a three storey Sindy house together.
Other than that it's all pretty sketchy. I've tried to keep traditions for my DDs so they have a memory. Just things like new pyjamas on Xmas Eve & letting them help with the grocery shopping, especially since I've been a single parent.

I'm just bumping this in case anybody else would like to reminisce.

Iv always loved christmas my mum passed away when I was 5 so my dad brother and sister made a huge deal out of Xmas for me as I was the youngest, I always remember the pretend snow in the windows the lights the terrible foil decorations hanging from the ceiling. My dad always done a huge xmas dinner which was the best and nothing has ever compared to it.down the pub xmas eve I loved it everyone in christmas spirit and I still do now. My pillow case at the end of my bed waking up xmas morning and opening them in bed then running into my dad's room to wake him up alot of Xmas it was just me and my dad there is 14 years difference between me and my siblings so they moved out. I lost my dad 4 years ago so I make a big deal at Xmas I love the decorations the run up to xmas, my lg will be 3 in Jan so she is really excited this year and I just love her little face at the trees and decorations we watch christmas films and have the music on dancing and singing away. I miss him every year and I wish he could see how special he really made christmas for me and I hope my lg has some brilliant memories when she is older. Xxxx

Just bumping in case anyone else would like to share their memories.

Xmas eve morning was the day my sister me and mum decorted house mum made the reef while dad went to work carols on radio wrapping potatos in foil sticking holly in them and placing them on window sills fern braches tied to the stair bannister
Then making of bread, mince pies , sausage rolls in time for dad to come home to smell them cooking he would bring the xmas tree ( brought home from work many times for just a pound) then we watched dad do the tree that was his job we just handed him the baubles

Xmas day was reguimted
stockings opened on parents bed then bath and best clothes on then
Inspect presents by tree then breakfast at the table with grapefruit toast and yoghut
Then wash up breakfast stuff
Then presents handed out and we went round in turns to open one each we knew by the time we were 10 ish that a major present was to be opned as dad got the camera ready
Mum had a book and pen so she could write down what we got from whom for the thankyou cards

Just giving this a little bump for this year, in case anybody wants to share their memories.

I was in two minds about whether to start a new thread or just bump my old one. I hope nobody minds.

What a lovely thread! So sorry for those who have only bad childhood memories, but I'm glad so many of you are finding your own Christmases are improved.

Christmas was always one of the very best times for me - and I had a wonderful childhood generally. My mum was a teacher, so our decs would disappear every December to her classroom. Our tree at home couldn't go up until term ended! I've totally rebelled against that and everything goes up here at the very first weekend in December, earlier if I can persuade my husband.

We always did Midnight Mass, although it was usually just my mum and I. When we were smaller, I think we used to go as a family to church on Christmas Day. We had a mix of real and artificial trees over the years, but always the same random collection of decorations. Homemade Christmas pudding and brandy butter, homemade Christmas cake nobody ever ate, mince pies from the Co-op, crackers from the supermarket, turkey and everything with it. On Christmas Eve my mum would boil a ham joint and make apricot puree and we would have that for breakfast on Christmas Day. We had stockings (sacrificing a pair of my mum's old tights, which grossed me out then and still does) upstairs, then breakfast, then tree presents.

A couple of standout moments: the year my dad (as usual) swore blind he didn't want a present, so we hid his Black & Decker workbench and wrapped a piece of sandpaper under the tree - his brave but sad face was a picture! We were often really short of money, but even so I remember him buying my mum two really heavy and, even to my eyes, expensive, necklaces one year. She never wore them and looking back I wonder if they made her too cross, or guilty. My favourite though - when I was about 8 or 9 must have been a lean year - the stockings were very small and in mine was carefully wrapped up a pill box that I knew had come from my mum's own jewellry box. I was still so bought in to Christmas that I decided Father Christmas must have had a quick squiz round and knew I liked it so grabbed it and wrapped it up for me. I still have it, even though both my parents are long gone.

Oh I'm so glad you bumped this! I've already shared on page 1, but looking forward to seeing others.

Mum was able to come to us last year, she lasted about two hours then wanted to go 'home'. When I posted last year I didn't think she'd be able to come at all. She had such a lovely time I'm so glad we made the extra effort to get her here. She insisted my DSs (aged 31 & 25) sit right next to her and every so often she'd reach up, pat one of them on the cheek, and say 'Such a good boy, my wonderful boy'. And so another lovely, albeit bittersweet, memory was made.

She's much worse this year, dementia is a cruel, cruel bastard.

We had wonderful Christmases as children. My dad in particular absolutely loves Christmas time, and I've inherited that too!
Decorating the tree was always done by dad and I in early December. We had a number of decorations which still come out every year. My dad made some decorations in 1977, which are still going strong! The star which now tops my tree was one, along with a little set of Magi made from cardboard and old tights! The Magi stand in the dining room. They're getting a bit fragile now, 38 years on! They also have these massive foil stars that hang off the ceiling. Apparently mum got them for 10p each in Woolworths on Christmas Eve 1978.
We'd decorate the tree with Phil Spector in the background. The smell of the tinsle always takes me back.

Children Eve was chilled out. Quite often mum would be working half the day, so dad would be in charge. I clearly remember two specific Christmas Eves: one year dad pulled the setee into the middle of the living room, closed the curtains and turned off the lights, and we (dad, sister and me) cuddled up with chocolate and watched Masters of the Universe. And in 1992 he took us to the cinema to see The Muppets Christmas Carol.
We'd go to church with my nan and gran in the afternoon. Then home for fish and chips, a bath, watch something lovely on the BBC, and off to bed.

Waking up to the weight of the stocking on my feet was always amazing! I still love those few moments after waking, just thinking quietly, It's Christmas! before all the madness begins. Mum would set the timer on the oven to begin cooking the unnecessarily large turkey in the early hours of Christmas day, so I'd wake to smell the turkey cooking. Stockings were opened individually in bed (a ploy to keep us in bed a bit longer!), before we all went downstairs to open the presents under the tree.

Later, dad and I would go to collect nan and gran and bring them to ours for the day.
Christmas lunch took about two hours to eat, with the turkey dinner, seconds, thirds, then mince pies, then pudding (lit with Lamb's Navy Rum), then chocolates and nuts while we pulled the crackers. Mum and I would have made the crackers some time in December.
Nan and gran stayed over Christmas night. Nan would sleep in my bed (gran was in the spare room), so I'd be on the camp bed in my sister's room. Boxing day morning I'd sneak in with Nanny for a cuddle.

Sorry to hear that many people didn't have happy Christmases.
for you all.

Totally agree with others, it was all about the build-up and the excitement. The cooking smells when you came in, making paper chains, the school postbox being emptied and being inundated with piles of cards.
The actual day was all about the extended family, usually between 15-20 of us for the day. A proper tin of quality street or Mackintosh toffees, squinting at the fairy lights so it looked like double the amount , watching Noel Edmonds on xmas morning, the dog sniffing out any presents that had chocolate in and trying to unwrap them early
Interestingly for those of us who will stress this year about whether we have boughht ds/dd enough presents - not one person has posted saying their memories were about having lots of stuff, it's about the love and atmosphere of being a family xx

Thanks for answering everyone

I'm glad you got to spend last Christmas with your mum, AcrossthePond.

Dementia is indeed very cruel. Take care of yourself

Was awful as a child, my mum didn't ever make any effort decoration were non existent, I only remember her making xmas dinner once and if it wasn't for my friends mum I would never have got any gifts.... But that was then and now my dd's have always had lovely Christmas times, we have family traditions that we carry on even though they are now adults, such as new pjs xmas eve, walk before lunch, board games after lunch, stockings, Christmas music..,,I do love this time of year now[santa]

Digging abuot in my pillowcase for my "Letts Schoolgirls Diary" at 5am, my father in from work on Chritmas eve and putting up the decorations, paper streamers and balloons. My mother's wonderful Christmas dinners, opening presents after lunch. The year we saved up for the whole year to buy my father a sheepskin jacket. Lindt chocolate teddies, many many happy memories.

My memories of childhood Christmases are 99% good. There were the odd bad bits but I think I've forgotten most of them (usually down to parents falling out or mum being dramatic). Usually at either grandparents house, with so much love in the air. One year we went to midnight service with my grandma. My dad always used to write the Christmas cards and hand deliver them late on Christmas Eve, we'd go with him and it'd be great, popping in to see their old friends for 5 minutes here and there. One year we went to my Uncle's last and stayed past midnight so we were allowed to open our present - we played pop up pirate until the early hours!

My mum occasionally made a Christmas cake - one year she dyed the icing blue trying to make it bright white - so we had a blue Christmas cake and it all added to the fun. Stockings always had satsumas, walnuts, bubbles and mini Dairy Milk bars. My sister and I would help peel sprouts and make the gravy, there'd be crackers, and lots of well-aged decorations that all had a story. Tea would be turkey sandwiches served on my nanny's hostess trolley. Queen's speech, afternoon movie, watching the Nutcracker Ballet on television, The Snowman. We'd end up doing some kind of play (one year I wowed them all with my new Paul Daniels magic set).

The occasional Christmas spent at home was rubbish - the tension between my parents always took the shine off things. Now I have no grandparents Christmas always seems a bit odd, the last few years have been spent with my bah humbug husband. He's no longer a factor so I'm really looking forward to making some new traditions.

This is a great thread! I an one of the lucky ones with amazing Christmas memories. My dad worked in telly so from a very early age (about 1984) he brought home a video camera so we have them all on video to laugh over now...

Basic holiday was this...

Granny from Scotland came down at beginning of Christmas holidays and stayed. Then on Christmas Eve, other granny and granddad would come over and we'd all go to the childrens mass and then onto the social club for a few drinks then home to hang up stockings (which were dad's football socks) and to bed.

As Grandparents were staying I was always in the same room as little brother and sister. They woke up and we woke our big brother up and then we would take it in turns to go to the toilet AS LOUDLY AS WE COULD to wake the grown ups.

Dad went down first to check he had been! (Love all the 'has he beens' on here) and then called us down. All our presents were in the same place every year, the boys on the armchairs and my sister and I on the sofa, always a massive pile and a full stocking (we were spoilt!) We opened the presents, with my big brother always trying to make his last, while the adults had tea then bucksfizz. After santa's presents Granddad would go out to the car and bring in a sackload of presents from them (told you we were spoilt!)

Then dad would cook a massive fry up for everyone and we would get dressed. Go to a friends house for more drinks and then back down to the social club to see everyone.

Christmas dinner was about 5 - mum cooked and we played/watched telly/whatever and after dinner we got 'table presents'. This was dad's one contribution to the organisation of Christmas. He'd buy us all a present (mine was always always about 5 books!). then more chocolate and bed.

My favourite bit though is that throughout the day mum and dad would exchange gifts, so they'd do the main one after we'd opened our, before breakfast and then each swear blind that that was the only one. Then throughout the day one of them would get another present out, and then the other would have another one to give and they tried to out do eachother (obviously they got smaller and smaller as the day went on) Dad always won but it was lovely to watch...

Only thing that changed is that eventually we got old enough to go out with our friends after Childrens mass so first my big brother and I, then when he was old enough our little brother joined us and eventually little sis came too. There was an unwritten rule that we all had to be together for some reason (we didn't often go out together obviously as wee were different ages) but Christmas Eve we made our friends come to us so the sibs were all together... The only rule my parents made was that there were no hangovers on Christmas day so no matter how drunk you got you had to put a smile on your gob and get on with it (Espeically when the little ones were still little!)

Now my older brother and me have kids of our own so things have changed but we keep some of the old traditions and this year all four of us, plus partners and children are at mum and dad's again and I cant wait!

Christ this is long!!