Was an ‘80s Christmas the ultimate Christmas in history?

[CoolShoeshine]

Ive been thinking about my childhood Christmases and I may be biased because of my age but they seemed pretty perfect. I make Christmas the best I can for my dc’s but there is something about modern Christmas that just isn’t as good. It’s like we’ve tried too hard to make it better and better and somehow ruined it a bit.
80s Christmas has the most amazing balance of being fun and decadent but not overdone. We had massive tins of quality street but they wouldn’t be cheap as chips so that everyone is eating them from October onwards- we’d just have them once Christmas had properly arrived. Likewise advent calendars didn’t have chocolates, they had the quaintest pictures each day to set the mood as the month went on. I can remember being so excited to open the double size door on Christmas Eve.
We had amazing Christmas songs in the charts but we still knew all the carols. Carol singers sang outside our house in the cold.
We had thin wrapping paper that wasn’t plastic coated and crepe paper crackers. We did send masses of cards though but cut the pictures with pinking shears to use as tags the following year.it was really exciting if we got over 100 cards in our household to stick in the walls with blue tak.
We had a massive spruce tree which was wonky and shed everywhere so mum would be hoovering on a daily basis, but it was the only tree in the house and touched the ceiling. Lights were always multi coloured but not garish and baubles were too. Tinsel was considered pretty not tacky.
School let us bring in board games to play on the last day of term and the teachers drank wine. We had the most amazing school discos where we did the birdie song and agadoo and we knew all the actions. Boys squirted is with silly string. Christmas didn’t properly start until that day when we finished school on a high and had the anticipation of Christmas within grasp.
We had few tv channels and even less other gadgets so it was a major treat to watch the big movie on Christmas Day afternoon. Likewise top of the pops and only fools and horses. Everyone was watching the same things and talking about them the next day.
I could go on and on. Am I just a nostalgic 40 something or was it really the best Christmas time? Please don’t say no and ruin my memories

Me and my brother loved it when the hamper would arrive just before Christmas. We had very little money so opening that and seeing all the goodies inside was fabulous! And the box it came in was huge do we'd play with that for ages afterwards.

Oh, and Poundland have lametta!

There is such magic about being a child at Christmas - having all the anticipation and none of the responsibility! Except perhaps for the few presents you’ve bought with your pocket money - I remember one year buying my friend a single on cassette tape, and being SO excited to give it to her, more than I was about opening anything myself!

Other happy memories - Mum having a tin of quality street and Gran having roses so I got to have my favourites in both, coffee creme chocolates in the Roses tin, Mum stocking up for Christmas over weeks (and not being allowed to touch any of the food because it was for Christmas!) but still needing to do a “big shop” on Christmas Eve with 2 trolleys, the Christmas lights never working when we first got them out and having to test each bulb to see which one had gone, the wonder of seeing local houses putting up their lights one by one

Yes this sounds like my childhood! Also when I got a bit older I was taken to midnight mass and it was beautiful and exciting coming home knowing it was so close to Christmas morning !

This thread has made my morning. 70s childhood here but exactly as you've described. We had Dream Topping as cream was too expensive but that seemed like such an amazing treat on top of our proper 70s sponge, jelly and custard trifle.

The pic of the baubles made me nostalgic too - anyone remember the silk thread ones?

GlomOfNit would you be willing to share your pinterest board?

We had the thread baubles - I think ours may have pre dated the 80s as they seemed quite old. We also had some coloured bells which I loved.
About half way through the 80s (guesstimate) we got some of these modernist beauties:

Was angel hair the very fine cotton wool type stuff that you pulled apart and draped on the tree?
Did anyone get snow spray in a can? I think it was really popular for a year or two until everyone realised what a chore it was to remove off the window after Christmas. It did make windows quite Dickensian though if you sprayed it artfully enough.

We had those baubles too, @coolshoeshine.
I remember pulling one apart and hiding it behind the settle.
I got in trouble.

I have one blue silk thread bauble on my tree, I saved it from my parents clear out a few years ago. I love it!

Funny I was talking about that snow spray earlier. Do they still sell it?

Ah...

The Pifco London Lights tree lights. I loved them, they entranced me. And the other decorations that came out every year.
'Nibbles' - in a Tupperware tray divided into sections - nuts and twiglets and the like. Only ever had those at Christmas.
Putting my party dress on on Christmas Day. Can't imagine my dc getting dressed up for it.
Poring over the TV Times and Radio Times (again, the only time we bought them).
Turkey sandwiches with apple sauce for Christmas Day tea/supper and on Boxing Day.

Oh yes, we had those silk thread baubles. And a lot of shiny plastic ones with gold glitter patterns, and some that looked like disco balls. All different colours.

I've just watched 'Back in time for Christmas' and it was so interesting to compare how Christmas has changed over the decades, they thought 1970s Christmas was the best!

That sounds a lot like my 70's childhood Christmases. I have always tried to keep it like that for my family. Simple, fun and all about family.

Maybe it’s age that makes us all gooey eyed about the 80s Xmas but I don’t enjoy it so much now, even with my own kids. It lasts too long and is way too expensive.

This stuff is the tissue-thin wrapping paper I remember. The auction says 1960s but it's identical to the stuff my mum bought from the market in the 80s.

God this thread is making me cry! Was 10 in 1980 and recognise so much of this. Sadly have lost both parents and family home now and realising bitterly how fantastic those Christmasses were. Mum and Dad must have made massive sacrifices

We had the spray snow once. It seemed very fancy.

My favorite thing was making paper chains from a pack of strips from the early learning Centre.

I was born in 1970 and I don't recognise the Christmas you are describing. That's what I longed for but my Christmas were boring and full of family arguments.

Since I became an adult, I've tried to make Christmas magical. I put a tree up, decorate the house and even buy myself presents to make sure I have the perfect present. Sounds mad but I'm trying to create my own memories while I can

It doesn't sound mad.

Interpersonal dynamics at my house were bizarre and it's unsettling to look at old photos and remember it.

I was born a decade later though and I think there was enough conspicuous consumption to give me the odd thing to enjoy.

I think having a celebration when the days are short and the weather is rubbish is a nice thing at any age.

Pretty much everything mentioned on this thread (decorating wise) is still available. I bought the lot for our 70s Christmas.

Except lametta (cat)

I’ve just watch Back in Time for Christmas on iplayer mainly because of this thread.

Love this thread!

There is just so much stuff these days and so many distractions and people can have anything they want at any time including food and telly, I think part of the enjoyment is anticipation.

Here is my lametta d tree!!

My childhood Christmas' were awful as my dad was abusive and hated Christmas but I do remember a lot of what you mentioned at other people's houses. I have always loathed tinsel though I am actually getting some lemon and orange slices this year as I had forgotten all about them till someone mentioned the other day.

I do remember having chocolate in my advent calendar but I was born in 81 so maybe by the time I noticed those were normal. I also remember wandering around Woolworths looking at all the pretty decorations and my nan giving the kids a snowball to drink, which might be a bit more frowned upon these days.