I'm not one to judge - each to their own - but the juggernaut of Christmas 'extras' now seems mad and got me to thinking about my memories of Christmas- none of which were present based.
Things I remember most are : starting to see tangerines in the grocer, all stacked up next to the shelled nuts and with those boxes of dates. The grocers looked all lit up on the walk home from school- and it would make me feel really Christmassy.
My other big one is the feeling of a heavy stocking on the bottom of the bed- it was always filled with tiny things that I can't remember- but always a chocolate Father Christmas sticking out of the top!
We had a set of Christmas tapes from Readers Digest (just found a set on Amazon for way too much but bought it anyway)
also, we used to listen to the St Winifreds School Choir 'Christmas For Everyone' record and light our very cheap cinnamon smelling candle - even now any cheap christmas candle (the ones that smell of burnt plastic cinnamon) makes me feel all Christmassy
What are your simple festive memories?
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The simple things you remember most about Christmas
crochetmonkey74 · 16/11/2017 12:00
When "the little boy that Santa Claus forgot" came on we used to shout to my dad and he has to jump up and move the needle on the record player on so we didn't listen to the "sad song".
It's horribly sad. That is, the kind of sad it was when it was new is different from the kind of sad it is now, but 
I got it stuck in my head earlier when making the tea, and had to have a big deep breath or two.
Incidentally it's quite difficult to learn to sing: complicated intervals. Once you know it, though, you can use that knowledge to work out complicated intervals in other pieces!
Does anyone else remember the sleigh rides in large Coop stores?
You sat in a “sleigh” and the scenery panels moved (I believed the sleigh was moving until I was about 7!)
Yes, yes, yes. You sat in a row of seats in a room and each year there was a different scene going past on the walls and it actually felt like you were moving and then you'd get out at 'the other end' and Father Christmas would be there. So exciting 
Also buying boxed pastel-coloured bath cubes and rose-shaped soaps from Boots as gifts for e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e
Putting as much garland on the tree as possible, all different colours
Ceiling decorations
Christmas music playing in the shops
Nativity plays
Watching scrooge
Although as i got to a teen, my memories were my mum and stepdad arguing every christmas eve, my mum feeling guilty and letting us open a present early. A general feeling of awkwardness and unease
@Strokethefurrywall
Agree, I have seen some lovely ones in my local garden centre though. I think the old more traditional advent calendars are still around but you have to look. I loved how Christmas Day was double doors.
I brought a lovely advent xmas card for my mil one year. I said to her the following year oh you can get the card out I-sent you again. Turns out she’d binned it as she thought she could only use it for one year 
where do you begin with answering that one !
I’ve already commented earlier on but reading this has rekindled some lovely memories.
Tinsel everywhere
Bring allerd a Snowball drink.
Ceiling decs - I may do some this year 
“Proper” nativity scene advent calendars, loaded with glitter.
Making coloured paper chains in class. Having them hanging in big loops across the classroom. I made a little candle holder with holly in a small foil dish, I loved that thing! (Can't think why I was so attached to it looking back...) It was so nice to make festive things. And also, the time between Christmases was definitely longer than a year 
Seeing Christmas trees start appearing in houses in the front windows.
Sitting curled up in an armchair staring at our Christmas tree until I was in a trace-like state. All those sparkles... It was 7 feet 2 inches, white and silver, and looked the best tree ever. My mum bought the best tree she could find, as our dad was in hospital and she wanted to treat us. It was £2 3s 2d from Woolworth's. (It's still in our loft, even DH can't bring himself to dump it!)
Doing crafts, like making present tags, from old Christmas cards. I remember cutting out a picture of a girl looking out a bus window with pinking shears and using a hole punch in the corner. I can still see it so vividly after 35 years...
The decorations that used to hang from the ceiling over our assembly hall. I thought they were magical.
Getting a turn at opening a door on the advent calendar, genuinely a little excited at what the picture was going to be.
Our elderly neighbour always used to give us each a box of Thornton's toffees for Christmas. He was a lovely, kindly man and we adored and trusted him.
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