Although I completely understand that it's each to their own, and everyone has the right to do exactly what they want to for their children, I can't help but always be just a little bit sad when I see children with so many Christmas presents to open that it becomes just too much for them to cope with.
Christmas used to be a simple affair, write your letter to Santa, hope that some of your requests would be met by the big man himself and then see what Christmas Day brought you.
This particular year, possibly 1969, my 'big present' was the car for my Sindy. The outfits that she and Action Man (I already owned both these dolls) are wearing had been knitted by my Nana for Christmas. My brothers big present was his leather football. We both got the telephones that were actually money boxes, but we could pretend to phone each other ... as long as we were in the same room. 😄
That year my brother also got the little Thunderbirds vehicles that you can see on the floor, and I got the little doll that appears to be playing gooseberry to Sindy and her man ... and giving them the evil eye.
Of course we always got a Christmas stocking too, usually bulging with cheap pocket-money style toys and sweets, also de rigour was a Rupert the Bear annual for me and a Beano or Dandy one for my brother ... and of course we always, always, always got the obligatory selection box.
It was lovely having new toys, and they were played with over and over in many games and we really appreciated them.
This appeared on my Facebook page a couple of weeks ago ... what a wonderful idea if you do not have the money to buy your children a chocolate filled Advent calendar.
Remember when Advent calendars only had a picture behind each little door. Oh my, we were so short-changed/easily pleased when we were children. 😄
Sue xx 🎅
Something to wear, something to read, something you want and something you need.... there's a lot of wisdom in the old saying about Christmas gifts
ReplyDeleteI've always loved that particular little rhyme. It makes planning present buying for your children so much easier doesn't it. 😀
DeleteI've always felt that a simpler Christmas is far more enjoyable. However, I still insist on buying selection boxes for my lot.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading all your Blogmas posts. I don't have time to participate this year, but I'm enjoying everyone else's. Xx
Up until a few years ago I would always buy my boys a bag of chocolate coins. It was a good tradition. 🎄
DeleteI loved the old fashioned advent calendars. One year we got one with glitter on it. I was so thrilled it seemed extra special. Easily pleased indeed. I love the photo of you and your brother looking happy with your new toys. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteMy Dad would always take them back when the decorations came down and press the doors closed again. Then they would live at the bottom of the Christmas decorations box until the following year. While they started off very glittery,they were virtually bald after about six years. 😄🎄
DeleteLovely picture of you and your brother with your Christmas gifts. Love the toy telephones!
ReplyDeleteOh we loved those phones, they were the stars of so many of our games. Pretend offices, schools, ringing for help when we were marooned in our 'toy box boat' many miles off shore. We had vivid imaginations ... well I did and my brother went along with it quite happily. :-)
DeleteAh, those were the days. One year I had a chocolate record wrapped in foil similar to the coins and I loved it. I kept it intact for a couple of days until I could no longer resist! Another year I had a handknitted cardigan off my Nan and tucked into the pocket was a little bottle of perfume shaped like a teddy bear. I was so happy because my brother also had a cardigan with a teddy soap in his pocket :) Simple pleasures like new slippers and a book were the order of the day too.
ReplyDeleteI think the Santa's beard thingy is wonderful. My own kids would have loved it.
Aww, what lovely memories. I remember I once got a chocolate 'smoking set', a box of paper wrapped chocolate cigarettes, a couple of cigars and a pipe. I got told off for eating my pipe just before Christmas dinner was ready. 😄
DeleteMy grandparents always used to give us a selection box each and a sock filled with a couple of satsumas, a bag of chocolate coins and a small plastic toy or two, which we were always happy with (as my Mum was a JW, we didn't get Christmas presents from her). I'm frankly astonished at the amount and cost of presents some parents buy their kids at Christmas, it doesn't teach kids budgeting skills and lets them think they can have whatever they want. Well that's my opinion anyway!
ReplyDeleteIt was nice that you at least got something for Christmas off your grandparents. My nephew didn't celebrate Christmas in any way until he walked away from the JWs at 16. He's very bitter even now,
Deleteand he's in his late 30s.
I still buy my 49 year old and her husband a chocolate orange each year. They now like dark chocolate and are more difficult to find. Catriona
ReplyDeleteTraditions are wonderful aren't they. ❤️🎄
DeleteLove the photo - I have a photo of me in the same dress but in peach from when I was 4 in 1969! I overheard someone the other day saying they had sorted elf on the shelf & the “Christmas Eve” box but still had to finish the December 1st box - & that’s before buying Christmas presents!
ReplyDeleteI think that must be what my cousin's daughter has done, a 1st December box full of books colouring books and little toys. They are also already in matching pyjamas, and have Christmas bedding on all the beds. Gosh, the expense!! 😬
DeleteSorry last comment was from Glenda - must try & change it from Annoymous!
ReplyDeleteThank you. 😀xx
DeleteHow very lovely this is. Jogged my memory of christmasses gone by........we girls always had a new dress - no lounging around in pyjamas back then 😀 All I ever wanted as a gift was dolls and books....... recently one of my sisters bought me a weeny baby doll with different outfits....I was thrilled to bits 😍😆
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
Oh gosh no lounging around in pyjamas. We unwrapped our presents in our dressing gowns, had breakfast then got dressed for the day. The next thing we did was go upstairs to thank my Nana for our present from her and show her the rest of our new things. Then we were allowed to play until dinner time. 😀
DeleteWe always had the picture advent calendars when the children were wee. My daughter is 46 and still buys herself one every year.
ReplyDeleteReading today's post brings back so many wonderful memories❤️ I can relate to so many of the traditions in your post and in the comments. I still buy bags of chocolate coins for my grandchildren who are older now🪙
ReplyDeleteWe are quite lucky in japan as its new year that’s the big celebration here. They get a few gifts. But I agree when I see those you tube videos of birthdays and Xmas and you can see the child so overwhelmed by it all. It’s just so sad.
ReplyDeleteI can remember when my dad was in the military we used to look at catalogs and go to the naffi . Pick out what we would like cross our fingers. We would always get a traditional advent which I loved. But we couldn’t have a lot as we moved so much. Imagination was important pretending you were knight rider or the a team on your bike was king. And those wham paper bags don’t get me started on those . Emma conroy knicked mine the day we were due to move schools what a bully a 7! Lol