Christmas Memories......

You know it's only 36 days to Christmas don't you?

Christmas was always a magical time when I was a child, in fact it still is for me!

When I was a child Christmas would start at the beginning of December when Dad would put up the Christmas tree and the decorations, Mum always said it was too early but Dad loves Christmas and would have left the tree and the decorations up all year if Mum had let him. When I think back our tree was the gaudiest tree you've ever seen - colour co-ordination was unheard of - if it sparkled it went on the tree!

The cupboards would be overflowing with extra food - tins of ham, biscuits, chocolate etc., which Mum had bought over the past few weeks, one item at a time, to ease the cost of Christmas. Then we had to be taken for our new clothes and shoes. We always had new clothes at Christmas, Easter and Whitsun, we probably had new clothes at other times too but clothes for these occasions were always a bit fancier.

I think Mum and Dad probably bought our Christmas presents through the year saving coppers here and there until they had enough, once again to ease the cost. I remember one summer, whilst playing in my parent's bedroom I noticed a box on top of the wardrobe. Being a nosey child I dragged a chair over and managed to climb on the tallboy so I could reach the box and take a peak. Inside was a beautiful bride doll - the one I'd noticed in the shop the Christmas before - it was my Christmas present. That was when I realised that Father Christmas didn't exist. I was wise enough not to let Mum and Dad know I'd found my present, but I was disappointed on Christmas Day as I knew what was in my parcel! That episode did teach me a lesson though as far as present's are concerned, I have been happy to wait until the correct day to open my presents since then so it's still a surprise.

Christmas Day was always spent at home stuffing ourselves with all the lovely Christmas food and playing with our new toys. On Boxing Day we always went to my Aunts house where all the family gathered to enjoy a delicious buffet, on which there was always a magnificent sherry trifle topped with hundreds and thousands and tiny silver edible balls! Some years later Aunty showed me how to make the trifle and now all my family look forward to the one I make every Christmas Day - though mine is a lot more aloholic than Aunty's. Aunty also used to make the most delicious Christmas Cake too with a cake frill round the outside and Father Christmas in his sleigh, reindeers and a snowman on the top nestling in the peaks of icing. The day always ended up with party games and a 'sing-song' with all the family joining in.

Invariably we went to the Pantomime early in the new year. Pantomime was magical - the beautiful dress Cinderella wore to the ball and her glass slippers were my idea of heaven. I loved the way the Fairy Godmother soared across the stage and how the pumpkin turned into a golden coach. It was so much fun shouting 'it's behind you' , 'oh yes it is' and 'oh no it's not' to Buttons and the Ugly Sisters. Yes Cinderella was my favourite Pantomime without a doubt.

Now at our house, when it gets to two weeks before Christmas the tree and decorations come out, much to Victor Meldrew's MWM's dismay, if it was left to him there wouldn't be any decorations, but I insist. I love seeing the grandchildren's faces when they walk in seeing the tree lights twinkling and their excitement as they search the tree for chocolates. As a child I hated when Christmas was over because the tree had to come down along with the decorations and the house looked dull and uninteresting. Even now I hate taking down my Christmas tree and always feel the house needs a lick of paint in the new year to brighten it up.

I know it's only November, but guess what, I'm getting excited!