Spill the beans... on your happiest childhood Christmas memory

Spill the beans... on your happiest childhood Christmas memory
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'Tis once again the season to eat, drink and be merry. But we'd like to know what was your most special moment at Christmas (or other winter-time festival) from your childhood? We hope by sharing, you'll spark ideas for a new generation of parents.



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  • Tiglath
    Tiglath Posts: 3,816
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    Getting to eat a whole box of mint Matchmakers instead of a proper breakfast - it felt very very naughty.
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  • I remember waking up wondering if Father Christmas had been but I didn't want to open my eyes or seem awake incase he had just landed. I slowly wiggled down the bed and with my feet I felt my stocking was full and I was so excited!

    So many happy memories I could go on all day but all the memories are special times spent with my family (like my dad and I decorating the tree and doing a big reveal to my mum) rather than present or expensive treat based. So many parents get caught up in gifts=happiness but happiness is found elsewhere :)
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  • Ivrytwr3
    Ivrytwr3 Posts: 6,278
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    taping a digital watch to my and setting it for about 2am!!

    Creeping down the stairs with my brother and hearing dad shout "Get back to bed!" as the stair squeaked!

    I was sooooooooo excited that it was Xmas and Santa had been - i felt like an 8 year old child even though i was 22!!!

    (just kidding - but i did tape a watch to my head!)
  • Bennifred
    Bennifred Posts: 3,986 Forumite
    Having extended family all crammed into the house (people sleeping in every nook and cranny - mainly on the floor!) and adults spending time talking to and playing with the children. Fizzy pop!

    Receiving the purple plastic handbag that I'd lusted after but had no expectation of ever getting from the Avon book, lol!
    [
  • JJ.
    JJ. Posts: 122 Forumite
    edited 27 November 2012 at 8:25PM
    I apologise in advance, this might turn into a long post.

    I'm going back a fair few years here, to the mid 70's when I was but a young girl.

    In the many weeks leading up to this Christmas, my mom and I would gaze longingly at all the new foil decorations that seemed to be in abundance in Woolworths Christmas section. They were all shiny and glittery and were so new. My mom said one day we'd have some, but not this year......

    Christmas was nearly upon us, and our house was about as festive as a gnat bite. Mom and dad had brought out the boxes of decorations from the loft, but on close inspection it was decided that the rolls of crepe paper streamers were just too tatty to hang that year. So, all we had was a small Christmas tree, with half the amount of decorations on it than we'd normally have.

    Christmas Eve, off to bed I went, an excited little girl, scrunching my eyes up tightly; and wishing myself to sleep.

    I don't know what time I woke on Christmas morn, but it was still dark. I can remember creeping downstairs, to see if Santa had been. Halfway down the stairs I stopped, (not sitting like Kermit) but curious as to what the glow was that was emitting through the glazed door of the hall into the lounge. I'll never forget the sight that greeted me when I opened the door. Bless my mom and dad, god knows how much they must have gone without, and how long they'd saved for. But the lounge looked spectacular. New, glistening decorations adorned the room, hanging prettily from corner to corner and draped over pictures, were some of the decorations that I'd gazed at over the previous weeks. Gone was the small tree, replaced by one that towered over me, shiny new baubles hanging amongst ones we'd had for years. Fairy lights twinking, smiling at me. Do you know, I can't for the life of me remember what presents I had that year, but I will never, ever forget that Christmas. I don't think I stopped looking at the tree all day... Just wonderful. I just wish I could tell my parents now, just how much that Christmas meant to me. God bless em.

    Thank you Mom and Dad, for such a wonderful, wonderful memory. Merry Christmas.
  • mrbilbs
    mrbilbs Posts: 81 Forumite
    Back in the day late 1970s / early 1980s me, mum and dad and grandparents all used to go and watch a panto on christmas eve then back home to neck end stew and dumplings that had been bubbling away on the stove while we were out. Im amazed the house didnt burn down!
    My kids wouldnt go near neck end these days so we have our own tradition and have a big christmas eve lunch at a local restaurant where we meet up with lots of family and friends - its then over to grandmas (my mums) in the evening for supper and games!
  • kerri_gt
    kerri_gt Posts: 11,202
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    JJ. that's a lovely memory.

    I recall my parents used to take my by train up to London to see the lights down Oxford Street and Regent Street. As a treat we'd go into Hamleys and I'd get to play with all the new toys being released for Xmas. Unbeknown to me my mum or dad would sneak off and purchase one of two items that I'd really been interested in and I'd find them in my stocking or under the tree on xmas day. It's not so much 'getting the item' that I remember, but the feeling of surprise and realising that my parents had secretly picked the items for me that I really recall.
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  • themull1
    themull1 Posts: 4,299 Forumite
    I got a 'dancing bear' one year, it had elastic under its feet that you slip onto your feet, and it danced with you!! Nearly as big as me!! and one year i got a Sweet April doll set with the doll, highchair, buggy and swing, and a Mary Quant cardboard doll set that you dressed with push out dresses with tabs on them. Happy days!!!
  • Christmas 1998 - my daughter, then aged 7, went to see Father Christmas. When he asked what she wanted, she said that she wanted her brother to get better. He had been born in April of that year and was given four hours to live. He survived, but was still poorly.

    Fourteen years later, my daughter still loves her little brother very much, and he adores her. He still has major disabilities - he has Down's Syndrome and was also born with several rare abnormalities of the digestive system which required surgery the day he was born - but he is a happy young man. I also have a younger son, and we are, on the whole, a happy family, looking forward to Christmas.
  • I can't think of one. My Dad always used to spoil it in one way or another and my mum was treading on egg shells, think that's always stayed with me.
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