Back in Time for Christmas

Kim_kim

PasturesNew wrote: »

I do plan to watch it. It's interesting. But, the reality is that you always get the Xmas of your parents - even 20 years later. My parents were still delivering a 1960s Xmas in 2005.

And everybody here will probably do the same.... you get a place, you do Xmas for the first time and it's YOUR version of Xmas, based on what you like and what's popular at the time..... and over the next 20-30-40 years you'll probably not change it much

So, people weren't having the different Xmases ....many were stuck in the timewarp of their parents' first Xmas.

You are so right!
I was a child in the 70s. We are still doing 1970s style catering.
We start with a prawn cocktail, we have the turkey main, followed by Xmas pud and trifle, with cheeseboard, then coffee and AFTER EIGHTS, we go the whole hog!
I still buy nuts & satsumas...... Old habits die hard....

ETA - followed by turkey sandwiches (in white sliced bread) in the evening, with crisps & quality street.

honeythewitch

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I caught up with last night's episode - there seems to have been a lot of good TV on last night! - and loved the history lesson within. I think I would have quite enjoyed the austerity of the 1940s (lack of food and consumerism rather than the ox heart), it was about family and simple pleasures.

I quite like the idea of grabbing anything you could get and stuffing it instead of the pursuit of perfection that can easily ruin Christmas.

honeythewitch

Kim_kim wrote: »

You are so right!
I was a child in the 70s. We are still doing 1970s style catering.
We start with a prawn cocktail, we have the turkey main, followed by Xmas pud and trifle, with cheeseboard, then coffee and AFTER EIGHTS, we go the whole hog!
I still buy nuts & satsumas...... Old habits die hard....

Yep. Similar in our house too.

Kim_kim

Omg!!! A weeks wage for a turkey, is that gross or net!!!

That's mind blowing, I would NEVER pay a weeks wage for a joint or bird!

meritaten

I found this episode totally fascinating too!
What a really brilliant 'social experiment' - and great TV!
er - that 1960s house was hardly an 'ordinary' persons home though! or the 1970s one. more 'footballers wives'!
and I really cringed when Rochelle defrosted her turkey with hot water! oh dear - they didn't show if the family had food poisoning after that though!
I do think that although the family don't think they will 'do' Christmas differently this year - their perspective might have changed. and having 'experienced' christmasses from decades past they may well find themselves changing a few things.
Myself - I am making some 'homemade' presents. a hamper of foodie 'treats', and some home d!cor items which I have made myself. as most of our kids (and grandkids) have asked for cash to spend in the sales! sad isn't it? not really in the Christmas spirit.
But, as non-Christians we really view Christmas time as 'family time' and giving of 'presents' to show love.

PasturesNew

We never had a starter, ever. In the 60s there was Xmas pud and yule log and cake - I think these were given as gifts (dad's mum made the pudding and posted it to us with our presents). But, in the 70s, these stopped as nobody ate them. There was always a Birds trifle floating around.

No pigs in blankets, ever. No ham. No cheeseboard. No coffee.

We had Xmas dinner: turkey, stuffing, yorkshires, roast spuds, roast parsnips, veggies, gravy.

That'd be it.

For tea you'd help yourself to some cold turkey and salad (lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, etc), but, mostly, we couldn't manage to eat anything more.

Bowls would contain satsumas and nuts. We didn't have a big tin of sweeties. No booze to speak of, we weren't drinkers.

meritaten

um - Christmas dinner in the sixties was just a 'Sunday Roast Dinner' except you wore paper hats!
and you had Christmas pudding for dessert. (mum didn't normally do dessert).
for my Family which started in 1977 - we had Turkey and Pigs in Blankets! so adventurous!
and guess what - The kids who are now all in their thirties want me to make the 'traditional' Christmas dinner!
oh its so boring! for chrissake - it hasn't changed much in nearly 40 years! but, if the kids and grandkids want it - so be it!

Kim_kim

PasturesNew wrote: »

We never had a starter, ever. In the 60s there was Xmas pud and yule log and cake - I think these were given as gifts (dad's mum made the pudding and posted it to us with our presents). But, in the 70s, these stopped as nobody ate them. There was always a Birds trifle floating around.

No pigs in blankets, ever. No ham. No cheeseboard. No coffee.

We had Xmas dinner: turkey, stuffing, yorkshires, roast spuds, roast parsnips, veggies, gravy.

That'd be it.

For tea you'd help yourself to some cold turkey and salad (lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, etc), but, mostly, we couldn't manage to eat anything more.

Bowls would contain satsumas and nuts. We didn't have a big tin of sweeties. No booze to speak of, we weren't drinkers.

We always pushed the boat out - always a sparkling white tablecloth, matching cutlery - lots of it for all the courses, matching crockery & glasses, good ones.
Crackers, candles, the works!

My mum even used to put the condiments in a set she had - silver plated I think it was - lol. Salt, pepper & a little pot, lid & miniature spoon for the sauce - cranberry for Christmas of course - oh & a gravy boat.

Brown bread slices in mini triangles with the crusts removed, the prawn cocktail in a stemmed glass dish on a doily, on a saucer. A wedge of lemon with a slash across the rind to park it on the side of the glass & a tiny sprinkle of paprika on top!

meritaten

oh, and what on earth was Kid Jensen on about? not until the 1970s were 'Christmas records' a big thing? is he nuts? Before that you had Bing Cosby 'White Christmas' and 'Drummer boy' and Eartha Kitts 'Santa Baby' and many more!
there are some factual errors in this series - but, on the whole its been quite good.

Kim_kim

Oh & when I say coffee, it was usually Irish coffees ;-)
God I might make some this year :-)