For me it was magical; a time ripe with excitement from the build up to Christmas at school with carol services, card making for mums and dads and the usual primary school Christmas play where we’d all parade across the stage wearing tea towels in one form or another. Great times! I remember the sheer joy of putting up the Christmas decorations at home and dressing the tree with streams of tinsel and glitzy baubles of all shapes and sizes. There were always foil-wrapped chocolates to hang on random branches, and when you finally got to pull one off to eat, tiny strips of tree foliage would come with it (It’s funny what you remember!). Gradually, over the years, the tree got balder and balder. Then there were the paper chains Mum or Dad would buy – thin strips of assorted brightly coloured paper with glued ends you’d lick and stick, one chain through the other, into great multi-coloured snakes we could suspend from the ceiling. I absolutely loved them, despite the gluey taste, and living in London, we’d always take a walk along Oxford Street to look at the Christmas window displays in the big department stores, which to me were fabulous. All of this, and then the anticipation of what Father Christmas might bring...
Hubby and I have always tried to provide that sort of magic for our children, one of whom was born at home on Christmas Eve, ten days late but determined not to miss the big day that year! That was a wonderful experience and she’s definitely the best Christmas present we’ve ever had, although it was confusing for our little boy at the time. He couldn’t figure out where she’d come from, but wouldn’t leave her side all day. He sat by her, watching, and every so often he’d brush a finger across her cheek just to make sure she was real. Ahhh. Happy memories...
Now they’re pretty much grown up and Christmas has changed a
bit, but it’s still a wonderful family time for us.
Here are some shots of ‘Christmases past’ in our house – I
hope you enjoy them.
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