Christmas many years ago

[Mups]

When I was a child,  we always had a pretty tree,  and I remember we had to go to bed quite early.      Mum used to tell us that Santa wouldn't leave our presents if we were not asleep.

We left a little glass of drink out for him,  Sherry I think it was,  and always a Mince Pie for him to eat too.
When I think back,  it was so lovely and we used to be so excited and happy.

I am out of touch with todays children as I don't have any Grandchildren,  but do today's little ones still do anything special before at bedtime on Christmas Eve?   
Surely  they don't just clear off to bed and play on their phones, do they?

I also remember Mum's favourite carol was always 'Silent Night,'  because they got wed on 21st Dec, and played that carol at their wedding service.

Carol singers used to be in the streets, standing under snowy lamp posts,  singing their carols.
I seem to remember there was often snow,  and we always made a Snowman in the garden.  (Would you believe I still do when we have enough snow).   

Does anyone else remember happy things about their childhood Christmas's?
Do Carol singer still come round where you are?   








October 18, 2025, 10:14:09 PM
Here is the last snowman I built a few years back when we had snow for a while. 





* (At least I mostly only have harmless vices!). 

[klondike]

What i remember is being the tooth fairy. The tooth had to go in a matchbox under the pillow and with my youngest daughter it was always on the far side making it really hard to get.

As an adult  she has told me that she did it on purpose and was awake enjoying my struggles.

With her her very first tooth she was gutted because it fell out at school down the sink plughole. She wrote a note to the tooth fairy explaining. It ended with....  and it was  a very good tooth. I must still have that note in a box of childhood memories up the roof. I must remember to check although she may have been given it.

[Mups]

Aaw that's a lovely memory Klondike.

As you say, when I lost a milk tooth, Mum used to say to put it under my pillow and the tooth fairy used to leave 6d.   (Seems funny now writing 6d instead of 6p).

Did your Mum used to put a sixpence in the Christmas Pud as well?

[Michael Rolls]

My brother and I shared a bed room and were only too happy to go to bed early and tried desperately to get to sleep
 There was four years between us - I was the elder - and I well remember the cry of 'he's been!

[klondike]

It used to be a silver thruppence in the pudding when I was a child. 

[JBR]

It used to be a silver thruppence in the pudding when I was a child.

But they went out of circulation in 1864!

[Scrumpy]

We left a little glass of drink out for him,  Sherry I think it was,  

I am out of touch with todays children as I don't have any Grandchildren,  but do today's little ones still do anything special before at bedtime on Christmas Eve?   

Yep!!! They drink the sherry..

[klondike]

But they went out of circulation in 1864!

Probably the same one each year that had been saved. I certainly remember handling them - or at least one.

[JBR]

Probably the same one each year that had been saved. I certainly remember handling them - or at least one.

I'm surprised that you didn't swallow it.  Mind you, it would at least be recoverable!

[klondike]

Maybe they did 

[Mups]

It used to be a silver thruppence in the pudding when I was a child.

I don't think I remember a silver thruppence, Klondy?  Only those grubby yellowy coloured ones.


I wonder how  many of todays 3,4,5 yr olds know anything about our old traditions,  or whether those old ways  were left to die a slow death?

Same as the magical bedtime stories about  a wicked old Queen,  or gremlins, fairies, and witches.  - (No rude comments please).    Do young parents still even read to their children I wonder?
Maybe all this is why I grew up with such a vivid imagination!  I still believe in Santa .   

[Alex]

My 5 year old grandson does believe in Father Christmas.  He leaves out a wee dram, a mince pie and a carrot for Rudolph.  My lad drinks the whisky, DIL eats the mince pie and the dogs eat the carrot !   

[Mups]

My 5 year old grandson does believe in Father Christmas.  He leaves out a wee dram, a mince pie and a carrot for Rudolph.  My lad drinks the whisky, DIL eats the mince pie and the dogs eat the carrot !   

Aah,  that's lovely, Alex.  

[GrannyMac]

It used to be a silver thruppence in the pudding when I was a child.

That's what went in ours.  Christmas at my gran's. In Scotland it wasn't Christmas pudding, it was 'clootie dumpling'. A pudding cooked in a cloth, not dissimilar.

My grandchildren believed in Santa Claus/Father Christmas when they were younger.  We have had most Christmases with some or all grandkids, and we still left sherry, mince pie and a carrot for Rudolph! They're all teens now, it's a few years ago.  I love the old traditions, enjoy them for as long as possible Alex.

[klondike]

I don't think I remember a silver thruppence, Klondy?  Only those grubby yellowy coloured ones.

Get yourself one on eBay a 1938 one so I doubt it will really be silver. Especially for a couple of quid

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176494342210