The summer has well and truly left us but now it’s time to cosy up and get ready for Christmas. Forget Elf on the Shelf, ice skating and booking Santa visits in August (we have all done that once), here’s how I remember Christmas in the 80s.
Stockings
Stockings should be knitted or your Dad’s football sock. This should be stuffed with “smellies”, bubble bath or even bath pearls shaped as various animals, stars and maybe something Christmas themed. A big tube of fruit pastilles, a selection pack of Cadbury’s chocolate bars including Fudge, Chomp and Wispa and of course a bag of chocolate coins. But let’s not forget that lone satsuma right at the bottom of the stocking. This can be added as an attempt to encourage some healthy eating on Christmas Day.
Christmas Decorations
Now don’t hold back, every corner has to be covered. Strings of paper chains along the picture rails, shiny colourful snow flake strings from each corner of the room to the light in the center of the room. Homemade crepe paper doves stuck into the ceiling with drawing pins. Tinsel, tinsel and more tinsel on everything from banisters, door handles light switches, anything that can be given that Christmas touch with some tinsel. The tree can be an explosion of colour of small wooden brass bands, fake robins, knitted angels and loads of lights. Decorating the house can sometimes take a couple of days with constant additions appearing throughout the month of December.
Main present
The main present, the one thing they have had their eye on all year, the present that they have been secretly searching the house for months, working out the size and where you could of hidden it. They have been watching all your comings and goings for the past couple of months and any unusual behaviour has been analysed. There will always be constant discussion about the “main present” with siblings and making sure they have asked for something of similar value.
Christmas TV
This is the one time of the year The Radio Times appears in the house. Hours are spent going through each day from when they break up from school and the calculations on how many films they could watch over Christmas. The excitement level used to be high as it was only four channels then and films were a rare treat.
Only Fools and Horses
Christmas day is not complete unless the whole family sits down with a drink (Cinzona, G&T or a lager shandy) in hand to watch the Only Fools And Horses Christmas special. Everyone should cram in the front room and if you are the youngest sibling you have no chance of getting on the sofa so the rug in front of the fire is yours (where you will heat up to temperatures close to boiling) and inevitably half way through a grandparent will start snoring.
Christmas Dinner
The best meal you have seen all year with all the toppings and trimmings. A roast potato dash will commence, when the roast potatoes are this crispy and light you have to get in quick. Pigs in blankets, stuffing, turkey, pork and of course the humble sprout. I often think like the lone satsuma in the stocking it can be another failed attempt to eat healthy on Christmas Day.
Tree present
Now even at Christmas the tree is feeling generous and will bear a gift to all that had celebrated Christmas day with it. The kind tree will bring gifts of books, hats, gloves and maybe some more “smellies”.
Boxing Day
A breath of fresh air after all the indulgence, you can try and use as many of your new items as possible, hats, gloves, scarf and maybe even your “main present” of a bike and of course get through a couple of those Cadbury’s selection boxes for good measure. A trip round the park then it’s off to a Boxing Day party round friends. This can involve a couple of families getting together eating the leftovers, watching films and playing darts. Games like Killer or Beat the Score can be enjoyed however it can be a little risky with kids throwing darts you need to have your wits about you!
So whatever you Christmas traditions are ENJOY!