Christmas Club : Presents

I have spent a lot of the past two evenings wrapping Chritmas presents and this has given me time to reflect on present giving in previous years so it is time to join in with Sian's Christmas Club.
When we were children there was a traditional routine to the day. We put our stockings on the end of our bed at bedtime. They were always proper stockings which gave a curious view of the items inside through the semi see through stocking. Like most children I always tried to stay awake to see Santa arrive but never quite managed it. I would wake while it was still dark and feel the shape of the goodies (always nuts and a clementine in the toe) trying to decide what they were. One year my sister and I had a mix up where our stockings fell off our beds and we got the wrong ones. A little subtle intervention was needed by mum!
We then had a strict routine, one present of our choice could be opened in the morning and then the rest waited under the tree until after lunch, coffee and The Queen. They were then agonisingly slowly handed out by dad. This meant that when we had finished dad accumulated a pile of presents that he steadily opened while everyone else watched.

 

A regular routine was  to wear what we were given.

 

 

 

This is a tradition that has continued with my children.

 

 

 

On the subject of children the best gift that Brian and I have ever been given was  20 years ago tomorrow when our first baby came home after a very long 6 weeks in the Neonatal Unit just in time for Christmas. Who could believe that that tiny baby (pictured below) is now the lovely lady above.

 

 

 

 

Presents that bring pleasure are not always the most expensive. One year the request for christmas was a whistle, a hat and a shepherd's crook. The favourite book of the moment being The Shepherd Boy by Kim Lewis.

 

 

 

And out to use them she went!

 

 

 

 

Then there was the year that the ponies had to have their stockings so Santa popped in and called on them!

 

 

 

 

The delights of christmas are endless! Thank you Sian for helping us to recall these memories and share everyone elses.