Christmas presents of the past.

[Parksy]

When I was a young boy in the 1950s we never had sophisticated Christmas presents such as the kids of today expect. The best that we could hope for were die cast metal cars by Dinky or Corgi, another year it might have been a 'cowboy outfit' which was a felt cowboy hat,a plastic sherrif's badge, a die cast 'gun' (with some 'caps' if we were lucky) and a little holster with plastic rhinestones and metal studs on it, another one from a different year was a 'box of paints', a tin box with little square water colour paints embedded into it with a scraggly paintbrush and a book with pictures to colour in.
My sisters got a doll each one year, a 'shop set' another another year which meant that I had to 'play shops' with them (they were older and bigger than me so I had no choice

)
Some of our friends from better off families where they were the only child were lucky enough to have bicycles or train sets but our presents were more modest than that.
We only had one present each, not the myriad of different gifts that the youngsters of today expect.
Every Christmas Eve we were really excited and we'd hang up old woolen socks on the open fireplace. Next morning the first sign that Santa Claus had been was the sock which contained some nuts, a few sweets and always an apple and an orange.
My youngest son surprised me the other day when I asked what he wanted in his Christmas stocking. I thought that he'd decided to save me loads of money and try living as I once did when he replied that all he wanted was an apple and an orange. My money saving hopes were dashed when it became clear that he meant an Apple laptop computer and an Orange mobile phone

What were your favourite Christmas presents from when you were a child?

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi parksy
mine was a proper bike that I got when I was 12 it meant I could ride to school instead of walking and finaly was able to get that paper round for some extra pocket money.
colin

 

[joeby]

being born at the end of the last world war , we were pleased if we got any thing at all usually lead soldiers a fort , one year we got a bike which had to be shared , we used play games then like marbles ludo ,snakes and ladders , now its all out of proportion , my daughter sent me an email recently , and stated that the granchildren wanted clothes but they only wanted designer clothes , and that she would buy them for 6 grandchldren and she would send me the bill , so i wrote back and said that as we had retired this year and the wife and only recieve state pensions , and we cant afford designer clothes so we shall be sending each granchild money instead and once they start work we will not be sending anything but a card , and what a family rift that has caused , so my other daughter jumped on the band wagon telling me how can i afford a holiday in Australia , i said after 50 years of working dont you think i am entitled to a holiday , and i thought this time of year was all about giving and recieving , and good cheer

 

[colin(bridgend)]

We would go to bed Christmas Eve and there would be nothing done for Christmas - getting up on Christmas morning the hall, lounge and living room would all be decorated and the Christmas tree was up. All the presents would be at the foot of the bed and we were told that Father Christmas and his helpers had done all the decorating and presents during the night. What a wonderful surprise for us children on getting up - the magic of Christmas for children.

I am one of three boys and we had a Trix Twin railway set between the three of us each year. We were making a OO gauge layout in the attic bedroom so each year we could enlarge the layout. We also had an annual each and a torch. We would read the book until our father told us to put the light off and get back to sleep. We then used the torch until Dad caught on to this. Eventually we were under the blankets reading with our torch light and by morning we had read the annual and flattened the torch battery. Stockings were as for Parksy - the nuts, orange, small bar of chocolate and few little nick nacks. My sister usually had a doll or doll's house or other suitable girls toys.

As teanagers we then progressed to clothes, bikes. etc. more grown up and useable presents.

Now looking back and having two grandchildren, it is children that make the festive season all worth while. The joy of seeing their faces. Hopefully this will continue without the PC brigade having their way because when the baby was born in a stable the three kings brought gifts for him and throughout the years celebration of the birth of Jesus has been marked in a similar way by giving presents to loved ones.

 

[mucky pup]

When our grandson was 41/2 years old we gave him a compendium of games (remember them) along with other more expensive presents. He is now 15 and whenever he visits he brings his games to play with us, he is determined to beat his nan at dominoes one day.
This year it's money to go to the sales in the new year.

 

[OmOnWeelz]

As a child of 50/60's I think I had most of the gadgets of the day. Wind up train set, then electric, Scalexctric , Meccano, working steam engine. First toy cars with suspension and turning wheels. Also had some pretty smart glider kits ad fly by wire fuel powered plane kits. Spent days building the planes and gliders and doping the tissue covering and then painting them only to lose them or crash them first day out

learnt quite a lot repairing them though. So not all was lost. Also had radio kits and tuned Scalextric engines rewinding armatures and lightening them and re shimming the magnets to make the cars go really fast.
The times have been a changing. I wanted the latest gadgets of my youth no different to kids today. We wander around with £500 phones in our pockets and have computers, so the kids want the same. The only problem is funding childrens wish lists

 

[LMH]

my daughter sent me an email recently , and stated that the granchildren wanted clothes but they only wanted designer clothes , and that she would buy them for 6 grandchldren and she would send me the bill ,

Jobey, I'm really sorry to hear that you have such selfish daughters who by the sounds of it have brought their children up to be the same. Try and stick to your guns. Your daughters are adults for god's sake, it's about time they started treating you and your wife with some respect.

I have never demanded anything from my mother and my late father. In fact she gave me some money for Christmas today and I did my very very best to give it back to her, she wouldn't accept it so I'll save it till March when its her 80th birthday and buy her something nice.

Chin up and don't allow them to make you feel guilty.

Lisa xxx

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Of all the presents I had as a kid, from 5 to 15, my favourite had to be the Ian Allan combine. Some may know what this was and others wont but at 10/6 it was expensive and friends of my parents who had no children used to buy it for me at Christmas. It was my bible

If you are up there Mr & Mrs Robinson, looking down and reading this, thank you very much for making me so happy all those years ago.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Unfortunately it a sad situation but what joby has posted isn't uncommon today.
We have friends who have selfish offspring but too long to go into detail on here. I would count our eldest son in the same mould. Thankfully the younger two, age 39 and 32, would give anyone their last penny whereas the eldest would take their last penny. Infact when my wife wanted to explain to them personal details, like where our will and deeds are, they didn't even want to talk about it. They were all brought up the same way so don't feel bad about it joby because talking to various people it's surprising how many have problems with at least one offspring who no longer has anything to do with their parents. I'd like to add that the people I have in mind, with the exception of one, all come from stable family backgrounds with no divorce in the family.
Don't give in joby. No doubt like our kids, they will be having your house when you're both gone. That should be enough for anyone. What time we have left on earth is our time together and to do that, while we have our health, we need money and that's how it's going to be.

 

[Timbo1]

Well, how this thread has struck a cord!!!!

I am the youngest of four and for many many years it was always expected that I spend Christmas Day with my parents which, through teenage years, I felt was somewhat of a challenge but it was what it was. My three siblings, being older, had bigger fish to fry and never spent Christmas Day with Mum and Dad until one of them fell out with their inlaws. That sibling invited us all to be together "for a family Christmas" and we welcomed them into "our" Christmas fold.
The next year my parents were invited to spend Christmas with my sibling but lo and behold myself and my family were not. Such has been the Christmas routine since, leaving me and mine frozen out. In fact I don't even bother to invite Mum and Dad now as its a foregone conclusion they will be with my sibling. Of course I have them over to dinner throughout the year but it is never the same.
I have spent a tearful conversation with my 83 year old father tonight, telling him how hurt I feel over the whole affair and how it has resonated with me year after year since I feel they "abandoned" me. Christmas really is not for some how it is portrayed in the media, cosy families round open fires, luxury food, warmth and hospitality. In fact it is a very painful time for many people for many different reasons. You can keep every present I've ever had delivered in my 47 years, all I want is what I once had, my Mum and Dad before it is too late. Sorry if this post appears melodramatic, its just how I feel right now.

 

[LMH]

My best ever present I had when I was about nine was a model bay horse, it stood about 20 inches to the withers and had - wait for it - a real mane and tail (well some sort of synthetic hair). It also came with a plastic saddle and bridle. OMG, how I loved that horse. My mum threw it out when I was about 17, I was absolutely heart broken.

I can still remember it to this day. Far better than the Barbie horses you get today.

Lisa

 

[DerektheSecond]

The torches that had different coloured lensesremote control cars that used up 6 batteries within minutes and the mamod steam engine,previously mentioned, in fact I have bought a static engine similar to the one I used to have and the traction engine from ebay a couple of years ago

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Sorry if this post appears melodramatic, its just how I feel right now.

As the saying goes Timbo, you can pick your friends but you can't pick your relatives and the other saying is also apt, there's nowt as queer as folk. It is because of this a lot of people prefer dogs because they are always loyal, faithful and don't tell lies

 

[Dustydog]

As a young boy it was the magic of looking into the sky with our parents trying to see who could spot Father Christmas on his rounds. So exciting. Such a shame kids of today don't believe in FC once they get past 7ish.
Best presents were the basic meccano set, a chemistry set and Cluedo.
Sorry to hear how it is for you Timbo. Don't let it get inside your head. Thanks to a very nasty ex wife I haven't seen my kids for Christmas for over 20 years. My daughter and I don't talk but thank goodness my son is always coming round
We make sure we now do what we want, when we want. That seems to be one year with my mum, one year with SWMBO sister and one year just us and the dogs. hence that's why I'm loading the caravan today.

 

[OmOnWeelz]

Timbo
I know how you must feel

If it's any consolation my 'EX' sibling and spouse didn't agree with our late parents last wishes + Will and wanted to divide the estate the way they wanted not the way our parents wanted.
The 'EX' relatives even took court action against us, I believe it cost them over £6000.00 and cost my brother and I nothing. The judge threw the fictitiuos claim out of court in under 3 minutes. I've not seen or spoken to the other couple since and couldn't give a about them, I put up with many years of and lies from them and endured it for my late parents sake. I should have spoken out 15 - 20 years ago, I didn't and my brother and I went through hell. Even now years later we still haven't had all the estate finalised.
If I knew what I now know I would have had it out with them with all of us and our parents long ago.
But at least it saves on a Christmas card and two presents now

 

[Gagakev]

My christmas stocking was placed at the foot of the bed and like everyone else it had the apple,orange, etc.
And being one of seven kids, each year the local round table delivered presents to the less well off and if you actually got a present with the original packing still on (as opposed to a second hand good quality one) you were one of the lucky ones. These were given to us on christmas day, re-wrapped by the parents who couldnt afford anything but the christmas dinner.
But do you know what, when we did the jigsaw puzzle, painting , colouring or played cards it was pure quality family time, oh they were the days, and this in the 60's to 70's.
Then we looked forward to the treat in January where the local church/round table organised a trip to a real theatre to see a pantomime with coach loads of kids from the poorer walk's of life.

 

[ValA.]

Timbo - how sad for you! Isn't it possible for you to at least visit your sibling, and in-laws at Christmas - or to suggest that they visit you? What did your father say, when you mentioned how upset you were? We're lucky in that we still have a traditional family Christmas - when my parents were alive the three children and their partners used to go to my parents - then the in-laws came as well. Then we took OUR children along too and their small house was very crowded. As my parents got older we had everyone to our house, and still do - despite living in a much smaller house. This year there will be fifteen of us - OH and myself, my two sons, my sister and her partner, and their two children, my brother and his wife and their son and partner, and three year old, my OH's mum, and my EX mum-in-law. I split up with her son twenty two years ago, but she still comes to use each Christmas, even though her son is now loving in Spain and has invited her to go there. My OH's son comes around too, but eats at home with his mother. Unfortunately, like Dustydog, we don't see his daughter. OH's brother and his wife are happiest going to their children, and seeing their grandchildren so it works for everyone.
Both the older ladies are now in their nineties, and generally help out peeling veg, warming mince pies and handing out sherries, and so on - they love the hustle and bustle - and both enjoy their food still, so put away a normal Christmas dinner. We still have stockings with oranges, and chocolates, and a new coin or two (this year we've got 2011 fifty pence pieces), and put out mince pies and sherry for Father Christmas, and a carrot for the reindeer. We managed to keep our youngest believing in Father Christmas for ages because my OH made sooty foot prints with his wellies all over the hearth, and we cut out reindeer shaped feet from potatoes, and printed them over the hearth too. He's stopped believing now, of course, aged 24!
We won't be spending too much on presents this year - one main present each for our children, and then 'bits' - which really are bits, like some silly egg-moulds in a heart shape, or some muffin tins! (Both sons like cooking). Family presents are one each, and no more.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Our parents always made sure we went to bed early on Christmas eve and told us to behave and go straight to sleep because if we didn't Father Christmas wouldn't leave us any presents. I did wake up because I needed to go to the toilet and on my way downstairs I heard a noise and the lights were on in the living room. Not wanting to go without presents I crept back to bed. Unfortunately I couldn't hang on no more so piddled the bed

It was then that my parents decided to tell me Santa wasn't real and although I was sixteen I still didn't want to believe it

Heh! heh! heh! the first part is true though

 

[RegandPat]

There was a toy shop just down the road from me that I would go to and just look in to the window, I told my self when I go to work I would bye that boat that I admirered.

My best presant at Christmas when I was a youngster was, a large clockwork boat, my Mum and Dad would take me to the river at Windser and tie some thread on to my boat and let it go.
I no longer have the boat and all the shops have gone, my old school is twise as big, the American base is gone, no more gum.
How things have changed.
Merry Christmas every one and roll on spring time.
Reg Pat and Lucy

 

[emmerson]

Slightly off topic, but in the same vein, let me tell you a little story.......
I live in a tiny hamlet, on the edge of a forest, and there used to be a footpath across some scrub land into the trees. Two sides of this acre or so of land are bordered by the forest, one side by my land, and the fourth by the back gardens of a terrace of four cottages.
In one of the cottages lived a young family with four boys, ranging in age from two to fourteen, and the two older boys no longer believed in Father Christmas, and were trying to persuade their siblings that he was a figment of imagination.
Right, that's the scene set, OK?
So it's Christmas eve, we'd had an inch or so of of snow, and the moon was out; a bit like tonight.I had been out with the dogs, wearing my huge red waterproof coat, and was walking back home across this open ground.
The father of the boys was desperately trying to get the youngest two off to sleep, but they were not having any, as they were now afraid that FC wouldn't come as their brothers had said that he wasn't real. Dad picked up the baby, took him to the window to show him the moon, which he said was FC's light to show him where to go, when I appeared out of the trees, silhouetted by the moon, my red coat against against the virgin snow! The little fellow screamed for his big brothers, "Look, James, Jonathon, he is real!" Tears rolling down Dad's face, all four boys could not get to bed fast enough, and to this day, that little boy, now 21, still talks about the night he saw the real Father Christmas.
Oh the innocence of childhood!

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

heh! heh! heh! good 'un Emmo

 

[forestgump]

just got the kids there presents a hoddie and stanley knife and a bottlel off vodka normal 16 year old christmas.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

just got the kids there presents a hoddie and stanley knife and a bottlel off vodka normal 16 year old christmas.

Don't forget to buy them a Staffie, studded collar and chain lead

 

[forestgump]

what ever in it.