Turkey fed us for almost three days and the boiled ham (which is good for a week after boiling) is stolidly providing the occasional sandwich and, now and again, a tasty doggy treat.
The festivities, such as they were, provided full bellies as usual but, unfortunately, also one day in which the toilet bowl was severely pebble-dashed on a number of occasions by what remained of an over indulgence of brussels sprouts.
I have to be honest ... if it wasn't for the food, cookies and an excess of chocolate, Christmas may have past us by unnoticed.
Ok! Ok!
We had decorations up, you know ... Christmas tree, lights ... that kind of stuff, but only in a 'grown up, no kids in the house' sort of way.
This year, more than any year previously, I felt a yearning for the Christmas's of yesteryear; for the Christmas's I knew as a child.
I can remember snow on Christmas day; an afternoon spent sledging; Morecambe and Wise; fruit instead of chocolate.
I remember simplicity, fun, gratitude for gifts received and strange relatives popping in to say Merry Christmas!
Everything stopped for Christmas. Shop's closed for two days and,in the eyes of the child that I was, no one seemed to do anything other than have fun.
But those days are gone!
I'm getting old, cynical and fed up to the back teeth of the commercialism that is Christmas.
The Christmas's of '61, '62,'65 and '68 were snow-filled wonderlands and no-one ever complained about traffic problems. Kid frolicked in snowdrifts, built snowmen and pummelled each other with snowballs. They were Christmas's that really made you want to sing carols!
The TV, only BBC1 and ITV in those days, showed programmes that would both excite and fascinate
us kids as we warmed ourselves in front of the coal fire before going out yet again to ride and ride that new bike through the snow.
Oh how I yearn for those simple days; fun without responsibility and a lifetime to look forward to.
My last year of Junior School was however was a Christmas that I remember for only one thing ... the day my voice broke during the singing of The Twelve Days of Christmas at the school Christmas concert.
I have no idea whether it snowed that year or not.
I think we all have a tendency to romanticize the Christmases of our childhood. I tried to explain to Mrs. C. that I felt a bit sad because we don't have any little kids around but she ordered me to SNAP OUT OF IT! She knows when to kick me in the butt. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteThere will be no more Christmas's like the ones we used to know because there are too many people snapping is out if our nostalgia.
DeleteHappy New Year!
Mate, you and me both but we're looking back to the good ol' days when we were young and carefree. As an adult Christmas is about money and the stress of getting everything ready on tome for everyone else. Even so I hope you had the best time and have a great new year as well
ReplyDeleteThe 'good old days' were good because someone else had all the stress and financial pain.
DeleteHappy New Year!
I'm glad the Christmases of my childhood happened, but they are over and done with good reason. I look forward to my own traditions.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! I hope 2013 is wonderful.
I hope your traditions rival those of your parents.
DeleteAll the best for 2013.