More on Xmases past.

[silentsquirrel]

Yes, I think you're right about boys' presents being better - and presents were very strictly divided along gender lines then. Hopefully things are more imaginative now - although I get the sense that current presents for 'boys' are even more focused on fighting and war than they were in my day . Having said that, hopefully no-one nowadays gives kids toy guns.

We tried not to give our small son guns, but he was expert at finding gun-shaped sticks, and even made his toast into a gun shape and would spend a while aiming and going "bang!" before eating the rest.

 

[CliffH]

I was right. Ah, great memories.

I didn't realise that there were special typewriters for children: I assumed that we were talking about creepy 'real' ones, like in 'Jagged Edge' 😱

 

[CliffH]

We tried not to give our small son guns, but he was expert at finding gun-shaped sticks, and even made his toast into a gun shape and would spend a while aiming and going "bang!" before eating the rest.

If I'd tried doing that, my mother would have said, "We'll have to have you taken into care"

 

[grovesy]

Our presents were always in pillow cases too. I got a typewriter too @Drummer it was an avocado green, it was a plastic child’s one, maybe Lilliput? I’ll have to Google it. I had sisters so never coveted boys presents. We got baby Annabelles , prams, cot, Monopoly, Scrabble, Cludo etc. . But as I got to about 10 years old, books were my best present, especially The Guinness Book of World Records, some of which I still have.

Me three!

 

[freesia]

@eggyg i had a typewriter too. Also Tiny Tears which my nan made a full set of clothes for. The Tiny Tears was supposed to wet the nappy when you gave it water in a bottle but mine never did. I came out of its neck instead 😳 obviously a faulty tube.

Later i had Barbie dolls and Pippa dolls for which i would spend hours making Blue Peter-like furniture out of egg boxes and yoghurt cartons.

My best presents were books, annuals, Nancy Drew and Enid Blyton were my favourites.

 

[CliffH]

@eggyg i had a typewriter too. Also Tiny Tears which my nan made a full set of clothes for. The Tiny Tears was supposed to wet the nappy when you gave it water in a bottle but mine never did. I came out of its neck instead 😳 obviously a faulty tube.

Later i had Barbie dolls and Pippa dolls for which i would spend hours making Blue Peter-like furniture out of egg boxes and yoghurt cartons.

My best presents were books, annuals, Nancy Drew and Enid Blyton were my favourites.

I've discovered the 'Enid Blyton for Grown Ups' series: 'Five Go On a Strategy Away Day' is my favourite

 

[silver minion]

The ones I remember most are my brother's. Boys always got better presents.
I especially remember his fort.
As children, "Santa" (aka Dad} delivered our presents to our bedrooms, usually in a pillow case at the end of our bed.
The fort was special because "Santa" set it up on the floor of the bedroom.

I remember building a fort for my baby brother in the early 80s. He would have been about 5 years old. The walls were made out of cast bricks which needed to be glued together and painted. I also painted several toy soldiers to man the battlements. Passed lots of winter evenings while I stayed at my parents a few months. Husband posted to Germany and looking for a flat. Moved over there 2 weeks before Christmas. It was already snowing so we had a proper white Christmas

 

[Chris Hobson]

Snow at Christmas, there must be a whole new thread in that subject. It snowed on Chrismas Day on the first Christmas that Liz and I celebrated after we moved in together in 1993. It snowed, was lovely and white and then all melted again within a few hours.

 

[gail2]

I always remember the xmas stocking with small toys nuts orange But the thing i loved the most was the red bike i got one xmas when i was about 8 i was so excited that i had to go out on it at once It lasted me years and years Happy days indeed

 

[nonethewiser]

Best present was a bike, pillowcase would be filled with all sorts mainly chocolate small toys & Broons or Oor Wullie annuals.

Remember youngest brother got a Action Man Tank with Action Man figure to go with it, was so jealous.

 

[PattiEvans]

In the late 40s and into the 50s my favourite toy was a Bayko set. You built houses and shops with small bricks that slid onto metal rods. I understand you can still buy it today but I bet it would fail health and safety rules with small parts and metal rods. I played with it until I was at least 13. I received extra kits to go with it over a few years.

I had one of those - loved it, but I think my Dad loved it more! If I recall correctly they came out before Lego was even an idea!

One year I had a Marie-Lou doll like this one - if you fed it water with a bottle it would wet it's nappy. I fed it cake to see if it would do a poo and it never peed again as I had clogged the tube. Mum still had it years after I left home, but it had gone a funny colour like the one in the photo.

Best pressie was a 2 wheel bike when I was 11 - but that was the year it snowed. I was so disappointed that I could not ride it until the snow went.

I didn't realise that there were special typewriters for children: I assumed that we were talking about creepy 'real' ones, like in 'Jagged Edge' 😱

Not seen that - can't imagine why typewriters could be scary - I learned to type at Secretarial college on an upright Royal vintage typewriter. Touch typing is a skill I've never regretted!

 

[CliffH]

Best present was a bike, pillowcase would be filled with all sorts mainly chocolate small toys & Broons or Oor Wullie annuals.

Remember youngest brother got a Action Man Tank with Action Man figure to go with it, was so jealous.

I'm a Londoner but I live in Scotland with my partner now: every Christmas I get given an 'Oor Wullie' or 'The Broons' annual, to help with my linguistic and cultural assimilation.

 

[CliffH]

I had one of those - loved it, but I think my Dad loved it more! If I recall correctly they came out before Lego was even an idea!

One year I had a Marie-Lou doll like this one - if you fed it water with a bottle it would wet it's nappy. I fed it cake to see if it would do a poo and it never peed again as I had clogged the tube. Mum still had it years after I left home, but it had gone a funny colour like the one in the photo.

Best pressie was a 2 wheel bike when I was 11 - but that was the year it snowed. I was so disappointed that I could not ride it until the snow went.

Not seen that - can't imagine why typewriters could be scary - I learned to type at Secretarial college on an upright Royal vintage typewriter. Touch typing is a skill I've never regretted!

Well the 'Jagged Edge' one scares me whenever I watch the film 😱