Posting this, I am reminded of my sister and me being small and our family going to my grandparents' cottage in the sleepy village of Claydon in Suffolk for Christmas festivities.
They had the most beautiful Christmas lights which at the time seemed magical. I can remember one shaped as an orange and another was a lantern.
All the families within the family crammed together in their small 'front room' for Christmas dinner. I cannot now imagine how my grandmother produced it with her limited and tiny cooking facilities.
Those were the days when you got an orange at the bottom of your stocking, maybe a colouring book and some pencils, candy, even a sugar mouse.....
Ooh I always looked forward to new colouring pencils!! We better get a blue plaque put up in Claydon :-) Love the composition of this Hazel and the colour fav
What a lovely memory you have created here Hazel. I always had an orange at the bottom of my stocking and colouring pencils. sometimes even a paint box.
Absolutely beautiful Christmas image! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your Christmas memories . . . caused me to pause and think back on my own holiday memories. You're right, so much does change in a generation but we'll always have those special memories. :-)
Indeed. I am from a large family and when I think back now, I have no idea how my parents managed all the daily practicalities of life. And my Christmas stocking was an orange, some nuts, chocolate and maybe a small toy. Those were the days!
Wonderful focus of the red poinsettia leaf & that massive bokeh, how original. Such simple christmassies we had but we were happy with little. I always had some new flannelette pyjamas & the excitement of going to bed in them, I can smell rpthat warm flannelette smel stil!
I guess some of the magic was to do with Father Christmas coming down the chimney. Or did we ever really believe that? I think I used to go on pretending I believed - for my mother's sake!
you know why!!!
i love the bottom half image placement and the upper bokeh!!
Oh wow, Cherrill, thanks for that genius idea, never thought of it!!! It's true, I think, that those little gifts were so special then...
Thank you! This began as a bit of an experiment - not a bad way to begin, I guess.
I guess these childhood memories of special times like Christmas always stay in our minds - I can see clearly the scene I have described.
You echo my sentiments, Wendy!
Oh what a lovely memory, made me smile!
I guess some of the magic was to do with Father Christmas coming down the chimney. Or did we ever really believe that? I think I used to go on pretending I believed - for my mother's sake!
Peter, thanks - and I don't have to go to work so have time!! I think maybe in bigger families, everybody looked after every body else?!
Yes, some things seem to stick in one's mind for ever!