Little Christmas traditions

[AY Mod]

I know it's finally Christmas when I sit down to watch The Snowman (it must be live as we barely had video recorders back then), it's always touched me as a short film as it reminds me of when I was a chi!d building a snowman until pained fingers could take no more. It reminds me of years later explaining to my young son what it was like to have country winters. And I always shed a tear each year, I can't help it!

 

For those that recall the intro David Bowie only took the scarf as payment for his part and now, years later, his son found that scarf packed in a box in the loft. Doesn't it seem apt?

 

What are your triggers for childhood Christmas memories?

[J. S. Bach]

Oddly, as a child, I always thought that the Rudolph song was quite sad and would bring a tear to my eyes. It still triggers a small response that way (but no real tears), due to a long ensconced habit, I guess.

[sjp23480]

Speaking of David Bowie, Little Drummer Boy was my grandfather's favourite Christmas song and subsequently mine too. My grandfather passed away many years, but when I hear the unlikely  Bowie/Crosby duet it always brings back memories.  Just a shame it doesn't get more airplay.

Edited December 24, 2020 by sjp23480
Typo

[gwrrob]

6 minutes ago, sjp23480 said:

Speaking of David Bowie, Little Drummer Boy was my grandfather's favourite Christmas song

 

I quite like the version that was done a few years back by Aled Jones and the late, great Terry Wogan.

[Colin]

It's a much more recent film, but "The Snowman And The Snowdog" has become a must-watch for me. The real teary bit occurs in the first few minutes and it gets better and better from then on!

My Christmas playlists and the Jethro Tull Christmas Album also get selected on the Ipod for most of December, the usual suspects are all there.

Edited December 24, 2020 by Colin
Forgot a line!

[didcot]

My wife loves The Snowman and The Snowman and Snowdog. As do our now teenage boys. Its kept me in presents for her for nigh on 20 years. 

Must admit the Snowdog brings a tear to my eye.

I bought her the Snowmans scarf a few years ago and its slightly different to David Bowie's

[cravensdmufan]

A single candle lit in the window on Christmas Eve.  It's there right now.

 

Wishing everyone a peaceful Christmas and a better 2021.

[Markwj]

It’s got to be the Albert Finney version of a Christmas carol more a musical really but I remember my mum watching it all those years ago when I was a kid and it always stirs memories and feelings when I watch it. Have it on dvd and it’s a must see every year,

[Colin]

9 minutes ago, Markwj said:

It’s got to be the Albert Finney version of a Christmas carol more a musical really but I remember my mum watching it all those years ago when I was a kid and it always stirs memories and feelings when I watch it. Have it on dvd and it’s a must see every year,

I usually watch A Christmas Carol - the version where Scrooge is played by Patrick Stewart. The DVD was a freebie with a newspaper some years ago, not sure when it first came out.

[Barry O]

Roast gammon for Christmas eve tea.

Baz

[Hroth]

I read "A Christmas Carol" (the mental pictures are much better) each Christmas.  This year I spread it out from the 21st, reading a Stave* each evening, and finished off the last Stave this morning!

 

I've also got into the habit of reading Terry Pratchetts "Hogfather" earlier in the month too...

 

 

* Each chapter is called a Stave.

[Bilbo]

I have a CD of Dylan Thomas reading his own work " A Childs Christmas in Wales" thats a must on every Christmas Day as I lived for quite some time a few streets away from where it all would have happened and I remember the house where they sang the carol.

[Big James]

On the run up. I normally watch the top gear Middle East special with a takeaway on my last day off on the run up to Xmas. 
My dogs get new Christmas jumpers to wear as well. Even if the little one destroys his. 
 

big james 

[AY Mod]

Another hideous tradition has revisited the house today. This tat was given as a 'gift' some years ago and just will not flush. It's survived a house move, going in the bin numerous times and even sent to other addresses. Still it persists.

 

 

Be very careful if we have your address.

 

[Big James]

We’ve also got a tradition that someone gets a gag gift. Last year my mum got a toilet brush. This year my 8 year old niece got Hoover bags for Henry the hoover. Which my sister doesn’t even own. She wasn’t impressed by them. 
 

big james

[Danemouth]

19 hours ago, cravensdmufan said:

A single candle lit in the window on Christmas Eve.  It's there right now.

 

Wishing everyone a peaceful Christmas and a better 2021.

In our family there is a belief that this is an Irish tradition which my mother upheld every Christmas until her death. The idea is that if Mary (on a donkey) and Joseph should pass by they will see a welcome.

 

Dave

[simontaylor484]

Me and my brother used to try and get each other the cheesiest gift for each other to open at dinner time 

 

My mum usually get creme eggs to put under xmas tree

[TheQ]

https://youtu.be/_3ZC45Q82pg

[cravensdmufan]

1 hour ago, Danemouth said:

In our family there is a belief that this is an Irish tradition which my mother upheld every Christmas until her death. The idea is that if Mary (on a donkey) and Joseph should pass by they will see a welcome.

 

Dave

Yes that is correct Dave.  My wife, who passed away back in June after a long struggle with MND, was Irish and the tradition of the candle goes back generations.

 

I am determined to keep it going not only because of the tradition, but in her memory. 

[Phil Bullock]

In the 1920s my grandfather had one of the first radio shops in Worcester. When I remember the house from the 1960s he still had a large radiogram.... I know not when it dated from. This was his favourite Christmas song which will always take me back to those days of innocence ... Christmas dinner followed by presents then a card school with as many of the family as could be there .... up to 20 perhaps. Newmarket and chase the ace were favourites

 

 

[D-A-T]

Christmas tradition from my late Dad is a box of dates with a little plastic fork and a box of gooey Turkish Delight covered in icing sugar. The dates especially bring a tear to my eye. 

[AY Mod]

59 minutes ago, D-A-T said:

The dates especially bring a tear to my eye

 

Careful with the fork then! Never liked dates but I used to love making a Clyde Puffer or two out of the box once Dad had polished them off.

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

For whatever reason I have never been a fan of Christmas, (no doubt I need to get on the psychiatrists couch!), my tradition used to be shed bashing on Christmas day in my train spotting days, no staff and depots packed full of loco's, a proper treat, it's something I always think back on at this time of year.

 

Mike.

[StevieD71]

We have a tradition of a silly game played after dinner. Before the big day I usually take my mum out for a day's shopping and while out we buy a pile of knicknacks and daft things which are then wrapped and numbered and placed in a santa sack. The same numbers are placed on chocolate coins which are chosen at random from a basket. As each present is pulled from the sack and called, the person with the relevant coin claims it. This year I got a Hot wheels Ford Mustang and a pack of mini air fresheners.

[D-A-T]

1 hour ago, AY Mod said:

 

Careful with the fork then! Never liked dates but I used to love making a Clyde Puffer or two out of the box once Dad had polished them off.

Today the box is plastic. Then it seemed to be a rafia like material.