do you remember those Christmas stockings, one for boys one for girls? I used to get one of them. Large tins with loads of different colours of paint in, oh what a joy! I loved painting and to have all those colours!!!!
the magic painting book that you only needed water for....ideal to create an instant masterpiece.
small tins of toffees the tin having a picture of a cat or dog on the front, yet I never kept them to keep little trinkets and secrets in.........
oh and being told to shut up as they wanted to hear the Queen's speech.
How strange. We had our pillowslips left at the foot of the bed to open by ourselves too. When mine were young I would give them a little stocking with the obligatory satsuma and nuts in the toe and a few little cheap novelties, but their big presents were under the tree and weren't opened until we were all gathered round. That was the best part of Christmas for me, watching the children open their presents!
We still do that now they're grown up. They all come round, with their children, and their presents are under the tree.
When I was young we had a pillowslip with four presents. One each from my mum and dad and three aunts and uncles. We didn't get anything else until next Christmas. We had an old tatty 2ft tree that came out every year and that was Christmas really. We didn't have anything different for dinner except the year we had the pet rabbit, but no one would eat him once we found out what it was.
We had a school party. we had to take a dish and a spoon with our name on the bottom and take a jelly or some sandwiches or cakes. My mum always sent a jelly because it was cheapest.
Christmas day was the best day of the year! 
oh yes, the school party!! I remember us all sitting on the long benches and tables having our Christmas party jellies and stuff. Then off into the hall for games and dancing. I think I was about 7 or 8 then. Ah, I wish it was all that simple for us now eh?
Aw well, children didn't have it so good in those days did they Maggie. And I know it sounds like something 'an old person' says, but I think we appreciated what we did get much more than children today. 
I know it's very hard and long hours in a pub. My sister and brother in law ran one for a year or so when their children were young and they ended up living with my mum and dad because they almost lived upstairs by themselves! No life much for parents with young children.
I’m afraid another one who found it very difficult, it was mainly unmarked and utterly miserable apart from looking at people’s trees through windows and judging their decorating abilities. To this day I always decorate the window side of the tree properly and leave the curtains open as late as possible, because when I was a mooching child I really appreciated the ones made for the person looking in, as well as looking out, so much.
I wasn’t allowed near Christmas carols, nativities, or anything like that which actually made them all the more special catching the sally army band at it. I didn’t know most of the words so made up my own, including some very rude ones. 
Christmas morning, everywhere belonged to me and stray dogs and cats. It was our world and no one else was about and I felt I could take the crown jewels unchallenged if I wanted. Slowly over the day people emerged and the animals vanished, and I no longer felt the ownership of it all but sneaking into the back of the church to listen to the carols and running like hell when the choir unexpectedly (to me) headed down the isle!
I do have happy memories of it beginning to snow heavily in town in a busy run up, and the chestnut guy giving me free chestnuts as they were over cooking and my hands were so cold and everyone else was in shop doorways refusing to come near him, and actively feeling the excitement of it all. eating chestnuts with him, laughing at all the people with all their shopping and money, apparently invisibly trapped by what wasn’t bothering us, and the deadened sounds, and eyeing up tissue wrapped Satsuma’s as exotic when they only showed up in market at Christmas. 
I can't even read this thread. Mention Christmas as a child to me and I'm blubbing. Might read it tomorrow. 
My brother and I had the pillowcases at the bottom of the bed and we could open them whenever we wanted, out big present was always hidden and we had that later.
I loved Christmas as a child and its not the same when you grow up but we all have too!!. Decorating the front room with dad was always our ritual with both of us getting impatient with each other. Simple things like going out with my dad to by a couple of big bags of pick and mix sweets in Woolworths and boxes of chocolates. Then drinks and nuts, my dad used to go mad buying stuff. Putting my stocking at the bottom of the bed and not being able to sleep for being so excited. my parents used to put my presents up top in a cupboard in their bedroom and i used to sneak in now and again to feel them and look. Ha Ha, worrying that they were going to come up the stairs any minuite and catch me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Having family round to dinner and pouring drinks for everyone. waking up on Boxing day feeling sick as i had too much drink and food.
I know the real meaning of Christmas as i was brought up in a religious family, but some of that meaning is lost now i think.
Roofie i read your post and now im starting to blub, cant see the computer keys.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! .
We have to smile , come on!!!!!!!!!! Hugs ((()))
