Sunday 14 December 2014

Christmas Club ~ Celebrating Seventies Style

It’s time for another edition of Sian’s Christmas Club.

At Christmas we….

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….gathered at my Gran’s house for Christmas lunch.* After the washing up had been done and the Queen’s Speech watched, my Uncle would pour a drink for the grown ups and the present opening would commence. My turn to give them out that year, resplendent in crackly green polyester and with only half a head.

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At tea time, around the kitchen table, we’d have sandwiches, followed by trifle and Christmas cake. Cousin M’s turn to cut that. I love that her lava lamp, a much longed for gift, is in the picture. My brother’s turn to have half a head.

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Back to the living room and we’d be allowed the crackers from the mantel piece and off the tree. I love my Mum’s face in this picture. My brother had clearly had enough of his smart tie by this point. The waste paper basket would be almost overflowing with nut shells by now. Not sure what the game board on the floor is. Anyone?

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We’d stay the night and spend the next morning playing with our cousins, before driving on to my other Aunty and Uncle for a Boxing Day lunch. I’d have to wear my Christmas dress again for them, which is why I’m dressed the same and my cousins are not. The mantel piece now free of crackers and oranges, but the chocolate decorations were still on the tree. We’d be given those in the new year when it was taken down.

The composition (and the focus) may not be the greatest, but I’m so happy to have these photos. I haven’t cropped them at all, because I love all the little details that have been captured inadvertently. The stuff that memories are made of.

* I think this was 1977.

PS I’ve been ignoring the Word Verification that has appeared on a lot of blogs recently. I write my comment and hit publish, without filling the numbers in the box. Seems to work for me.

16 comments:

ally said...

Fab pictures and memories

Sian said...

I'm totally with you about all the details. I wouldn't cut them out for anything! These are just perfect. I think we were lucky to have Christmas in the 70's - Christmas and the 70's just seem to have been made for each other

debs14 said...

I love these photos so much, I recognise so many things from my own Christmases, from the furnishings in the house to the fashions!

Melissa said...

What a fantastic group of Christmas photos!

Julia Dunnit said...

We never did at a grandparents house, but otherwise, I think our Christmases were the same....just love that you have these photos, half heads and all they are treasures. I. Ignoring the blogger imposed word very is working for me too!!

Sandra said...

Oh Fi, this is perfect. We had my Granny live with us when I was a child so a lot of this was all done at our home with cousins etc. how wonderful the memories are ... Thank you so much for sharing your story and photos.

I'm not sure if I'm very sad, but oh I loved seeing all the decor in your photos, and those are the things I pick up at fairs and vintage fairs now lol

Sandra said...

Oh it worked, I just hit publish without the word versification and it worked. What a rebel I am lol

Anonymous said...

Love your post: what divine photos! So many rich details! Love that you mentioned your chocolate ornaments: had totally forgotten we used to have those too! [A fellow Christmas Club-er]
P.S. Tried to skip the word verification part. It didn't like it and retaliated with a German and a Japanese word, all squished together with the letters at jaunty angles...only to have the autocorrect correct my efforts....LOL!!!!! Note to self: don't mess with the Word Verification Gremlins!

KraftyKaren said...

These are fab pictures - I haven't been organised enough to go to Mum's and dig through her really old stuff (a job for the new year perhaps so I am ready for next year LOL). And we weren't allowed to have the chocolate ornaments either until the new year and they all had to be place high on the tree otherwise our naughty cat use to remove them and eat them!!!

Linda said...

Great pics - lovely memories! Thanks for sharing:)

Jennifer Shaw said...

I loved reading this story and all of the memories these photos hold. Yes the details in these old photos are always the most exciting part!

Lou said...

haha..these photos could have been from one of my Christmases growing up! love them and all the little details...and no to cropping!

Jo said...

Such a lovely post, it's made me feel that I spent that Christmas with you :) x

Miriam said...

Oh! me too for no cropping and half heads, it is what precious memories are made of.

Missus Wookie said...

Oh what a lovely set of photos and a way to remember the full day of traditions.

Barbara Eads said...

You are so lucky to have such fabulous photos---the colors are definitely 70's!! Now-a-days, I always feel like our Christmas pictures look the same. Still, I need to keep taking them. It's all those little details that make them special.