Being the youngest of five siblings there were always some older sibs around every Christmas as I grew up in the Sixties.
Even after my older sisters got wed it still left my two older brothers to join me on Christmas morning.
They got me up around 5am to go downstairs on the big day. I bet my Mum hadn't been in bed long, she always went mad at Christmas.
Anyway, with my two older brothers as escorts there wasn't any need for my folks to get up. We were quite happy digging in on our own for a few hours! We each had a chair full of pressies, so it wasn't a free for all. I must correct that. I got a settee full. I was the baby after all!
Mum and Dad did get up around 8. Mum had the dinner to make and Dad had to get himself ready for the traditional Christmas pint at his local. When they were old enough he took my brother's and eventually it was my turn in the mid-Seventies.
I always felt sorry for my Mum making Christmas dinner on Christmas Day. Not just that, everyone in the wider family - loads - invaded in Boxing Day, so God knows how she managed all that. My two married Sisters may have helped. Not sure.
Anyhow, I have only the best of memories of Christmas as a kid, the very best of times that stay with me to this day.
How did it work when you were a kid? Did everyone get up at the crack of dawn together or did you just do it with your sibs like me and mine, leaving your knackered folks in bed?
Pretty sure I got up early but my folks would've done as well (I'm an only child). I suspect my Mum quite liked Christmas too, my Dad could probably have taken it or left it!
ReplyDeleteha ha, I know what you mean. My Mum was born for Christmas as a huge family revolved around her like a star. My Dad will have enjoyed call the booze over the season!
DeleteAs early as possible when I was at my youngest.In my teen years,our family kind of shifted towards exchanging and opening gifts on Christmas Eve and sleeping in Christmas morning
ReplyDeleteYep, early was the watchword back then Brian, even as Santa's sleigh was just leaving the roof!
DeleteWe got up at the normal time, more or less.
ReplyDeleteI would have opened my presents straight away, with my older brother and parents opening theres a bit later.
Truth is, it wasn't that important to my family, once you were no longer a child. By the time I was a teenager, we basically exchanged a fiver or tenner around between each of us.
I'm sure it was important when you were little Mish, just think of all those fabulous toys back then. I don't think I ever got money but my 'normal' family life ended when I was 16 so my need for cash hadn't really begun. I've no idea what happened at Christmas after that. I probably went to my oldest Sister's house until I was 18 and then I did my own thing after that when I moved away.
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