Funny how tastes change. Virtually everything Christmassy that baby boomer babies grew up with in the 1960's is probably classed as 'Kitschy' or even worse, 'cheesey', these days - like plastic Xmas ornaments, Cribs, multi-coloured fairy lights and chocolate or even wooden Yuke Logs. But the things I associate most with my tender years right up into the Seventies were those wonderful rolls of thin colourful Xmas paper with fabulous designs like the ones shown, both found online [more here].
Gifts were lovingly wrapped and taped together with equally colourful rolls of sticky tape emblazoned with holly, Christmas puddings or Santa's! Cheesey? maybe but of it's time and for me important memories. The designs on the paper were often mirrored on beautiful Christmas Cards and gift tags depicting paintings and drawings of Victoriana like Horses and Carraiges, Carol Singers under Gas Lamps, Robins and Fifties motifs of Santa's Sleighs, Holly, Baubles and Snowmen. I remember many cards being glittered and scattering their tiny jewels around the house before being pegged to lines of string with titchy plastic dolly pegs! Now relegated to Kitsch, these things were our childhood, are our memories and at least for me, have been the spirit of all the Christmasses that followed.
Mum got Yardley perfume and my two Sisses got Charlie!
and a couple of toys I got that I've literally just remembered were a plastic toy pneumatic road drill [modern version above] and a battery operated ping pong ball throwing machine, which blasted ping pong balls at you for whacking with a plastic baseball bat! Funny how the grass is always greener even as a Kid though. Even with my Johnny Seven and Secret Sam Spy Case I wanted what only my cousin Andrew had - the Strange Change Machine all the way from the US of A with an american plug. Below's the 1967 TV Ad as well coutesy of YT! God, how I wanted that toy, but it was never to be!
