Christmases Past

I think that as you get older you lose some of your Christmas sparkle and that can make you wonder about yourself, especially when you see social media full of the joys of Christmas, and people planning and embracing the festive season since September.    For some people, for lots of different reasons, Christmas can be a difficult time.

As a mum with three grown daughters, Christmas has definitely changed over the last few years.  I'm now a sixty something grandma, with some family members and a couple of friends no longer here.  I'm finding that I reflect on past Christmases much more than I ever did before.  Getting older undoubtedly brings nostalgia with lots of  happy memories and a few tears too.

For me growing up in Manchester during the 1960's was the happiest of times.  I was brought up in a comfortable, loving catholic home and my family were part of a large Irish community.   We lived in the Stretford area of the city and Christmas was always magical.   I can remember going into town on the bus to visit Santa at Lewis's department store.  Walking up the stairs to his grotto and loving the snowy Christmas theme.

My older sister Val and I with the big guy himself

My best ever Christmas present was an American styled tin dolls house, that I played with for ever!

I wanted to live in a house like this when I grew up

When I think of Christmas back then, I think of my dad putting up the paper decorations.

 A silver tree with baubles and fairy lights, always positioned in the best room, the front room!

 Birds Strawberry trifle, that tasted so good!  I Can't stand looking at a trifle let alone eating one now!

Goose for Christmas dinner, sent all the way from Ireland.  Sprouts!! cooked on the stove for about an hour and Bisto gravy.  Christmas pudding! I never did find the threepenny bit and Crackers containing a hat that never stayed on your head, unless you were my dad.

One of my favourite things to do was spending Christmas Eve in the front room. with the main lights off and just the fairy lights on the tree, I would look out the window to see if I could see Santa.

Christmas day came and went so fast.  Church was always packed and only on that day did a Latin service not seem boring.   There was always a good atmosphere, lots of carols and very excited children.

We loved Christmas telly and by the time I was ten years old we had a colour set with three channels! We never missed the Queens speech, sitting there all together, with us children, hats around our necks.  My dad with his whiskey and for mum, a Snowball.

I didn't like the Queen as she always made me miss something good on the other channel.

Boxing day was always the day that Uncle Frank came for tea with a huge box of Quality Street.  I loved my Uncle Frank.

Yummy Christmas cake with royal icing, topped with quaint little figures was unmissable.  Once the cake was gone, I knew Christmas was over and I always felt a pang of sadness.

We all have to grow up!  And for me this happened during my student nursing days. Work in a children's hospital can be harrowing and as students at Booth Hall Children's Hospital we were only allowed on the burns unit in our final, fourth year.  Dealing with seriously sick children and their families taught me a lot about life.

 Booth Hall at Christmas was lovely, with staff and Santa always trying to make it special for the children.  Carol singing around the wards was always heart warming, sometimes tinged with sadness.

Ready for carol singing!

Student nurses have always known how to party.   Once shifts were over it was into town to enjoy Christmas, the Manchester way,  " I'll have a Babycham"

A corridor gathering before the night really started!  Booth Hall, 1976


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Those single Christmases were pretty good, with Santa only putting in an appearance at fancy dress parties. 🎅

A Christmas engagement,  1985   💖  We married the following year.

So much has happened since, with quite a few Christmases a long the way.  Santa started coming again in the late eighties but then stopped coming!

Our very own Christmas baby, Soli's mummy 💝

Santa was very excited about his visit to our house in 1987 💝🎅

Soli's mummy visiting Santa at Wimpole Hall, Cambridgeshire

Santa always found his way to Grandma and Grandads house

And Nana and Grandad Kelly's house

We have been to visit Santa many times and he always remembered the girls. He wasn't impressed to find out that Soli's mummy had become a non believer!

Soli's youngest auntie, busy decorating the tree, over and over again!

Where did all those years go!  Christmas with my girls and family was always special, such good times.  Over the years we have lost people we loved but they will never be forgotten, especially at Christmas.   My girls have precious memories of their grandparents and here I am, a grandparent myself, helping to make happy Christmas memories with Soli.

Soli's mummy before she became a non believer!

Introducing Soli to Santa, with Grandma, Grandad and his two aunties.  Santa asked where mummy was, I reassured him that mummy believes!  Mince Pies, Beer and Gin & Tonic as usual at our house!

I've had a word with Santa and he is thrilled to be coming back to our house this year.  I'm a sparkly, excited Grandma.  Let the good times role!


I hope all grandparents and families have a lovely Christmas time.  Christmas may have changed for you, hold onto your memories but don't forget to make some new ones too 💙🙂