[Veggiepatch]

November Competition: Christmas Memories!​

I woke up early Christmas morning in 1967 with the most unexpected present.

A dose of the mumps.

So much for playing with my friends and showing off our new presents for the next few days.

 

[Suzanne rose]

I have so many great Christmas memories from when I was a child to Christmas with my husband and 13 children but I'm going to share a memory that has stayed with me for 32 years and one I will regret forever .

My grandmother was like my mother, she raised me from birth due to my mother being only 14.

Christmas was one of my grandmother's favourite time of the year , and as far back as I can remember she made it special for all of us.

Fast forward to Christmas 1990 and for some stupid reason I started studying the bible with Jehovah Witnesses and for me I stopped celebrating Xmas. When I told Nan she was devastated, angry, disappointed, you name it.
That was the worst time of my life when I realised what I had done. At this time I had six kids.

I was determined to celebrate Xmas with her the following year after I realised what I did to her.

Christmas 1991 I was going to make it up to her.

March 1991 her sister passed away and it was a sad time for her.
Then at the end of November she was worried about her sisters belongings, her expensive jewellery ect as my grandmother was her only living sibling and she had no children.

Sunday the 1st of December my grandmother asked me to spend the day with her , my aunt and my sister. I couldn't as hubby's aunt and uncle had arrived from Greece and we were having them over.

The next day my grandmother had to go see her sisters solicitor near Central station Sydney, I told her I would go but as I was 28 weeks pregnant and suffered high blood pressure she wouldn't let me.

At 4pm no one could contact her , she should have been home. I called my uncle who lived the next suburb away in Riverwood , and asked him to go and see if she was home.

30 minutes later my uncle called back and asked me to sit down. The police had just been to his place to inform him that my grandmother had a heart attack on platform 25 on central station waiting for a train to Riverwood .

It was the 2nd of December that I lost my grandmother , my best friend , my mentor and I loss her without making it up to her for what I did the year before.

Even though it was so very hard to celebrate Christmas we did for her because it would have been what she wanted .
To this day I remember what I didn't do.
I also tell people make sure what you do or don't do you don't regret it.
You can't get back time

 

[Suzanne rose]

I woke up early Christmas morning in 1967 with the most unexpected present.

A dose of the mumps.

So much for playing with my friends and showing off our new presents for the next few days.

I think 1967 was the year I had mumps and towards the end of the year. It was my first year at school

 

[Veggiepatch]

I have so many great Christmas memories from when I was a child to Christmas with my husband and 13 children but I'm going to share a memory that has stayed with me for 32 years and one I will regret forever .

My grandmother was like my mother, she raised me from birth due to my mother being only 14.

Christmas was one of my grandmother's favourite time of the year , and as far back as I can remember she made it special for all of us.

Fast forward to Christmas 1990 and for some stupid reason I started studying the bible with Jehovah Witnesses and for me I stopped celebrating Xmas. When I told Nan she was devastated, angry, disappointed, you name it.
That was the worst time of my life when I realised what I had done. At this time I had six kids.

I was determined to celebrate Xmas with her the following year after I realised what I did to her.

Christmas 1991 I was going to make it up to her.

March 1991 her sister passed away and it was a sad time for her.
Then at the end of November she was worried about her sisters belongings, her expensive jewellery ect as my grandmother was her only living sibling and she had no children.

Sunday the 1st of December my grandmother asked me to spend the day with her , my aunt and my sister. I couldn't as hubby's aunt and uncle had arrived from Greece and we were having them over.

The next day my grandmother had to go see her sisters solicitor near Central station Sydney, I told her I would go but as I was 28 weeks pregnant and suffered high blood pressure she wouldn't let me.

At 4pm no one could contact her , she should have been home. I called my uncle who lived the next suburb away in Riverwood , and asked him to go and see if she was home.

30 minutes later my uncle called back and asked me to sit down. The police had just been to his place to inform him that my grandmother had a heart attack on platform 25 on central station waiting for a train to Riverwood .

It was the 2nd of December that I lost my grandmother , my best friend , my mentor and I loss her without making it up to her for what I did the year before.

Even though it was so very hard to celebrate Christmas we did for her because it would have been what she wanted .
To this day I remember what I didn't do.
I also tell people make sure what you do or don't do you don't regret it.
You can't get back time

Oh f**k, that is so sad.

 

[Veggiepatch]

I think 1967 was the year I had mumps and towards the end of the year. It was my first year at school

So you were the one that gave it to me....

 

[Suzanne rose]

So you were the one that gave it to me....

I remember the day before being at Greens Milkbar and having an ear ache, then the next morning, my grandmother looking at me and saying loud Omg let me see your neck . Then I wasn't allowed to walk around, she had told me if I did I wouldn't be able to have babies, well I proved her wrong

 

[April Bradford]

We are so excited to launch our November Competition which is open to ALL SDC MEMBERS.

This one is extra special because it’s Christmas-themed for the holidays, AND we are drawing it in the first week of December, so the winner can use their $100 voucher to either Coles, Woolies, or IGA to help with the Christmas shopping!

Entering the competition is simple! We want to hear about your favourite Christmas memories. It can be any Christmas you remember. Maybe it was your childhood Christmas. Or maybe it was last year’s Christmas. Whatever it was, we want to hear about it!

Our favourite submission will win a $100 voucher to Coles, Woolworths or IGA.

We ran this competition last year and it was so beautiful to read the replies.

So, members, it’s time to get into the Christmas Spirit!

Entries close Thursday, November 30th 11:59 pm.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

 

[Sue Cook]

When I was young my mother would put out a pillow case full of things. Now I'm 73
I enjoy seeing all my children and grand children on Christmas day

 

[Mumoftwo44]

My favourite lasting Christmas memory was Mum’s final Christmas 2013 we had a seafood feast and she was happy vibrant loving her feast and her usual humour making us all laugh. I’m so happy we were able to make this so wonderful and festive for her.

 

[Lorrainer]

November Competition: Christmas Memories!​

I woke up early Christmas morning in 1967 with the most unexpected present.

A dose of the mumps.

So much for playing with my friends and showing off our new presents for the next few days.

I remember when my children were young, we lived close to the bush, every Christmas we would walk to the bush and find a suitable fir tree. It was very hot, we didn't care knowing that we were going to take home a beautiful Xmas tree. I would chop it down, then we would drag it home, then put it in the bucket of soil. The smell was divine, so fresh and clean, then we would decorate it with hand made decorations.

 

[Sobby]

I have so many memories of christmas but the one that stays with me is my mum has not long being told she had dementor so she decided to organise a family christmas with all childen, grandchildren and great grandchildren. What a day it was held in a club so we had plenty of room to socialise. Mum had wrapped up little gifts for everyone which we thought that's nice what a lovely thought. but to our shock she had given everyone a tin of toilet spray. The look of some of their faces,they weren't sure what to do but to their understanding they all thanked her and said what a thoughtfull gift. All the time my dad was in the corner with a stunned look on his face

 

[Nelbert]

We are so excited to launch our November Competition which is open to ALL SDC MEMBERS.

This one is extra special because it’s Christmas-themed for the holidays, AND we are drawing it in the first week of December, so the winner can use their $100 voucher to either Coles, Woolies, or IGA to help with the Christmas shopping!

Entering the competition is simple! We want to hear about your favourite Christmas memories. It can be any Christmas you remember. Maybe it was your childhood Christmas. Or maybe it was last year’s Christmas. Whatever it was, we want to hear about it!

Our favourite submission will win a $100 voucher to Coles, Woolworths or IGA.

We ran this competition last year and it was so beautiful to read the replies.

So, members, it’s time to get into the Christmas Spirit!

Entries close Thursday, November 30th 11:59 pm.

View attachment 33104

Image Credit: Shutterstock

My aunt was 12 years younger than my Dad so when she got married in 1969 soon after her new husband was posted to vietnam. Following this he was posted to Singapore in 1972 she had had my 2 cousins by then aged 2 & 9 months. She went over there with the kids which they thought would be a 12 month posting turned out to be nearly 4 years. When they returned he was posted to Singleton so they decided to have a combined christmas with both their families. They had a garage underneath the whole length of the house. What a super fantastic day. So many kids no fights and we played games in the garage as it must have been 45deg heat outside. All the parents cooked food. It was a wonderful tranditional christmas and one to cherish a lifetime. So much laughter no drunken adults. Grandparents were worn out but a very happy christmas. i was 15 at the time

 

[RodLS45]

As children we were so sick of being threatened that Santa would not come, we decided to investigate! When our parents were informed of our research they admitted that it was a cruel myth! We have not celebrated "Xmas" since 1950!

 

[Sue Cook]

My mother said to stay asleep and santa would come in the morning. I was up at the crack of dawn and santa had always been

 

[EILEEN W]

We are so excited to launch our November Competition which is open to ALL SDC MEMBERS.

This one is extra special because it’s Christmas-themed for the holidays, AND we are drawing it in the first week of December, so the winner can use their $100 voucher to either Coles, Woolies, or IGA to help with the Christmas shopping!

Entering the competition is simple! We want to hear about your favourite Christmas memories. It can be any Christmas you remember. Maybe it was your childhood Christmas. Or maybe it was last year’s Christmas. Whatever it was, we want to hear about it!

Our favourite submission will win a $100 voucher to Coles, Woolworths or IGA.

We ran this competition last year and it was so beautiful to read the replies.

So, members, it’s time to get into the Christmas Spirit!

Entries close Thursday, November 30th 11:59 pm.

View attachment 33104

Image Credit: Shutterstock

It was 1950 and times were hard after the War with rationing and shortage of food. Christmas presents were going to be a second hand doll with clothes knitted from wool unraveled from my Mum's old jumper. At our village school I saw a beautiful brand new brown teddy bear behind a glass case. I was so excited and prayed hard to Baby Jesus and Santa for him to be mine. I even name him Wilfred. I told everyone he was coming to me at Christmas.
The others laughed and the Headmistress told me he was the prize in the village Whist Drive . (A card game popular in the UK). Every day I spoke with him and told him all the fun we would have. I blew him kisses as I left school each afternoon. My parents and grandparents got so frustrated telling me that they might not win the competition but I said I had spoken with Baby Jesus and I sang Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer and Silent Night to him nonstop.
Every night I could hear Mum, Dad, Nan and Grandad playing whist in the kitchen and arguing loudly. Then school broke up for Christmas and the big Whist game was on Christmas Eve. The whole village adult population turned up to play. I was so excited despite my parents warning me that Wilfred might be going to someone else. I went to bed, tucked in by a neighbour's daughter who was babysitting.
Christmas morning, I woke in the dark (well it was winter in England). I felt my Santa sack and there was the doll with her rainbow coloured dress, an orange, Mum had queued an hour for and some lollies bought with rationed coupons. No Wilfred!
I cried broken heartedly. My Nan came in and said, " Stop crying. It is Christmas!" I couldn't speak for sobbing. "Oh look!", Nan said. "Something has dropped off your bed." It was Wilfred!!!!
My Mum and Dad had defeated Nan and Granddad in the final round of the Whist competition! He was mine. Mum later said they just had to win because they and Baby Jesus could not bear hearing me sing "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer" one more time. Wilfred proved that prayers can be answered and even though I am now 80 I still think of that as the best Christmas ever.

 

[Brody]

I have so many great Christmas memories from when I was a child to Christmas with my husband and 13 children but I'm going to share a memory that has stayed with me for 32 years and one I will regret forever .

My grandmother was like my mother, she raised me from birth due to my mother being only 14.

Christmas was one of my grandmother's favourite time of the year , and as far back as I can remember she made it special for all of us.

Fast forward to Christmas 1990 and for some stupid reason I started studying the bible with Jehovah Witnesses and for me I stopped celebrating Xmas. When I told Nan she was devastated, angry, disappointed, you name it.
That was the worst time of my life when I realised what I had done. At this time I had six kids.

I was determined to celebrate Xmas with her the following year after I realised what I did to her.

Christmas 1991 I was going to make it up to her.

March 1991 her sister passed away and it was a sad time for her.
Then at the end of November she was worried about her sisters belongings, her expensive jewellery ect as my grandmother was her only living sibling and she had no children.

Sunday the 1st of December my grandmother asked me to spend the day with her , my aunt and my sister. I couldn't as hubby's aunt and uncle had arrived from Greece and we were having them over.

The next day my grandmother had to go see her sisters solicitor near Central station Sydney, I told her I would go but as I was 28 weeks pregnant and suffered high blood pressure she wouldn't let me.

At 4pm no one could contact her , she should have been home. I called my uncle who lived the next suburb away in Riverwood , and asked him to go and see if she was home.

30 minutes later my uncle called back and asked me to sit down. The police had just been to his place to inform him that my grandmother had a heart attack on platform 25 on central station waiting for a train to Riverwood .

It was the 2nd of December that I lost my grandmother , my best friend , my mentor and I loss her without making it up to her for what I did the year before.

Even though it was so very hard to celebrate Christmas we did for her because it would have been what she wanted .
To this day I remember what I didn't do.
I also tell people make sure what you do or don't do you don't regret it.
You can't get back time

 

[gordon1940]

My "Bush Christmas" is a memory of long ago at my Uncles Farm. The two instances that stick in my mind are: The Fly Trap my Aunty used was a collection of Gum Tree sprigs tied in a chain to a long piece of string secured at each end and drooping over the Dining Table. Seamed to work and the scent was great.
: The Mutton "Ham". Uncle used a large Leg off one of his "Killers", cured it brine, then smoked it and Aunty roasted it in the Wood Stove. To this day, I still savor the flavour, outstanding.

 

[Brody]

Dear Suzanne Rose, your Grandmother has forgiven you, and she probably never felt the need to be upset with you. If you think back to that day, she wouldn't let you go because you were very pregnant.
Do you honestly feel you need to grieve
forever, for something you had no control
over. Realistically the loss you felt when you knew she was gone .She was someone you loved,and were so grateful to have her there when you were growing
up. You treasured her, and loved her
unconditionally. As she loved you, and she protected you .
Don't you see that she would never have put on you this terrible guilty feeling you have put on yourself.
She would want you to forgive yourself, and realise that you can hold the love you shared with her, that never dies it is eternal.
Appreciate her the way you do, and let go of the Negative that you have let her passing change the gift she gave you, of her unconditional love for you.
She is in a better place, and she would
want you to bathe yourself in all the special things she brought to you to remember her.
But you are the only one who can release
Yourself from the "guilt" you feel. You knew her very well, would she want you to continue with the guilty feelings you
keep putting on yourself ?
The short answer is NO.
Turn the Negative into a Positive and
encourage all of your family to know the
the person that gave you everything to be the Person you are today.

 

[Brody]

I have so many great Christmas memories from when I was a child to Christmas with my husband and 13 children but I'm going to share a memory that has stayed with me for 32 years and one I will regret forever .

My grandmother was like my mother, she raised me from birth due to my mother being only 14.

Christmas was one of my grandmother's favourite time of the year , and as far back as I can remember she made it special for all of us.

Fast forward to Christmas 1990 and for some stupid reason I started studying the bible with Jehovah Witnesses and for me I stopped celebrating Xmas. When I told Nan she was devastated, angry, disappointed, you name it.
That was the worst time of my life when I realised what I had done. At this time I had six kids.

I was determined to celebrate Xmas with her the following year after I realised what I did to her.

Christmas 1991 I was going to make it up to her.

March 1991 her sister passed away and it was a sad time for her.
Then at the end of November she was worried about her sisters belongings, her expensive jewellery ect as my grandmother was her only living sibling and she had no children.

Sunday the 1st of December my grandmother asked me to spend the day with her , my aunt and my sister. I couldn't as hubby's aunt and uncle had arrived from Greece and we were having them over.

The next day my grandmother had to go see her sisters solicitor near Central station Sydney, I told her I would go but as I was 28 weeks pregnant and suffered high blood pressure she wouldn't let me.

At 4pm no one could contact her , she should have been home. I called my uncle who lived the next suburb away in Riverwood , and asked him to go and see if she was home.

30 minutes later my uncle called back and asked me to sit down. The police had just been to his place to inform him that my grandmother had a heart attack on platform 25 on central station waiting for a train to Riverwood .

It was the 2nd of December that I lost my grandmother , my best friend , my mentor and I loss her without making it up to her for what I did the year before.

Even though it was so very hard to celebrate Christmas we did for her because it would have been what she wanted .
To this day I remember what I didn't do.
I also tell people make sure what you do or don't do you don't regret it.
You can't get back time

 

[Reet]

We are so excited to launch our November Competition which is open to ALL SDC MEMBERS.

This one is extra special because it’s Christmas-themed for the holidays, AND we are drawing it in the first week of December, so the winner can use their $100 voucher to either Coles, Woolies, or IGA to help with the Christmas shopping!

Entering the competition is simple! We want to hear about your favourite Christmas memories. It can be any Christmas you remember. Maybe it was your childhood Christmas. Or maybe it was last year’s Christmas. Whatever it was, we want to hear about it!

Our favourite submission will win a $100 voucher to Coles, Woolworths or IGA.

We ran this competition last year and it was so beautiful to read the replies.

So, members, it’s time to get into the Christmas Spirit!

Entries close Thursday, November 30th 11:59 pm.

View attachment 33104

Image Credit: Shutterstock

I remember a Christmas one year which I had not been looking forward to, turning out to be great. My husband had had a row with his Mother and would not apologise to her and I would not go to another awful Christmas day at my Mother's place so instead we booked to go to a new Indian Restaurant which had opened recenrtly in our city. We were greeted at the door as if we were family and welcomed very warmly. We had a really good meal and all throughout were treated very warmly as if we were really family. This certainly made up for the disappointment of not being with our legitimate families.