[April Bradford]

November Competition: Christmas Memories​

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 their choice of Coles, Woolworths or IGA.

This is our third year running this competition, and we can't wait to read the entries.

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

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

Image Credit: Shutterstock

 

[Sue Cook]

Waking up on chritmas morning to find a pillow case full of presents from santa

 

[Jash]

Sitting outside my brothers door waiting for him to wake up on Christmas Morning.

 

[Gunpark]

My Grandmother, on my Mother's side was a very prim and proper lady. On the other hand, a cousin's husband(Phil) was given to telling somewhat risqué jokes. Christmas Day lunch was always a big deal as Grandma had six kids and they came with other halfs and children and it was nothing for in excess of twenty to sit down. Phil, told the story of Little Johnny in the school play. Little Johnny had to say, "Cleopatra, what have you done?" He would just go, Cleopatrawhathaveyoudone. The teacher was getting no where with Johnny until she hit on the idea and said to Johnny, After you say Cleopatra, take two deep sniffs then add, what have you done. To those reading, try this and you will know why Phil had to sit next to Grandma at evening meal.

 

[Mikev]

I remember when I was about 12 running into the lounge room early on Christmas morning eager to look beneath the Christmas tree for a small package with my name on it.
To my surprise standing right in front of the Christmas tree was a Dragster bike. I couldn’t believe my eyes!
I found out later the efforts that dad had gone to to pick it up the day before, hide it on Christmas Eve so that I wouldn’t find it and then bring it out and position it in the lounge room after I’d gone to bed.
That bike got plenty of use for several years and was one of my favourite Christmas presents ever

 

[janj]

My favorite was getting the record player I wanted when I was 12 had it for years, loved my music. Played it all the time, still love listening to music.

 

[Jill]

I am 66 but remember clearly my siblings and I sneaking into our parents bedroom to wake them Xmas morning only to find out years later Dad had been awake for hours waiting for us. We thought we were so clever.

 

[duckiedoodle]

My mother would take all of us to midnight mass on Christmas Eve, something that was unique and different in its own right. And then, when we got home, we were allowed to open one small present each before we fell into bed. Needless to say, Christmas Day started quite a bit later than usual. She was a bit devious, my mum.

 

[Charlotte59]

As a child we didn't have much growing up, however, in 1969 we had the best Christmas because my mother decided to buy tickets in a Christmas stocking raffle, in doing so she put my name on one of the tickets, which was the ticket that won. We had our best Christmas with that win because it had everything that one could imagine, toys for the boys and myself, as well as wine, Christmas cake and other sweet treats, which was something we rarely ever seen. I also have wonderful memories at my grandparents house when Santa came to give us our presents, memories that i always treasure because for most of my childhood there are only bad memories.

 

[Canham]

Christmas Day 1999 when my first grandchild a boy was born at 5-30am it is the best present i have ever received Daphne Canham

 

[Canham]

Christmas Day 1999 when my first grandchild a boy was born at 5-30am the best present i have ever received Daphne Cnham

 

[Isis]

Xmas 1945. My father the town baker and 5 year old me delivering bread around the outlying homes. One small property widow with 7 kids , my dad gave them a sack of bread, and a pudding , saying they were left overs in the shop so that they still had their pride. Me not so much the pudding was ours .
Maybe not a crackers and Xmas tree story but shows the true Xmas spirit.

 

[Isis]

My Grandmother, on my Mother's side was a very prim and proper lady. On the other hand, a cousin's husband(Phil) was given to telling somewhat risqué jokes. Christmas Day lunch was always a big deal as Grandma had six kids and they came with other halfs and children and it was nothing for in excess of twenty to sit down. Phil, told the story of Little Johnny in the school play. Little Johnny had to say, "Cleopatra, what have you done?" He would just go, Cleopatrawhathaveyoudone. The teacher was getting no where with Johnny until she hit on the idea and said to Johnny, After you say Cleopatra, take two deep sniffs then add, what have you done. To those reading, try this and you will know why Phil had to sit next to Grandma at evening meal.

Got it lol

 

[ausbear]

After I had started my first job as a paperboy, 10 years of age, I decided to squirrel some money away each week to save up for a special present for my mum. She was often lamenting that she just loved Eau Arpege perfume but couldn't afford it. I went to the local pharmacy and got the price so that I knew what my goal amount would be. I saved enough to buy it just before Christmas - about 5 days - and hid it in my bedroom where I hoped she wouldn't find it. Come Christmas Day, I presented her with my gift, very poorly wrapped - lol - and she was absolutely over the moon! Best Christmas gift ever she proclaimed. It truly made my day and my year to be able to do this. She worked 3 jobs and was always tired, so I knew this would mean a lot to her. Best Christmas Day ever!

 

[midgemills]

I remember a Christmas in the 50's when my sister and I were sitting in the hall waiting for Santa and trying to be quiet but we couldn't stop giggling. Mum woke up and told us to go back to bed or Santa wouldn't come.

 

[Sue Cook]

Ken Stubbs
Waking up early to see what santa left. Sometimes it was a big present like a bike.
There was also a pillow case full of all sorts of things from santa not knowing my mum had done this

 

[Dotty33]

My Birthday is on Christmas Eve, last year my daughter had covid, which she “kindly’ passed on to me, not a birthday present I wanted!! I did open my birthday presents, but I was too ill to be bothered to open my Christmas presents, so we had Christmas dinner a week late!!
yes I do get two lots of presents, I’m spoilt that way

 

[June E]

I was quiet young I guess, because my Mum was alive, she died when I was 9. Mum Dad and I had opened our presents and they were in the kitchen I was in the lounge room when I took a fancy to a box that presumably had perfume or something in. I took it to the kitchen and asked could I have the box, fathers said no and put it back so I had a tantrum, but went to put it back when father came behind me and smacked my bum for the tantrum ! How rude was that? I have no other memory of anything else that day! It would have been early 1950’s . Mum died 1956 and all I wanted for Christmas after that was my Mum back.

 

[Ivory]

Every year when I made the Christmas pudding my husband, myself and the three children used to stir a sixpence into the pudding mix and make a wish. Every year after my father in law died and mum was with us she joined in as did girl and boy friends as the children got older. Three years ago I was given a diagnosis of a degenerative disease and a relatively short expected life span. However our tradition continued and that year, having lost our second son and mum, we had lots of bitter sweet memories but we also had two children, their spouses and between them 8 children. But three of the grandchildren asked if they could also bring girl / boy friends because the pudding tradition was so special. This year I am still alive and we will be hosting 9 grandchildren and the 6 oldest have already asked if their friends can come too. So much fun, laughter and togetherness I think it’s almost better than Christmas Day

 

[MariaG]

There was a period of time we took turns hosting Xmas day, with all the food we could bear.
I worked in the kitchen until the wee hours of the morning getting ready, but I didn't care.
I ended up with a house full of people I love who did their best to enjoy every moment.
Oh, and the one time of year my mum had a drink ... 1 bottle of West Coast Cooler ... then snoring on the lounge alongside my sister's mum-in-law. Some good film came out of that.
The best memories of that day include the board games lasting to the wee hours ... then, Boxing day waking up to bunch of people sleeping on the floor, in their cars, or wherever they could rest their heads. Breakfast that morning was a hoot.
Those were the days.