[Terese]

I have wonderful memories of Christmas as a child. But this one is special . In 1972 l married my Navy hubby 2 weeks later we were posted to Manus Island PNG. It was a completely different culture. But l loved it l was 19. 200 Australian junior sailors on year posting and 25 officers accompanied. No shops, a ship every 4 months with food. A juniors mess and Officers mess. As Christmas approached l wondered what we'd do. I started to miss home. But l found out a lot of these junior guys were married and had wife and kids back home. So l opened my home and yard to these guys . Told my hubby he was John for the day , Not Cheif Petty Officer Green. We had 50 people , some other couples without kids joined in. We pooled our food. Seafood here was in abundance. Anyway we ate and drank and all told stories of our greatest Christmases and wonderful memories.
No one was lonely, we had the best time. It stands out as the most memorable Christmas for me.

 

[CedricO]

In the '50ts we would buy a timber box of plumbs and each child got one stubby bottle of soft drink. I would take my bottle of soft drink and sit amongst the long grass up the paddock and slowly drink it over a long period of time taking small sips - that was a real treat.

 

[Lindsay46]

When I was 4 years old my parents took me to my grandparent’s place for Christmas lunch. It was great! I received a present too - a toy gardening kit and some geranium seeds. When everyone was inside relaxing after lunch I went outside and planted my seeds; unfortunately I dug up my grandfather’s favourite front garden flowers first. Surprisingly, he left my seeds there and for many years there was a small patch of untidy geraniums in his neat and tidy front garden!

 

[Corky]

My most memorable Xmas came after my sister and I were placed in an orphanage a few weeks before and separated from our parents and two brothers due to DV in our home. I was feeling pretty miserable the day before thinking we were to spend Xmas there when mum appeared like a magic fairy and took us home for Xmas.

 

[Cathyann]

Christmas at the Bakehouse
When I was a girl, my Dad would collect the turkey in its baking dish climb into his car with me and drive to the family bakery. There he, my Uncles Len, Eric and Bert would be manning the coke bread ovens -where bread was usually produced., but not today, it was Christmas day (Peoples ovens in those days were not very big. and couldn't accommodate the Christmas turkeys).
I would go over the road with a few of my opened gifts to my cousins house, with whom I would play, whilst my Dad and Uncles would be stoking up the coke ovens and putting baking trays containing turkeys and chickens etc labelled with customers names on the legs of turkeys. Pam and I would play whilst our Dads and uncles manned the ovens containing the Christmas Fare.

This was over 70 years ago when people didn't have the large electric ovens we have today- they were mostly coal or wood etc, my Cousin, Pam and I would go over to her house and see the few gifts she would have had for Christmas ..... whilst I would have taken my ball from Aunty Joan ... I loved that present,,,,, we didn't have many presents like they get today -But we treasured the ones we did get far far more,,,, not expecting to get lots
- Back to the bake house - My uncles, and usual bakehouse man Baden, would be roasting the turkeys or what ever meat people could afford, giving their time in the sweltering heat- People did pay a few coppers towards the coke for the ovens and the men did perspire heaps
While the turkeys cooked Pam and I played at her house and after a while we would go across the road to see how things were progressing but we kept out of the way of the heat and working men manning those hot coke ovens.
People would start to come to collect their cooked meats and the smell of baking meats pervaded Cairns Street where the bake house was at Wilsons Bread Bakery, and cheerful calls out of Merry Christmas etc, from customers picking up their cooked meats, pervaded just as the delicious smells of meats and chickens and turkeys did. Very Happy Memories

 

[BeautifulMousey]

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

Didn't happen in my house. I was the eldest of 8 children at the time and my dad worked for the board of works and the pay was not very good. My parents could not afford to buy presents for us. Mum did make sure we got a small present at least. We were happy with what we got but we were unhappy when we went to play with friends and saw all the presents they got. But we did at least get something and it did make us happy.

 

[orange]

Up to a few Years ago Christmas started with Midnight Mass then when we got back to the Daughters place it was a Glass of Wine and a piece of Cake ..
Christmas Morning it was Brunch after which we would exchange gifts also
With the Family then Christmas Dinner in the Evening.
We still keep up most of the tradition with the exception of “ Midnight Mass “.

 

[deni67]

My favourite Christmas, well not my favourite, but my most memorable, was in 1982, before I had kids. I was living in Perth at the time but had travelled to Adelaide to spend Christmas with my family.
It was a surprise for my mum, she loved it, for most of the day that is..

We were all pottering around making salads and desserts, we were at my brothers house and he had his usual pig on a spit.
The smell was divine, it went through the whole house and we were getting excited to sit down, relax and enjoy our spoils.
Unfortunately the pig had other plans, simply put it exploded, it sounded like a nuclear bomb had gone off, it shook us off our feet.
We didn't know at the time but the butcher hadn't cut the pig so all the fats swirling around inside had no where to go except to work up to explode, like a volcano I guess..
All of a sudden we came to our senses and ran to the back, it was on fire, part of the house was burning, and very sadly the birds had all died in their avery, if it wasn't for the birds this would have been quite funny, as it is we laugh about it today, it's become a bit infamous, for want of another word..
So the fire brigade quickly turned up and put the house out, after the foam and water had settled there was strips of pig meat hanging everywhere like tinsel, my niece still lives in the house and a year or so ago when they had to get on the roof she said there was still pig fat up there LOL...
In the end, after everyone had calmed down we prepared to sit down to a meal of salads when the fire brigade turned up with a nice big cooked turkey for us. It made our day, heck it made our year, it was awesome and a very unforgetable Christmas..
May the birds rest in peace!

Borrowing from last years post!

 

[Dynamo]

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

Beautiful memory

 

[Nana Zorak]

As an only child born just before the before war began I was able to take my pillowcase full of gifts into my parents bed & to open them there. This had a lasting effect om me & I did the same with my own kids born 17 years apart.

 

[lildav1]

Sleeping with one eye open waiting for Santa to put a pillow full of goodies at the bottom of my bed. I never managed to stay awake to see that happen!!

 

[Mags24]

My favourite memory was Christmas 1970 and we had arrived in Perth on November 18th after emigrating from Ireland. Mam, Dad and 6 children, myself being the youngest. That Christmas my precious parents gave me a Bassett Hounds puppy who we named Dara. We were waiting for all our furniture etc to arrive so we didn't have much with us. We were used to a cold Christmas but Perth was hot However that puppy dog made us forget everything and brought not just me but all of us so much joy and happiness. When we were sad missing our family and friends in Ireland we just cuddled Dara and everything was so much better and brighter.

 

[Wendy Bee]

Growing up in the 60s with an old concrete tank stand.. mum was thawing out the xmas Turkey on it... we were having ALL the family over for dinner. Mum told me to go get the Turkey but I yelled out that it wasn't there. She didn't believe me.. muttering that the "bloody thing can't fly away"... she came out to look... AND IT WASN'T THERE.... because..... Barney... our old Labrador had stolen it and dragged it to the lawn where he had just started gnawing on it.... now this is back in the day where shops were shut for days over Xmas. We had no other option but to give it a good wash and cut off the little chewed bit... everyone tucked into it... none the wiser.... good ole Barney... as mum said.. cooking kills any germs

 

[Davidh212]

My best childhood memory was receiving my first fishing rod and reel.it was my only present but ment so much as never had a new rod and reel before . Went outside to practice casting on the lawn , I was probably only eight or nine but still puts a smile on my face remembering this Christmas. That's what a real Christmas is !

 

[Dalmatian]

My first family Christmas after my divorce and I was determined to make a success of the day with little help.
My youngest son and I were cleaning up around the back table and I remembered I needed to preheat the barbecue!
Turned it up a continued to water and sweep when my son said “ what’s that awful smell?”
I then lifted barbecue lid to find several plastic plates and cleaning products alight
Oh well , back to the oven

 

[Retired83]

Back in 1954, I was 14 my brother 10 who believed in Santa. We slept in the same room back then. I heard my mother coming in with the presents before going to bed, I called out that my brother was still awake, and my mother with fright fell into the wardrobe

 

[Luciemcm]

My favourite memories are with my parents even as an adult going to the Dutch club in early November to welcome st nick and his black Peter's and enjoying the old traditions

 

[Littleboy8]

Growing up in the 60s with an old concrete tank stand.. mum was thawing out the xmas Turkey on it... we were having ALL the family over for dinner. Mum told me to go get the Turkey but I yelled out that it wasn't there. She didn't believe me.. muttering that the "bloody thing can't fly away"... she came out to look... AND IT WASN'T THERE.... because..... Barney... our old Labrador had stolen it and dragged it to the lawn where he had just started gnawing on it.... now this is back in the day where shops were shut for days over Xmas. We had no other option but to give it a good wash and cut off the little chewed bit... everyone tucked into it... none the wiser.... good ole Barney... as mum said.. cooking kills any germs

what a cracker of a story love it at least you got some.

 

[Littleboy8]

Back in 1954, I was 14 my brother 10 who believed in Santa. We slept in the same room back then. I heard my mother coming in with the presents before going to bed, I called out that my brother was still awake, and my mother with fright fell into the wardrobe

 

[Wendy Bee]

what a cracker of a story love it at least you got some.

Omg it was so funny.. mum and I were beside ourselves watching everyone tuck in.. we just wanted to crack up laughing