Christmas / New Year Memories

Does anyone remember those toy chimps that they used to hang around in Woolworths in the 60's? I always wanted one for Christmas! And those little ornaments with green yukky scent in? We girls used to buy them for each other. I remember that, when I was 11, my 2 year old brother drank the scent from one on Christmas morning. I was incensed when I got the blame when he was thoroughly sick in a very green way!

Flat on my face This may amuse you and although it's not a Christmas tale of sorts it append the week before the Big day. We lived in Hurst road many years ago and being younger then I was a lot fitter ( like a Japanese racing snake) . Every morning I used to leave home for work , (Ground floor maisonette ) I kissed my wife goodbye and walked down the path through the gate and along Hurst road to catch the Bus situated on Longford road. Now, to the left side of the gate was a small fence which instead of opening the gate I used to leap over using one hand as a steady, in the beginning to make sure I cleared the fence I used a bit of a run up, but after a time I found i did not need a run up and I became a bit cocky This particular morning it had been snowing and the floor was peppered with a light covering. I said goodbye to my wife and set off , about to put on my gloves while walking to the gate I noticed two your ladies (totty) I thought now is the time for me to impress them with my show of gymnastics, no need for a run up I thought, ( this was going to impress them big time) so, no time to put on my gloves,this had to be done quick. I got to the fence, placed one hand on the fence and began to implement my "jump over the fence ploy" . It did not go according to plan, I slipped and I did not clear the fence, catching my foot on the top, leaving my feet straddled across the top of the fence my body was still in full flight with my arms outstretched I must have looked like Superman. It all seemed in slow motion as I remember the floor coming up to meet me, my hands slapped down on the Tarmac, I then did a victory roll, gathered my belonging stood up and tried to look as if it was done on purpose, the Girls must have seen it all! I walked as briskly as I could towards the Bus stop. "Please don't let then go to the Bus stop" I thought. Yes they did, they followed me to join the Que. they were having a right ol laugh. My leg was hurting and my hands were peppered with gravel, picked up from the path. I was dying to blow my hands and inspect them for damage. But I still needed to appear cool. I dropped my gloves and lunch box as I boarded the Bus, "could it get any worse " I thought? It did, they sat opposite me On the Bus all the way into town, my hands were throbbing and I could not rub them or blow them. It was now I needed a big hole . Guess what , After that day I used to see them most mornings but if I clocked them coming up the road I used to hang back until they has passed , well I could not chance me making a fool of myself again and I sure was not going to used the gate.Colin

My wife and I aren't blessed with grandchildren so events like the school nativity play are a very distant memory. I well remember however the absolute magic of when, at Courthouse Green infants, we were taken through to the junior school to watch the older children perform. Aged about six, I thought they were superb and gave a faultless, professional performance. It is wonderful to view the world with the innocence of a child. I live not too far from Liverpool, Here's a couple of anecdotes from teachers who have had the "honour" of organising the school nativity play. I would love to think they are true . Jesus and Mary arrived at the inn. "We have been travelling all day, my wife is expecting a child and we are very tired, can you give us shelter for the night?" "No, **** off!" And the same scene but with a kid whose kind hearted nature overcame rehearsals, "You poor gets, come in".

I can remember taking cakes into the junior school Christmas week for the class party and the milk had been coloured pink.

Now I promise this is the last silly drawing I will be posting, just in case you are all saying "Oh no not again" well I have indulged myself for the last time so you can all relax now. Hope you all have a great Christmas and a great new year. From Colin, Radford kid.

Has anyone uploaded some pictures of the Christmas lights in Coventry this year, say in the Precinct or Broadgate? Maybe they have and I've just missed them. Like me, some of us are far from Coventry, even the other side of the world. The picture of Broadgate in the 60s posted a little while back on the Days Leading up to Christmas thread brought back some happy memories, so I thought I'd add it here again.

In another thread, TonyS posted this

Well it won't be long now Dutchman, I can't remember how many weeks before but I remember all the Christmas pudding basins lined up in the larder with the cloth tied with string. I'm sure mum used to put them in one of those big black saucepans and pre-boil them and keep them on the larder shelf until the 'day' and re-heat them again. Then there was the 'brawn', pig's head cooked down, not a pretty sight but all the good bits cut up into a pudding basin with lots of seasoning and a plate on the top and on top of that, one of those old black irons to press the meat down. We used to have that with pickled shallots. It used to look a bit more appealing once the jelly had set and it was turned out (believe me!) We always pickled our own shallots or onions, wouldn't have bought a jar of them. There seemed to be more activities in the kitchen in preparation in the old days, instead of 'buying in' and much simpler fare.

Hi Foxcote. I always pickle about a kilo of shallots about a month before Christmas (bought ones of course) but I refuse to buy the jars. I have to hide them because my daughter has a yen for them even before they are ready. By the way you have just described my mother in law that was. She always made her own brawn in the basin under a plate with the cold flat iron on the top. Ooh, and the jelly was so tasty. She even taught me how to do trifles 'her way' when I was first married. You know the old saying 'just how mum used to make it'

Some of your stories got me remembering Christmases when I was little, well most really! My best memories are Santa's Grotto in Owen Owen, I always loved queueing on the service stairs and then going through the door into the entrance cave thing that had little windows set into the snowy walls all brightly lit with different fairyland scenes in them. Eventually we got to sit on Santa's knee and whisper what we wanted into his ear! We got a gift to take home too, don't remember any of them! Another memory was going to the Hippodrome for either my dad's work Christmas treat or the Moose Heart/Hart Lodge not sure which. We all got a cute stocking with a Santa on the front filled with an apple, an orange some dried fruit and nuts, a few sixpences and a tiny colouring book with crayons! I think there was a magician on the stage and a puppet show. The worst memory was when I was about 12 in the back warehouse of my dad's greengrocery shop. He had a load of live turkeys that he had to kill pluck and dress. I'd seen him dressing the chickens before but I'd never seen them killed. I can still see them now, I must have been quite traumatized by it all! It took me a few years before I could eat turkey!

Precincts adorned with coloured lights Hearsalls star shines proud and bright Co-ops Santa's work is almost done I bet his sleigh ride was lots of fun. Pork pie slices on the plate The chocolate novelties sure taste great Gifts wrapped safely and under the tree Our children and grandchildren dream excitedly. As the bustle of Christmas falls still Spare a thought if you will Think of those who live alone, those who are poorly, those without homes And as you gaze upon your tree, I wish you peace where're you may be. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, may all your dreams come true. Bad Boy (Brian)

In the weeks leading up to Christmas I love the carols. The school nativity plays, children singing on television, and the Salvation Army band playing in the precinct, all bring a lump in my throat and tears to my eyes. But there are two occasions when carol singers have had me sobbing. The first being, many years ago, when a group of carol singers came with their lanterns and sang to the boy who lived next door to me, who was severely disabled. I'll never forget he joy on his face. The second being when my dad was in Keresley Hospital. It was visiting time on Christmas Eve, when the lights in the ward were switched off and about 10/12 nurses, wearing their red capes, carrying candles and laterns came into the ward singing carols. It was so moving, patients and visitors alike were reduced to tears.

Christmas is a time when you think about family and friends and remember times long ago. The most vivid memories are from childhood, and for many on this forum that means family Christmas in Coventry. My memories are of decorations in the house and the Christmas Tree in the lounge and the smell from it when it was fresh. My parents had been in Germany in the late 1940s, and some friends there sent us a tin of German Christmas biscuits every year that had the smell of cinammon and marzipan. Another memory I have is of the Cathedral Spire which had a large star high-up on the tower made of dozens of incandescent light bulbs. It was very striking and visible across Coventry on a clear night. Do they still have it today? In the 1950s, the Old Cathedral had carols and readings in the ruins, and you kept warm by some coke braziers, like the ones workmen used in the past. After I moved to Scotland in 1970, I would always return for Christmas, "I'll be home for Christmas". On Christmas Eve, I'd get the 17.20 from Edinburgh to New Street, but you had to book about a month before to get a seat. Amazingly in the 1970s they ran a full restaurant car service on this train and served a pretty good Christmas dinner - hard to imagine today! At home in St. Andrews Road, Earlsdon, everything seemed just the same as it had been as a child. That lasted a few years until everyone moved on, but I still think about it at Christmas, particularly on Christmas Eve. If you want to drown in a wave of nostalgia, try this number from Bing Crosby: "I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams" Happy Christmas to all Coventrians, Hugh

Hi all Pam & I are home just now, following a morning church service & will be travelling to Coundon, to spend the afternoon & evening with grandchildren. Whilst enjoying our friendships here, I am sure that many of us will extend our thoughts for the folks caught up in the flooding, either with the travelling chaos of trying to get home, or even where their homes have suffered flooding.

Hi all Whilst a little busy this afternoon, I was listening to Five-Live radio, where the subject of Christmas Tele' ratings was being discussed. They are all down on previous years & several reasons were suggested as to why. I have watched a bit of tele over this period but very little actually on Christmas day. The facilities for viewing later with our high tech boxes might explain some of the shortfall, as may the fact that so many of us are playing with our new toys & gadgets. It comes to something when my Pam no longer wants to watch the Sound of Music which was on in HD this afternoon. I was further amused when on one channel this afternoon, I could have watched 'The Hillbillies', followed by the Lone Ranger, Flash Gordon & then 'I love Lucy'. So much of Christmas tele' entertainment was coming from deceased entertainers, anyway, even on mainstream tele. What do you think? ps. One of my first dates with Pam was to go & watch The Sound of Music in B'ham. She & her sister must have had a season ticket for the number of times they went to see that film in different locations.