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Memories of Christmas in Sheffield when you were younger


Sheffield History

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It's Christmas!

What's your main memories of Christmas in Sheffield over the years and in particular when you were younger?

Did you visit Santas Grotto?

Did you do anything special?

What shops did you visit? Redgates? Debenhams? The Co-Op on Angel Street?

What about around your home, were the neighbours Christmassy?

Was there more of a sense of community?

How about cinema or football or theatre? Did you visit those over Christmas week?

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3 hours ago, Gordon crapper said:

There were no lights when I was young, we had the blackout!


I bet that was a crazy time.

What did you do on Christmas Day? Any memories?

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As a small boy in wartime I remember we had  a "feast" of a Christmas Dinner and Tea made up of food carefully saved during the year or bought from saved ration coupons; we opened our precious presents, played games, sang carols, listened to the radio and those who could went to the Pub for a drink...despite the Blackout. I believe pubs didn't open on Christmas Day evenings so  my Grandma and Granddad must have walked to the Pub on Boxing Day evening. Mail was delivered on Christmas Day and the last cards received....hopefully, Dad's card from the RAF Middle East would have come by then. Our tree was a rather pathetic artificial one ,probably vintage 1920's as were the precious decorations. The lights didn't work as replacement bulbs were unobtainable.The Christmas of 1940 was just before my time but coming so soon after the Blitz it must have been especially difficult.

 

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On 12/22/2017 at 10:31, Gordon crapper said:

There were no lights when I was young, we had the blackout!

We usually managed a chicken for the dinner, and we had an artificial tree which had been bought before the war, and lights, but of course failed ones couldn't be replaced - my dad just cut them out, but that meant more current to the others and soon more failures.

One year he built me a balsa hurricane from a kit, and you could buy toy soldiers and small aircraft, Dinky size, but rather crude.

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My memories of boyhood Christmases are of a happy and safe time, with one exception. We had an artificial (plastic I suppose) Christmas tree which stood on top of the telly each Christmas, tellies being deep enough to stand a tree on in those days. One year Dad brought home a string of fairy lights which were festooned round the tree, plugged in and admired - until one bulb blew, setting the tree on fire. Dad sprang into action and somehow managed to extinguish the fire without getting water into the telly and blowing that too. The opening of our presents was a bit of an anti-climax after that.

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The earlier posts by Gordon Crapper and Lysander prompted me to look through the pages of the Blitz section and, amongst others, I found this particular thread by Bayleaf which gave an insight as to the 1940 Christmas:   

The loss of the B & C City Stores resulted in toys,games and gifts earmarked for Christmas presents were lost, as no doubt were many others elsewhere, leaving many disappointed youngsters including me !

Digressing a little, Sheffield United played Sheffield Wednesday that Christmas Day, the result a no-score draw, just 10 days after the second raid.

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