Beverly has asked us to write about our favourite childhood memories of Christmas - so here's mine.
Being an only child and pretty lively with it, my parents were desperate to keep me quiet first thing in the morning - as we were living in Singapore at the time, Dad being in the Army (I was around 8 years old at the time) needless to say, it was daylight early and I'd be awake around 5.00am.
My parents knew me well: I loved to read, and draw and paint - so out of self defence, I'm sure - Santa would always leave a pillowcase at the end of my bed.
And in that pillowcase would be every single annual going: Bunty, The Dandy, Girl, Princess, The Beano, Judy... and just to make sure I'd stay quiet until I'd read every single one from cover to cover, there'd be at least half a dozen comics, a new sketch pad and ordinary and colouring pencils. My mother must have prepared for ages - the pencils always had my name printed on them in gold leaf - everything like this had to be ordered and then posted out from the UK.
There would also be a few pieces of fruit, nuts, chocolate - to keep my strength up until breakfast and hopefully keep me occupied until breakfast time (at a decent hour, probably around 8.00am).
This particular year was a bonanza - my mother had bought me my first "teenage" doll, and had made all the clothes for it - BY HAND as she didn't have a sewing machine. There was a brocade evening dress, with diamante sewn all round the bodice, and a ski outfit (I remember it was bright red, with white fake fur nylon trim around the hood) and knitted sweaters, real underwear... All sewn by hand in tropical heat.
She also made a complete new outfit for my Tessie Bear, with a knitted hat (with holes for the ears) with matching cardigan, a new dress, petticoat and pantaloons. And knitted booties, because Teddies can't wear shoes with heels, as we all know.
My mother was great at embroidery and a wonderful knitter - it was always a family legend that when I was born, she embroidered everything in existence. I think the only items she left alone were the terry nappies - even then, she tried to monogram them!
My aunt had sent out the patterns and the fake fur and diamante trim - and little shoes to fit the doll. My Great Aunt Annie sent little plastic curlers. My other aunt (who had weird ideas about presents) had sent my mother a set of pudding basin covers, plastic with elasticated edges. She was very taken aback to get a very enthusiastic thank-you letter from me, thanking her for the dollies' shower caps!
So that's my childhood memory. Now go to Beverly's site - How Sweet the Sound - to see the rest of the Pink Saturday post and read all about their Christmas memories.
And don't forget to leave a comment in the post below if you want to enter my 200th Post Giveaway!
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