Published on 12, July, 2020
With Christmas rapidly approaching - it seems only twelve months since last time - I thought I would start a thread on Christmas - what it means to us, our memories, what traditions we have (locally or of our own), what we like or don't like, and also to share our favourite films and music of Christmas.
I do not like the commerciality of Christmas. My favourite memories of Christmas were when I was young, and returning from Church before Christmas to the glow of the the wireless/gramophone set in the living room, the light of which was an eerie green colour, the room being lit by the lights of the Christmas tree and a collection of 78's of Christmas Carols playing on the gramophone. It was a truly magical time.
In the late 1980's a programme was made for Channel 4 of Dylan Thomas's 'A Child's Christmas in Wales'. This is a film I watch over and over again, it just evokes memories of my early Christmases, when we did not have a television set. This film isW beautifully shot, and brings the humour of Dylan Thomas out. 'A Child's Christmas in Wales' was originally a short story, and there are versions of Dylan Thomas himself reading it on You Tube. Dylan Thomas had such a beautiful way of putting things into words, and perhaps because of my own Welsh heritage it always brings a bit of a tear to my eye, in a good way!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BTSQYdBuZY
I also think humour is an important part of Christmas and the Christmas season. I like all sorts of Christmas music from religious to secular, and songs which are really about the season rather than Christmas. So for my first song which I will put here is this one from Bob Rivers (who is a record producer, not the singer!), the song is a parody of a delivery by a certain brother and sister who were very popular in the 1970's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GONd04tiLk
Please share what Christmas means to you here. And I will add more as the days pass!
Christmas!! !!!!
I don't know what to say????
I'm sure other people's Christmases are better and more normal than mine.
Mostly I enjoy the TV at home. At Christmas time there are the old favourites and a couple of new movies.
This year and for the past ten years or so I will be visiting my sister and her family. I have been invited and I have accepted. Unfortunately they regard me as a weird mental case. I usually only visit them two or three times a year.
In my childhood I was always at home at Christmas. I was NEVER invited to anyone's home. My mother had a lifelong cooking and food obsession. She always cooked too much and insisted we eat it all up. We always spent a lot time decorating the tree. I received very few cards.
On Christmas day itself, my father went to church alone. Then went out visiting family and friends. I was never invited to go with him and nobody visited us. It was just the three of us spending time at home.
This year, the local mind centre is running workshops, titled 'coping with Christmas ' I intend to sign up.
There are workshops on four days, on how to cope with Christmas.