It all started for me during the year of our Lord one thousand, nine hundred and forty seven in my bedroom looking out on the railway line in Wallington.

Not that I remember that year. but my early memories of Christmas are frost on the inside of the window, seeing my breath in the cold air, a xylophone, the Tiger annual and Hornby Dublo.

Dad drank too much and hated the day to end. He was always the last up to bed. Mum was a port and lemon girl of if she felt really daring a Babycham. I would sneek a sip of dad's beer.

We had no TV until I was about seven I think, but even after we had one it was only on for the Queen's speech. Entertainment came from a lovely old radiogram and dreadful card games like Housie Housie and Pit. I hated them and usually found a corner the read the Tiger.

As an only child, Christmas when I was young wasn't exactly a bundle of fun. But now I love seeing the excited faces of my grandchildren as they cause havoc around the house. And I can have a drink without feeling guilty.

Dad and I watched games standing on the muddy slope of the Holmesdale Road end. He cheered and I rattled.

Nice P.O.G & ST!

Still very much enjoying this thread

Now Zaha's got a bit of green grass ahead of him here... and finds Ambrose... not a bad effort!!!!

We played Newmarket and Thruppeny Swindle - and we were all made to stand for the national anthem when the Queen's speech came on...cold but happy days!

A stairway to Heaven and a Highway to Hell give some indication of expected traffic numbers

We had one, the advocaat and cherries to keep mum topped up with snowballs

Our central heating consisted of a paraffin stove (Valor?) which dad used to leave alight all night in the hall. The only other heating came from a coal fire in one of the two downstairs rooms that mum lit when she got home from work late afternoon.

Dad and I watched games standing on the muddy slope of the Holmesdale Road end. He cheered and I rattled.

Fetching the paraffin was a real chore when it had snowed. I remember at my Nan's making "firelighters" out of tightly rolled & twisted newspaper then another sheet over the fireplace to make it draw. Our hot water came from a coal boiler in the back room so if that went out it was cold water. No recycling though because anything that would burn went into it.
Getting out of bed was a real shocker when it was cold too after sleeping under the old man's overcoat and a blanket with holes all over - Lanacel? Then a few years later an electric blanket when my mum had saved enough Green Sheld stamps or Kensitas coupons.
There was a three bar fire in the living room which was only used to put the bulbs on to "suggest warmth". It didn't work.