There is so much information out there about how to have a healthy Christmas, tips on what to buy and how to survive the festive season that I don’t think you need any advice from me.

Maybe instead we can think back to the things that we loved about our childhood Christmases. For me in Ireland I loved having my relatives come to stay because we had such fun.

I remember:

• The smell of our pine Christmas tree  
• Coloured lights in the dark evenings
• Our old crib with straw
• Tall red and white candles in silver candelabras (never scented)
• Enormous boxes of chocolates with beautiful pictures on the cover
• Pears in purple tissue paper
• Holly with heaps of red berries decorating every vase
• The poor turkey dangling in the cold at the back door
• Mum piling plates high on saucepans to keep them warm as she tried to serve food piping hot from a tiny kitchen
• Our special occasion china cups and saucers – had to be careful when washing up!
• Card games every night using saved coins in matchboxes
• The smell of the thyme in the turkey stuffing
• My cousin Frances singing every verse of ‘Lily the Pink’ to cheer me up when I had a gum abscess one Christmas
• Snoozes by the fire
• Midnight Mass and willing Mrs Manser to hit the high notes in tune during the Gloria
• Staying home
• Christmas shows on the only TV channel (like the Black and White Minstrel Show – so wrong!)
• Giving gifts and watching reactions
• Playing charades
• Guinness plum pudding – the best
• Recycling Christmas wrapping paper for the next year!
• Listening to Harry Secombe sing ‘Bless this House’ (Dad’s favourite)
• Dad telling funny stories of times gone by. He was a great story teller.

My brother sent me an old home video of Christmas 1980 in our house and I thought I would include a very short clip to hopefully give you a laugh. Unfortunately there is no sound.  I had been given a bean bag for Christmas that year which my Dad tries out or tries to get out of! He is watched by my Mum in the blue jumper and his sister, my Aunt Jenny is in hysterics alongside my Uncle Pat.

Christmas in Ireland from Margaret Bates on Vimeo.

Christmas doesn’t have to be perfect but I hope you can have fun and that it is special for you and your family.

Sister Margaret Bates
College Nurse