Which Christmas Really drove you daft?

Less · 12-12-2005, 01:56

Thanks to Grannyclarets thread about Christmas songs, the memories came flooding back to me.
In 1963 the number one hit was All I want for Christmas is a Beatle
Dora Bryan. it was released two Christmas's before the real horror year but as with all Christmas songs remained popular for a few years more.
1965, If any Christmas was to be my starting point towards insanity it was that one.

Just in time for Christmas the new release at the Cinemas was, The Sound of Music.
My Mother made a special trip to Liverpool to go to the pictures with my Aunties to watch it.
When they came back, that look of new found wonder was in all their eyes and it was made quite plain to the menfolk woe-betide (what does that mean?), anyone that doesn't get his loved one a copy of that L.P.
My Father pointed out quite logically to my young eyes that we don't actually have a record player so what use would this gift be to my mother?
He withered physically before my mothers glare.
It was arranged that we would all be at aunties for Christmas, the day arrived and from six in the morning until opening time at twelve the menfolk listened To the fact that The Hills Were alive
Then suddenly they and any male member that might possibly look old enough were gone, we the young teens had to bear the brunt of it, Doe a deer a female....all of them over and over again.
Then my Cousin Three years my junior (She was always braver than me), asked, begged, pleaded, could she please, please, put one of her records on?
A gathering of the family coven and no, but you can put on some Christmas records.
The first one she played was All I want for Christmas is a Beatle, so now if ever I hear or there is a reference to that 'Golden Oldie' I am whisked back forty years to the day when I really did learn all the words to all the songs from The Sound of Music.

I would go to bed now, but I know that I will only lie back and hear again those strained sounds as they crackled and popped out of the Dansette Record player. But you know what? They don't make music like they used to do!
Thank God!

grannyclaret · 12-12-2005, 15:26

ooh that made me laugh... i remember dora bryan looking all gormlous and singing that song... but it had a very catchy tune ....

grannyclaret · 12-12-2005, 17:18

the one that irritated me most was the singing dogs......jingle bells..i read somewhere theres going to be a cat version of it this year ....

pendy · 04-01-2006, 11:27

I cringe whenever I hear "A child is born" and "Mistletoe and wine". Schmaltz of the highest order. What is it about Christmas that makes people maudlin - too much booze, probably.

West Ender · 26-01-2006, 22:20

It didn't drive me daft but it was a very memorable Christmas - 1952. My eldest brother was in the army, doing National service, and had broken his leg very badly - playing football! He was home on sick leave, on crutches after 2 operations. My mum had developed pneumonia and pleurisy and was in hospital, very ill.

My dad was determined to make Christmas as good as he could so he bought a big turkey. It weighed 22 lbs and my 2nd eldest brother, who was cooking it (he was 17) had to saw it in half to get it in the oven. We ate the most miserable Christmas dinner ever, without Mum, and the candles on the Xmas tree (no electric lights then) set fire to the tree on Boxing Day. Dad put it out with a soda syphon.

Anyway, Mum recovered and lived to the age of 91 and my brother, who is now 72, can still play golf 4 times a week despite the steel screws in his leg. Since then, every Christmas has been like a bonus!