My Christmas memories – Part Three: Excitement!
Being normal children, we could be found getting up to mischief. Our favourite activity, which could be done on any day over the Christmas period except Christmas day, was to slide around the base of the tree. My sister and I wore the famous cosy toes tights and the boys’ cord trousers, which all worked well for the task!
We would crowd around the door, so we could take a good run towards the tree. As we got closer, we’d go down on our knees and shins and slide on the polished floor around the back of the tree. This was great fun and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Mum and Dad however, were not so impressed and we were told in no uncertain terms, not to continue as we could knock down the tree! We of course insisted we wouldn’t, and after all they were spoiling our fun, so with someone on guard duty, our activity continued. The pine needles getting caught in our tights and trousers, was all part of the fun. I don’t recall the tree ever being knocked down, but I’m sure we were the culprits to some of the glass baubles being destroyed!
Finally, Christmas eve would arrive and we would be too excited to sleep, so we’d talk to each other in loud whispers across the landing, until Mum or Dad would call to us to stop and get to sleep. “Father Christmas didn’t come to children who were awake!” We would try with all our might to stay awake to see him, but we never managed it and finally fell asleep dreaming of exciting things
