Once Upon a Time
Christmas looked like this! Well, in 1948 it was a black and white happening...but only on film.
But how about this Father Xmas?
NOT one of the best of the friends and helpers of the 'real' Father Christmas I've ever seen! We can definitely see that Father Christmas on the main float at the Adelaide Christmas Pageant that year was the REAL one!
This one is lucky I didn't choose to hold on to his beard, for comfort or good luck or whatever! Could have been disastrous for all concerned!
I REALLY like my smile...'through gritted teeth' ...don't you?
Thinking of Father Christmas reminds me of my Ted Bear story and one of the many Christmas Eves we shared, recounted on my lens about him - and I quote:
Didn't we sweat it out one hot Xmas eve, 'bearied' together deep beneath the covers, when we could hear Father Xmas at the foot of our bed, filling our stockings, - as we lay there in mortal fear of the tiniest breath or movement betraying our wakefulness!! Because, everybody knows that if HE finds you awake, all bets are off, and there will be no presents for you this year, no sir - no way! Even all these years later, Ted and I agree that this was one of our 'closest encounters'.
But how about this Father Xmas?
NOT one of the best of the friends and helpers of the 'real' Father Christmas I've ever seen! We can definitely see that Father Christmas on the main float at the Adelaide Christmas Pageant that year was the REAL one!
This one is lucky I didn't choose to hold on to his beard, for comfort or good luck or whatever! Could have been disastrous for all concerned!
I REALLY like my smile...'through gritted teeth' ...don't you?
Thinking of Father Christmas reminds me of my Ted Bear story and one of the many Christmas Eves we shared, recounted on my lens about him - and I quote:
Didn't we sweat it out one hot Xmas eve, 'bearied' together deep beneath the covers, when we could hear Father Xmas at the foot of our bed, filling our stockings, - as we lay there in mortal fear of the tiniest breath or movement betraying our wakefulness!! Because, everybody knows that if HE finds you awake, all bets are off, and there will be no presents for you this year, no sir - no way! Even all these years later, Ted and I agree that this was one of our 'closest encounters'.
Adelaide's Christmas Pageant
The John Martin's Christmas Pageant began in 1933, at the height of the Great Depression. It was a gift to Adelaide's families, particularly the children, by an extremely generous and altruistic benefactor - Sir Edward Hayward - the owner of the John Martin's department store in the heart of Adelaide. Of course, there will always be cynics to say it did his business no harm, and was a great PR job for the store - but he always insisted it was to bring some joy and colour back into many weary hearts.Personally, I can tell you, he succeeded - big time. I was there from at least 1948, maybe earlier -my heart fills with happy memories still, and my eyes are getting suspiciously watery as I write about it.
History records the first procession comprised just 8 floats and 3 bands, with an estimated 200,000 spectators. Recent statistics suggest 60 floats, 15 bands, 164 clowns, etc., etc. And whilst the spectators actually at the event number under 500,000 - millions of people watch the televised event - all around the world. It has taken place every year, except for the war years of 1941-1944 - reinstated in the year of my birth - how thoughtful of Sir Edward!
Since 1934, the Pageant has ended with an impressive float with that grand old man - Father Christmas himself atop, waving and blowing kisses to all - and ending his journey at the store, containing the beloved 'Magic Cave' - where he and his helpers take up residence to see and hear all the children's Christmas wishes and hopes for their Christmas presents.
For more information about the old beloved store 'Johnnies' and this rich tradition - you can visit Wikipedia -
And for the full story - I really think I have to write another lens about this phenomenon and the amazing man behind it all. Having researched this subject, and being, shall we say 'personally involved' - I can promise you, it's most interesting.
More memories
Christmas lights display on the banks of the River Torrens, near Adelaide, at the (then) Southwark brewery (now West End Brewery).Mum & Dad took us every year on Christmas Eve to enjoy them from the footpath on the other side of the river. How absolutely beautiful they were, twinkling away on the river bank, as a million stars twinkled in the clear skies above us. And then Dad would take us for a long and leisurely drive around other Adelaide the suburbs to see the Xmas lights in shops along the way - but mostly to see individual houses that had gone all out in decorations of their homes. In those years, in Australia, only the wealthy could afford to do this - and provide so much happiness for we 'average' families. (Might add, Mum & Dad's plan with this big drive around was to tire us out so Father Christmas could make his visit to the pillowcase on the end of our beds - and not find us still awake!)
Before the additions to our family, we often took my widowed Mum there to revisit - usually around midnight - following a wonderful Danish Christmas Dinner the extended family all shared at our in-laws- and on our way home to our dairy farm at Parawa, about 1-1/2 hours drive south of Adelaide. It was a wonderful trip down memory lane for us all. Many years later, we would do the same with our three kids, (and my Mum...their beloved Gran, too) - again, usually around midnight - and again, on our way home to Parawa, to have our Christmas Day on the farm - after milking.
This display is added to every year- and I believe, is still beautiful to this day. We have not seen it for the past 10 years we have lived in the South East, some 5 hours away from Adelaide...but the memories are as clear and rich as ever.
This was a daytime photo from the very first display in 1959.
The following are the promised photos I now have permission to use. In South Australia we have a special TV program - 'Postcards', showcasing many special things to see and do in South Australia. The host of this show is a 'true gentleman' named Keith Conlon. I would like to demonstrate his generosity - and my sincere gratitude - by showing you exactly what he wrote to me, himself:-
Hello Christine
Delighted to grant permission for the pix to be used in your Squidoo article. Do you need them in higher resolution?
Please send me a link to your piece when it goes up.
Happy Christmas
Keith Conlon
And the best and most blessed Christmas to you too, Keith.
The West End Brewery Christmas Lights 2009
...as featured on 'Postcards'
Away in a Manger
A Sobering (?) Story
...of Christmas Past
Christmas Tree...Oh Christmas Tree
...being decorated by 'Our Cherubs Three'
Some years after we discovered we could not have children - and had spent much time impatiently waiting for a baby to adopt - we gave deep consideration to 'special needs kids' - and made the decision to adopt an older child. Our first was Brett - aged 4years and 3 months. In the next few years we would add Nicky, aged 18 months, and then Michaela, also 4+ years old. They each came to us with huge emotional problems. It was a bitter-sweet experience for us to create and share SO many 'firsts' with each of them. (Can you imagine having your 'first' birthday party - when you are 5 years old?!) "Oh WOW! It's Mummy's Magic Cave!"
Prior to our first 'with child' Christmas, we took Brett to see the famous Adelaide Christmas Pageant, followed by a visit to the equally famous 'Magic Cave' in John Martins' department store. I honestly believe the three of us enjoyed it all equally. It was really something for me, having grown up attending this event every year...revisited after so many years - and seen through the eyes of a child once again. I get teary in the remembering.
Some days later, as another 'early' Christmas present, I put up and decorated our Xmas tree, plus other decorations all around the house, while Brett was having his afternoon nap. When he woke, he came out of his bedroom, into my arms for cuddles, rubbing sleepy eyes and not focussing on anything past nuzzling into my neck for a bit. Then suddenly, he was wide awake - eyes huge as he saw all the glitter and glow of tinsel and baubles and Xmas lights on the tree, and everywhere he looked. At first he was speechless and gasping, "oh...oh...oh-h-h!" And then,
And I had thought I was the one giving the 'early' Christmas present!!
But Sometimes, Downunder in Oz
...it Looked Like This!
NOT a pretty picture....but FUNNY!Father Christmas certainly does have some questionable friends and helpers! Despite the best efforts of another 'Mother Christmas' (not the 'real' one) to feed this one up, there was no chance to fatten this dairy farmer at the busiest time of his life!
Once we became parents, our tradtion on the farm, was always to leave a bucket of water, a couple of carrots and a small pile of hay outside for the reindeers - and a glass of Raspberry cordial and the first piece cut from the Christmas Cake for Father Christmas (everyone else had to wait until Christmas Day!). We agonised at length about wishing to leave OUR drink of choice - Port - for the jolly old gentleman, but the final decision was reached that his drink MUST be non-alcoholic due to all the miles he still had to drive to get home to the North Pole...but it was unanimously agreed it MUST be a red drink - and that we maybe should include a few of my special homemade Xmas bikkies, too.
An old friend and neighbour thought it a great idea to hand-make a tiny bale of hay, for their firstborn to put outside the door on the first Christmas Eve he could understand it all. Great idea Dad - except that two more kids and some 10 Christmases later he was still making....3 hand-made bales of hay, annually - whilst assuring himself (with a very tight grin) that he really was having a great Christmas...so far!
Gold Wrapping Paper
..a Beautiful Xmas Story
The story goes that some time ago a mother punished her five year old daughter for wasting a roll of expensive gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and she became even more upset when the child used the gold paper to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her mother the next morning and then said,
"This is for you, Momma."
The mother was embarrassed by her earlier over reaction, but her anger flared again when she opened the box and found it was empty. She spoke to her daughter in a harsh manner.
"Don't you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something inside the package?"
She had tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Momma, it's not empty! I blew kisses into it until it was full."
The mother was crushed. She fell on her knees and put her arms around her little girl, and she begged her forgiveness for her thoughtless anger.
An accident took the life of the child only a short time later, and it is told that the mother kept that gold box by her bed for all the years of her life.
Whenever she was discouraged or faced difficult problems she would open the box and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.
In a very real sense, each of us, as human beings, have been given a Golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and GOD. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold
PS: Sincere Thanks to...
'Squid Angels who hovered near,
With angel dust and blessings
...and soul-lifting cheer'
And they looked a little like this...
And So This Is Christmas
....Again and Again
Is there anyone out there who doesn't have Treasured Memories of this Celebration of Love and Joy?
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Papier Dec 25, 2011 @ 7:03 pm | delete
- Treasured memories are rewarding. thanks for introducing me to life lived downunder. Interesting.
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GreenOasis
Dec 25, 2011 @ 4:53 pm | delete
- Wow lovely lens. Thanks for this.
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KarenTBTEN
Dec 23, 2011 @ 11:50 pm | delete
- A lovely and well-written remembrance. I am at my brother's house in Arizona. His younger daughter is four now. SquidAngel blessings.
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Mickie_G
Dec 23, 2011 @ 9:11 am | delete
- I love reading memories like the ones you shared here. It has made my day before Christmas Eve so much brighter. Blessed. Have a very merry Christmas downunder!
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alwaysjules Dec 22, 2011 @ 4:54 pm | delete
- I absolutely loved reading about your wonderful memories. Our family stories are the most important thing we pass down, aren't they? More treasured than monmey or furniture or a fancy vase, these treasured memories tell us who we are and where we came from. What better gift is there to possess? Wonderful. Thank you for a fabulous lens. Merry Christmas!
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laurenjane13
Dec 21, 2011 @ 5:59 pm | delete
- This brought me into tears..I always have a soft spot for things like this..Great lens by the way.
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flycatcher
Dec 18, 2011 @ 10:32 pm | delete
- Love the old Christmas photos - it's a good time of year for nostalgia.
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survivoryea
Dec 18, 2011 @ 1:57 pm | delete
- Brings back fun memories! Thanks
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RinchenChodron
Dec 16, 2011 @ 8:02 pm | delete
- I loved the story about blowing kisses! Very creative and enjoyable lens.
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nursecraft
Dec 15, 2011 @ 9:21 am | delete
- Your lens hits the spot! You capture treasure Christmas memories and make us think about what its all truly about!
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This Happy Snowman page written by
cdcraftee
Happy Christmas -
to You and Yours...from Me and Mine.
And here's my gift to you - some treasured memories of yesteryear. Enjoy!
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