Christmas for me is a time for 70's childhood nostalgia. I think for a lot of people, Christmas as a child is when you were at your happiest and most excited. It's going to be a very strange one this year, not just due to Covid, but it will be the first Christmas without my parents. When you are young, your parents make it all happen behind the scenes and make the day such a special one, at least mine did.
I have some very vivid memories. It wasn't like today when the kids get huge stockings that could easily accommodate a few good sized toys. When myself and my sister were wee, we had one of dad's army socks, oh and a pillowcase! I will never forget the sound of a slight crackle when I moved my feet, and felt the weight of this long sock at the foot of my bed.
We'd open them by the gas fire in the kitchen on Christmas morning. They were very long socks so we had to dig deep towards the end. Then it was onto the pillowcase. We had to wait until after Christmas lunch before we opened the big stuff. The moment seemed like it would never come. The reason was, mum was so busy preparing for the meal that she wanted to leave that moment until she'd be able to relax and enjoy herself without leaving the room every 5 minutes to 'check on the lunch'.
These pictures were all taken by dad on his trusty Olympus film camera.
That's me in the front!
We always had a real tree. Dad spent what seemed like hours getting all the lights fixed into place (these were old lights from the 50's) and then it was our time to decorate. It was put up onto a table in the bay window so people could see it well from the street and it always was the best looking one. The lights were old, but goodness they looked awesome with the tinsel making it truly sparkle. It was usually around 16th December when it went up which seems so late to me considering we usually have ours up around the 7th!
Writing our Christmas cards at dad's desk. We used his special 'grown up' pen for this most important task. It was the same when writing our letters to the big fella. I remember the squeak of the desk when it opened and the smell of tobacco. Dad smoked pipes and the smell was wonderful.
Stocking opening
The classics were the best
Christmas lunch: My Mum and Dad with Granny, my Sister and me (in the blue check dress) The kitchen wasn't big enough to have everyone around the table so it was moved into the hall where there was more space.
Joy of joys a bright red dolly pram! I think the doll was the next present to open.
I seem chuffed to bits with this teddy even though does that look like some stuffing coming out the side??!!!
My sister getting her first proper bike, while I look on with secret jealousy!
Our living room. It was the hub of Christmas activity. Get this - the tiny portable Sony was carried through from the kitchen every night!! That makes me feel quite old.
Here's our Granny. Christmas was one of the few times she came to the house.
This must have been after Christmas dinner judging by our mouths! (I look like I've been eating bolognese...!)
Every Christmas seemed to be snowy either side in the 70's. Now we are hearing that snow in this country may be a thing of the past come 2040... Back then, when it fell, it FELL! Lots of dad's pictures are of huge amounts of the stuff. Mum made use of her ski's - in granny's garden while dad dug the car out!
Sledging in the street is pretty rare now in Edinburgh but here's my sister and I being pulled along on the trusty 'Snowplough'.
I remember how our feet felt like blocks of ice in these wellies but we still soldiered on with our snowman which wasn't complete until there were muddy stones in place for the eyes and mouth. This guy doesn't look too happy.
Thanks dad for the memories, you always did come up with some blinding pictures x
Merry Christmas to all the families I've had the joy of photographing this year, a MASSIVE thank you. It means a huge amount given the awful hand we've been dealt in 2020.
We are all going to me missing friends and family we would normally see at this time of year and it will be, needless to say very strange. All I can say is, love the ones you are with. To those who have lost someone this year, to Covid or otherwise it'll be tough and you'll want to take time out. Your body will thank you for it.
Here's to a peaceful and restful Christmas, hoping that next year will bring less anxious times for us all. It can only get better, right?
Stay Safe x