Friday, December 20, 2013

Sepia Saturday - Dec 21


Sepia Saturday

I'm posting at Sepia Saturday today. This week's challenge:



No theme this week just my best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas and a new year filled with peace and happiness.

I have no memories or photos of our Christmas in Dublin before we came to Canada.

My favourite memory of Christmas as a child was waking up with my younger sister early on that magical morning and finding that Santa had come and left presents at the bottom of our beds.
It never occurred to me that this was quite a feat for him to be able to leave our gifts in our bedroom without waking us.
I remember being surprised that he didn't did this at everyone's house!

Mom's handwriting on the back of the photo.

Montreal 1957

Baie Comeau - 1958



Mom and Dad


December 1961



A Christmas card from Dad to Mom


Card from Ireland - Nanny Mac to Mom and Dad


Money was tight growing up but my parents always ensured that we had a very special time. I know that our gifts were often bought on the "layaway" plan.

Mom would often make us some presents as well. One of my favourites were the clothes she made for my Barbies (not  real Barbies, too expensive, but lookalikes). The British magazine,
Woman's Weekly, would have fantastic knitting patterns for doll clothes. My uncle had married an English girl and she received the magazine every week so we got to read them.

She even made a fur coat for my doll out of scraps.
I am so disappointed that I don't have any photos but the memories are there.



Growing up, as the oldest cousins, our house would be the place for dinner.










Nanny and Grandfather


 
My mother was a Christmas nut, and as money got easier and we grew up Mom would go overboard with gifts which she would buy throughout the year and she continued to make us stuff.

Tree skirt

Mom saved the wrapping paper that could be re-used from year to year, no dollar stores then. This paper ended up as a gift tag!





Sweater and throw

As film and processing got less expensive we would take group photos.


On Christmas Eve since we were the eldest cousins (on the maternal side we were 12) we would go out for Chinese food (the only thing open those days in Montreal) C-est La Vie in Parc Extension and then deliver gifts to my two aunts and my uncle's families.

As the cousins got older and their families developed their own traditions, the family would then come over after dinner on Christmas Day.
Cousins




 Friends who didn't have any relatives in Canada would always be welcome.




 Silliness - Three sisters doing Sweet Alice Blue Gown

You can listen to a version here












Mom would always serve her pudding and brandy sauce. Click here for the recipe!

More Christmas food photos here!



And of course there would always be a sing song! Just a random selection of some of those songs.





















11 comments:

  1. Such wonderful family photos -- and Sweet Alice Blue Gown is great! Happy Christmas to you, Jackie!

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  2. The picture with the tissue crown brought back memories! Whenever we went to my husband's folks' for Christmas, at each place at the dinner table was a wrapped Christmas favor with a tissue crown & some other little fun thing, & we all had to put on the tissue crowns. Made for fun pictures of Christmas dinner with everyone wearing their different colored crowns. Merry Christmas!

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  3. Wow! What a collection of happy Christmas photos.
    Hope you have as much fun this year.

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  4. I bet you had so much fun just finding all these photos and reliving the memories.
    I hope you have a great Christmas again this year.

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  5. Your family Christmas photos remind me of going to my cousins' house for Christmas dinner.

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  6. This should win the prize for the most Christmas theme material, Jackie! It's like those giant tins with 24 varieties of holiday cookies. Best wishes for a joyful holiday.

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  7. Hey babe,thank you for reminding me of the excellent Christmas memories with mom, dad, urs and family. Love you

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  8. hey babe, great port for Christmas, takng me back to those wonderful .morning and dinners with Mom, Dad, Urs and family.
    Love you mucho

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  9. A whole Christmas album of memories; thank you for sharing them.

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  10. That looks like a warm and loving family. Happy New Year!

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  11. What a wonderful recreation of your Christmas' through the years!

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