James Peto

Memories of a boyhood Christmas

My scheme to trap Saint Nick

  • From Spectator Life
A young boy makes a Christmas pudding, 1934 (Getty)

Come on, it’s 6 o’clock and time for bed my mother said, there is a lot still to do before Christmas Day. Now, hang up your stocking at the end of your bed, put out biscuits on the edge of the bath for the reindeer while I ask daddy to leave a glass of warming whisky for Santa Claus, don’t forget the letter that you have written to him too.

So the trap was set and off to sleep I went dreaming of toy trains, Meccano and even a penknife

The long run-up to Christmas always seemed to start at the end of October with the clocks going back an hour. The two remaining months before Christmas were an extremely busy time for a small boy; presents had to be made for one’s mother and father plus any relations coming to stay for the festive period, not forgetting decorations.

An early introduction to knitting enabled the making of string dishcloths, or if very adventurous a scarf of recycled wool taken from an old jumper.

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