Christmas Party

Dad worked at Currans and we always looked forward to the Christmas kid’s party at the old Currans Club. Straight from work Dad would take us on the long walk to the party through street all lit up with Christmas trees in most houses on our route. It’s something you don’t see much of these days.

Once at the party Dad would prop up the bar for an hour or so it was just too far to go home and come back unless he got a lift. It was a great night meeting kids for all over Cardiff with a few Docks kids thrown into the mix, but never many Asians kids. Currans had a large Asians workforce, mostly working the night shift, a shift not many other workers were would do but dad would be up for a shift or two.

There was always a plenty to eat all paid for with a small levy in the wages of the workers. It’s a long time ago but I seem to remember the presents on offer were better than most you got at these kinds of parties. It helped if you kept your wits about you at the end of the evening and with the arrival of Father Christmas, it was present time.

I remember the Owen family taking my brother and me to a Christmas party once and Santa gave my worst ever Christmas present … a DOLL. At the Currans party, I had the whole situation sorted they would call you up in groups like 5, 6 and so on boys and girls would line up and get a present. I would jump a year or two in search of the better toy and back at the table I would open it and hopefully hit the jackpot.