This is part two of my Christmas Day memory I wrote last Christmas taking up from where I left off has we were about to leave the house for church in my chosen year of 1970.
Church was necessary chore being a Catholic family beside for mum. There was no argument on the subject of church at any time let alone Christmas it was a must and no say on the subject. Dad would have already done his duty having fronted up for midnight mass in advance of taking by brother and I to church at a more respectful time. Fun thing was! I wanted to go to mid-night mass but had another year to wait for that pleasure.
Church would always be packed-out, over flowing to the brim on Christmas Day, standing room only at the back. There would be whole families in attendance and the twice a year parishioners who turn turned up for Easter and Christmas. 1970 we would have Father Bernard presiding over proceedings at St Cuthbert’s and you could tell he would be marking the register in his mind making sure all his flock were present. It was not unknown for him to knocking your door to check why you missed mass.
I was never a fan of old Bernard he actually scared me. I dread going up for communion, kneeing, mouth open to receive the host. I had visions of him standing over me pointing telling the congregation this boy is evil. The plate/collection would be hefty unlike the other 50 weeks, like Easter noticeable more notes in the collection. I always thought the money was the priest wages as a kid making me reluctant to put my few pennies in the plate.
Mum would be at home cooking a full on Christmas dinner in a kitchen so small I sometime marvel on how she managed it. It was Dr Who Tardis. Being 1970 we were now a family of five with the birth of my sister Andrea however, no church for her to young. Home after church meant you were in for the day and it was not a long walk home, one school and five house away to our house. Has we were coming out of church the Bethel Baptist lot would be going to church but most of them were not locals, they travel in. If we had a new bike mum would let us out for five minutes to have a go the street would be empty but for other children testing their new bikes out.
Before dinner, it would be toys, TV and a new sister to play with. Full on dinner with lots of greens would be laid out on the table. I didn’t do greens back then, but mum would insist on loading my plate much to my annoyance. The transition in our home was dinner around 1pm follow by the rest of the day glued to the TV. BBC was the choice channel in the house and even today, I still prefer the BBC Christmas entertainment than any but in these days of soaps through most of the evening it’s harder these days.
Back than we had programmes like children’s hospital were celebrities would visit a children’s ward. Top of the Pops, the Queen, Bill Smart circus, Disney Time all my favourites has a child not so much the Queen, but she was always there. After the Queen we would sit back coal fire blazing away just been together stuffed like the Turkey earlier. A light tea mainly consisting of turkey sandwiches’ and much less sweets.
Has a child bed always came easy for me on Christmas Day and I would head to bed with a smile on my face.
Church was necessary chore being a Catholic family beside for mum. There was no argument on the subject of church at any time let alone Christmas it was a must and no say on the subject. Dad would have already done his duty having fronted up for midnight mass in advance of taking by brother and I to church at a more respectful time. Fun thing was! I wanted to go to mid-night mass but had another year to wait for that pleasure.
Church would always be packed-out, over flowing to the brim on Christmas Day, standing room only at the back. There would be whole families in attendance and the twice a year parishioners who turn turned up for Easter and Christmas. 1970 we would have Father Bernard presiding over proceedings at St Cuthbert’s and you could tell he would be marking the register in his mind making sure all his flock were present. It was not unknown for him to knocking your door to check why you missed mass.
I was never a fan of old Bernard he actually scared me. I dread going up for communion, kneeing, mouth open to receive the host. I had visions of him standing over me pointing telling the congregation this boy is evil. The plate/collection would be hefty unlike the other 50 weeks, like Easter noticeable more notes in the collection. I always thought the money was the priest wages as a kid making me reluctant to put my few pennies in the plate.
Mum would be at home cooking a full on Christmas dinner in a kitchen so small I sometime marvel on how she managed it. It was Dr Who Tardis. Being 1970 we were now a family of five with the birth of my sister Andrea however, no church for her to young. Home after church meant you were in for the day and it was not a long walk home, one school and five house away to our house. Has we were coming out of church the Bethel Baptist lot would be going to church but most of them were not locals, they travel in. If we had a new bike mum would let us out for five minutes to have a go the street would be empty but for other children testing their new bikes out.
Before dinner, it would be toys, TV and a new sister to play with. Full on dinner with lots of greens would be laid out on the table. I didn’t do greens back then, but mum would insist on loading my plate much to my annoyance. The transition in our home was dinner around 1pm follow by the rest of the day glued to the TV. BBC was the choice channel in the house and even today, I still prefer the BBC Christmas entertainment than any but in these days of soaps through most of the evening it’s harder these days.
Back than we had programmes like children’s hospital were celebrities would visit a children’s ward. Top of the Pops, the Queen, Bill Smart circus, Disney Time all my favourites has a child not so much the Queen, but she was always there. After the Queen we would sit back coal fire blazing away just been together stuffed like the Turkey earlier. A light tea mainly consisting of turkey sandwiches’ and much less sweets.
Has a child bed always came easy for me on Christmas Day and I would head to bed with a smile on my face.
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