Memories of Christmases past…
THE FIRST thing I remember about Christmas in the 50s and 60s was a general feeling of joy, brought on perhaps by hearing ‘Joy To The World’ and other carols being played on the radio.

This general feeling of joy was due in no small measure to the closing of school, accompanied by the annual Christmas party. Those parties were fun; pure, unadulterated fun – dressed in the best clothing to which you had access (beg, borrow or steal), looking different, music pouring from jukebox, live entertainment from makeshift school choir (carolling), goodies galore, homemade ice cream, and sorrel drink and ginger beer.

This general feeling of joy showed in the actions of our parents and grownups, or was it gratification on the part of the adults of seeing the joy on the face of children.

These emotions were fed by the appearance of and access to lots of food and goodies. There were other things, but first things first – children connecting to the savouries and sweets of the season.

I grew up in a home where the family lived a Spartan existence, but where at Christmastime, there was food and goodies galore. This was mainly so because my father worked for a Water Street general merchant, Resaul Maraj, importer of groceries, food condiments, and confectioneries among other imports.

Coming to us from the warehouse of this merchant, I remember, were the various cheeses, but we loved best the ‘Dutchman-head’ variety. There were also all types of chocolate (especially Cadbury), dates, prunes (various types), nuts (especially the ‘walnut’), cookies and shortbreads.

There were various types of alcoholic beverages. The adults downed the contents, and the children fought over the intricately decorated containers and bottles in varying hues.

Apart from the foods and goodies, there was the ultimate visit to Santa; he was still a magical personality then, and the aura of visiting him was euphoric.

And there were toys and more toys. The main toy for boys was the gun that fired caps. Later, there were fine suits of outfits representing cops, robbers, comic book characters, and cowboys and Indians.

Of course, designers improved on all of these products until guns were shooting real bullets, the revolver with rotating barrel of bullets called the ‘six-shooter’. But many of us had to wait until Christmas Day to play ‘war-break’ and ‘police-and-thief’.

We must not forget the intriguing fact that many times we joined the girls playing ‘dolly-house’, despite the taunts; the brave ‘men’ were rewarded with emotions that stood them in good stead later in life as homemakers.

Christmas Day was generally quiet until after lunch; a very late lunch of either baked stuffed chicken or turkey… or good ole cod salt-fish to go with dhall and rice. Visiting relatives or receiving visitors was the highlight of the day — apart from gift of toys, we may realise monetary ‘small-pieces’, especially if we have to run errands to purchase rum or cigarettes or ice, items that will run-out very fast, due to the carousing of the grownups. Nowadays, a child could refuse to run such errands, but back then it was not frowned upon, and a child then was not as aware of his or her rights.

If Christmas Day was for the most part quiet, then the days leading up to that day were exciting; very exciting.

There was house-breaking, cleaning and redecorating. Those were the days of polished floors, polished furniture, brass and silver to clean and polish with ‘Brasso’ and ‘Shino’. Plastic flowers were washed and given a new lease on life. Then, the redecoration of the house with lots of homemade creations.

I also remember the patience of my parents; it was not easy providing for Christmas. They were blessed with love and loads of patience.