Remember: What is your earliest Christmas memory?

I don't remember specifics, more feelings or 'groupings';

Les says: Leaving out Chocolate chippies and beer for Santa. Around age 4 or 5.

Me- Circa 14 years old (got the little black dress for Christmas) and that's my Cousin; everyone in my Dad's family called her Toni-Marie and everyone in her Mum's family call her Antionette- she had Twins last year- that blows my mind!)

I remember often having lunch at home with my mums side of the family. And then going to my Nana's house in Young street and having a huge big family dinner all set up on the pool table in the pool room. All the pressies under Nana's horrific fake Christmas tree (we had real at home). I remember hanging out with my older uncle in the back yard. I remember my Poppa playing his guitar and ukulele and singing "Shingle Bells". The family was so big (My dad is one of 8 (9)) will spilled out into the yard (my Nana had a great vege garden) and into the garage especially if it was cold. There were also sometimes some Tongan family?/friends of my Poppa's and the odd ex border from the Railway Man's hostel my Nana ran for some time. (I do have vague memories of that (Onslow House) as well there was a huge dining hall with a piano and the men would play it and sing. My maternal grandfather lived there and that is how my parents met. I guess I would have been around age 5 plus.

My Poppa and some Salmon from the net we set across the road from the crib. See the cat in the background- my Poppa was grumpy when Nana brought him home- didn't want a cat. Poppa named the cat he didn't want 'Ofa' that's Togan for love- he's still around (the cat that is) likes to take walks on the beach with Nana and the dog.

Later I remember having Christmas Hangi's at my Nana's crib. It seems that the older I got the worse Dunedin's weather got at Christmas and we'd quite often freeze our butts off in the garage at the crib. But when I was younger us kids would have camp outs and probably swim in the sea across the road on those cold Dunedin Christmases.

These first few are new years (obviously) but you get the idea! Lots of people- friends and family!

Laying down the hangi- we would have pigs and seafood- cockles from the beach. And Cabbage lots of cabbage! Yuk!

Me and my cousin Danny, he's the next oldest after me. I think there is about 5 or six tears difference. That is across the road from the crib- like literally across the road- less than a stones throw!

I also remember one Christmas eve when I was quite young maybe 7 or 8 and my Dad came home drunk because he'd had the shithouse job of telling some guy that he'd lost his job- on Christmas Eve while the guy was sitting in jail. I guess he had also been tasked with picking up my Christmas Present, Camphor Wood Chest, which he dropped in his intoxicated state and broke (nothing major) but my mother (not Sylvia) game him hell about it for a long time- a lovely (not) wee guilt trip she twist the knife on every so often.

I also remember shopping for Christmas I'd go to Arthur Barnetts and choose individual cards for my parents, aunties and grandparents- my Mum's card always had a Robin with a red breast on it. And I'd buy small but relatively expensive presents from flash places that my family liked to go to but could hardly afford to buy from; 'Dimension' and a few others I no longer recall the name of though I can see them quite clearly in my mind and place them on the main street of Dunners. I'd buy things like sweet little porcelain jewelery holders with flowers. Or Crabtree and Evelyn Paper soap books. Or monogrammed hankies with 'D' (for Daddy). It was all very posh and quite 'English'.

Me and my Dad and Caity 1991 Another dress for Christmas! That's my Maroon Triumph out on the road- that car ruled! Gotta love those chairs too, my Nana rocked retro before it was retro !

♥