in association with


justChristmas 35


It’s Christmas, 1970’s style


by Andrew Brammer, a performance storyteller from North Walsham. His book Stumpy Sanderson’s Scrapbook, a collection of humorous tall tales about growing up in the 1970s, is available to order from Amazon.


Wake up just after 6.30 to see the magically stuffed pillowcase at the end of the bed.


Sticking out of the top, the unmistakably shaped Subbuteo International Edition. Quickly dive into the nylon treasure trove to unwrap all the other presents, which include an orange vinyl football (the type that leaves great stinging slaps when it hits you), a Persuaders annual, Brut soap-on-a- rope, and a Pickwick Top Of The Pops album, with songs not by the original artists. My brother has been up since 4am, and most of his presents have already been broken or trodden on. Even though it’s Christmas, we learn that he’s already had to serve a


punishment for having eaten all the chocolates off the tree.


Then, it’s down to a


breakfast of Puffa Puffa Rice, and a rare cooked treat of fried egg, fried bread and breakfast slices (poor man’s bacon) – which is ironic on this the one day you don’t want to stuff yourself with a big breakfast. Tear back upstairs for a full-on Subbuteo match with my brother, and we play out a tense encounter of West Bromwich Albion 4 Derby County 3. During the match, my brother manages to kneel on and break seven players.


And Bethany Hamblin, 16, gives a more up to date view . . .


The first day back at school after the “not so summery” summer was when the mentions of “Christmas being soon” started. Walking into the shops at the end of September and seeing all the winter clothes in store was a bit of a surprise, especially as that was the week of our Indian summer!


The sudden change to the cold winter weather made everyone talk about Christmas again. But at least this time we weren’t all still wearing T-shirts to school but wrapped up in our jumpers, coats and scarves and it didn’t feel too early.


The build-up to it is what I’m more excited about than the day itself – the big switch on of the Christmas lights throughout the area, Christmas films taking over the TV channels and Christmas songs on the radio.


I find nothing will get you


more into the festive mood than on a cold day, being cosy on the sofa watching a Christmas film with a big mug of hot chocolate!


When I was younger


my “must-have” toy for Christmas was a Bratz doll. I remember wanting one more than anything and even going into a shop to look for the doll I wanted and it being sold out.


The fact that the majority of my friends all had a Bratz doll made it 10 times worse. But that Christmas morning when I came downstairs and opened it as one of my presents, I was so happy, after spending so long wanting it, I’d finally got my first Bratz!


I still think that was my best Christmas


present, as it was the one that I wanted the most and kept me happy for the rest of the day!


WE LOVE THE 70s: Donna Todd, Just Regional’s accounts manager, with her Christmas bonanza of 70s goodies.


Although still stuffed from breakfast and the plundering of selection boxes, it’s back downstairs again, this time for dinner, and amidst the hand-made paper chains, with the relatives all now here, we are surrounded by a plethora of astonishing moustaches, flared trousers, kaftans and cheesecloth shirts, our nostrils filled with the toxic whiff of Hai Karate and Aqua Manda. Afternoon is spent in a fug of relatives’ fags, which they puff whilst downing Watney’s Party Seven, Worthington E and Babycham.


Drinking our Corona cherryade, we watch Slade and Wizzard on Top Of The Pops, and play the board-game, Colditz, as one by one the relatives


drop off, snoring like a symphony of doodlebugs.


After a late tea of all sorts of stodge, it’s then time for the evening highlight – Stan, Jack, and Blakey in the On The Buses Christmas Special.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40