I had a rubbish childhood - had my parents been given a pet cat to look after you'd worry about the well-being of the cat! BUT at birthdays and Christmas we were swamped with presents and were envied by our friends. The moral of this little story is that you can give the most expensive presents but they mean very little - there are far more important things for parents to give!
Perfectly true Dustani. When I was growing up, my Dad who due to his health, didn't have a well paid job, so he had to be resourceful when it came to Christmas presents. His Dad who was a Master Carpenter had a well equipped workshop at the bottom of his garden where he used to manufacture coffee tables, sideboards, Welsh dressers and wardrobes for folks in his village. He used to save any offcuts for my Dad who then turned them into toys for my Sis and I. He took some hardwood and cut them into blocks and put a groove on one edge. He got members of the family who ate lollipops to save him the sticks. He made a roof from hardwood and glued a chimney stack on it. Christmas Day we were at my Grandma's in Edenthorpe and there was a knock at the door. They asked me to answer it. There stood Santa with a large sack which contained this model house and he apologised that his elves had forgotten to leave it at my house then left. I played for hours with that little house and it meant the world to me. Some years later, we were reminiscing and I asked who had shook my hand in his role of Santa Claus because none of my family left the room and was told that it was a very close mate of my Grandad, one Stephen Wade. I later found out that Steve ran a bus Company as his main source of income, but for fifteen years he was the deputy to the official hangmen Tom and Albert Pierrpoint. Still sends a shudder down my spine thinking about it. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Wade_(executioner)
Ee ba gum. Bit different in my day when tha gorra apple or an orange. Both of tha wo lucky. On a serious note. Never spend what ya can’t afford. My grandkids are treat more than my kids were, simply due to the fact We can afford more. On a barmy note ar lass still buys Easter eggs fot sons and partners. 2 on em coming up 40. and wo betide if she dint.
My Dad used to say " if you don't behave this year, Santa will leave you a sack of horse manure". I got up one Christmas and found a bag of horsemuck in a plastic sack at the foot of the bed. My Sis said " what's Santa left you". " I said an hoss when I can find it."!! If you haven't got a lot of money and you have a lad, do what I once did. I gave my youngest lad an empty box with a picture of a soldier on it. He asked me what it was and I told him it was the latest toy on the market the Action Man deserter.!