If you are 60 or over do you remember the lovely white Christmases we used to have?

Question

I always remember my childhood Christmases as being WHITE! We had loads of snow, it was cold, frosty, sunny and seasonal. What are your memories of UK Christmases?
Rest of World, you are not frozen (Lol!) out of this Q.

Answer 1

I was born and brought up in Lancing in Sussex and Tc was born in Hull and we both remember wintertime in the 60's as being very cold and white at Christmas time. Whether or not ALL Christmases were white is another matter lol. One thing we do remember though is that the seasons were definately in the right order! Sometimes now we seem to get winter conditions when it should be autumn and vice versa and then part way through the autumn or winter we get spring weather which confuses the wild life and flowers. We had spring bulbs popping their heads out of the ground last Christmas which was very pretty but too early!
I remember one winter when we had that much snow that on the way to school my friend, Gary, disappeared altogether when we crossed the rec. He had fallen and disappeared in the snow lol. Memories of frozen playgrounds and kids falling over, my brother making one area of the playground so slippery that no one except the true daredevils would dare slide down it! And I remember a boy called Robin who had polio, he had a special 3-wheeler trike that he lost control of due to the icy playground and he caught his fingers in the chain of his trike. Off came the finger....and the white of the snow and ice was changed very quickly to bright red with all the blood spurting out of what was left of his hand coz it had been mangled pretty badly! Unfortunately, whenever I reminisce about winter down south that is the image I see or at least one of them.
I wasn't allowed to play in the snow very much as a child coz I had a weak chest and got pneumonia at the drop of a hat. I was allowed one year to help my brother and sister make a huge snowman in our back garden but I wasn't allowed to get wet lol. I was allowed to put the coal on for its eyes and buttons, the carrot nose and we "borrowed" one of Dads' pipes, his long scarf and a trilby hat to put on the snowman too. As soon as that was done I had to go back indoors again. As the temperature slowly changed we would watch as the snowman melted away to nothing. Thanx for taking me down memory lane. I don't have too many happy memories of my childhood but I do have one or two. Thanx again xx

Answer 2

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Answer 3

It used to start snowing just before Thanksgiving and stayed until March or April, sometimes even into the first of May. I lived on a farm, and when my cousin was there, we had a lot of fun making snow angels, building snow tunnels and snowmen. Our cheeks were rosy from the cold, and even our hands after we took off our gloves. Most winters the snow was a foot deep, or more. I lived in the U S in one of the mid-Atlantic states. Now I'm in the south and miss the snow, which we get occasionally, but usually doesn't last more than a day. Sometimes an ice storm, but I can do without that. I'll take the snow!

Answer 4

In Upper Michigan, USA, the only Christmas that wasn't white that I can remember was last year. Didn't get snow till into January.
This year, it has started early. About 18"or so, I'd guess already. My "Season's Greetings" sign in our yard now reads "Seasons" and Snoopy on his doghouse is now Snoopy on some kind of rooftop.

We spent a couple Christmases in Las Vegas, and I sure did miss the snow!

We have an exchange student from Australia in our town. He is absolutely thrilled with the snow here.

Answer 5

I loved winter when I was a child, it was snowing all the while from November on, We used to go sledging in the holidays and that was great, and skated on the frozen ponds. You could buy hot Chestnuts in the park and all the cars had big chains around their tyres so as they could grip the roads. We used to make big slides in the school playgrounds and had a great time whizzing along on them, till the dratted Janny came and salted it while we were in class. Now the seasons all seem to roll together, they are not definite any more.

Answer 6

Last year wasn't white and I didn't miss it. This year is going to be white and we are already fffreeezing. I just can't seem to get warm.
I liked shopping when I was a kid before we had shopping malls. It was fun running from store to store in the snow and seeing everything lit up at night. Everything sparkled , including the snow. Now shopping is boring. I don't know if it is my age or what, but I don't enjoy the hunt as much as I used to.

Answer 7

I'm 37 and we used to have white Christmases every year. We sure don't get snow like when I was growing up.

Answer 8

Christmases just can't be as white and beautiful as they ALWAYS used to be -- but I can remember it well (In Michigan), even though every year isn't white now, I'm still very thankful that my younguns don't have to walk the ten miles to & from school in the blizzards ,going uphill both directions, that I had too as a very young child. Us Yanks seem to remember things to be a lot more beautiful than archived newsreels portray. eh ?

Answer 9

Grew up in Southern California. Never had a White Christmas until 4 years ago (I am 52). Been to the beach on both Christmas day and New Years day though.

Answer 10

I am 44 and still remember the gorgeous white ones we used to have. Both my husband and I were born during bad winters, him in April 1947 (Leeds) and me in January 1963 (Withernsea but poor parents were living in Hull so had to go there for me to be born). The last really snowy one I remember was in 1994 when it took me 9 hours to get from Bradford to Dewsbury on what should have been a 40 minute bus ride!!