Christmas presents in the late 50’s

Often there would be a new hat knitted by mum in my “pillow case” (not stocking).
* the one worn by the girl in the picture.
Sometimes it had a pom-pom on the back, sometimes not.
Did anyone else wear these?
They pinched your head after a while as there was a metal hairband - like a large bicycle clip - to hold it on your head.

OxfordGran Thank you for starting this thread, it has indeed revived some wonderful memories. I had truly forgotten just how wide a variety of gifts I received as a child, I’m amazed at how many of the things mentioned I had at one time or another.

Bluebird toffee tray with a little metal hammer, hence why I've got awful teeth !
My aunt have me a pair of moccasins which, with imagination ,meant I was an Indian for the next year, loved an alternative world.

Oh yes selection boxes with a game on the back.

Ah yes, like some of you I also had cowboy ‘equipment’ (sadly not a horse) and my aunt made me a dress with lampshade fringe round the bottom, Calamity Jane style. My scooter had to do for riding round the village.
Anyone remember Pookie books?

As far as I’m concerned, nothing wrong with the name ‘fuzzy felts’ Lucca but just wondered if nowadays the word ‘fuzzy’ is not acceptable to some, if aligned with other words.

If I’m over thinking this, please ignore.

Early 50s: Dolls, Books

Late 50s: Transistor radio, books

My Christmas and birthday lists always consisted of one word: books. My mother always complained about that and asked me to think of a few other things I would like, but I rarely did.

A “red Indian” headband with a feather sticking up made by my dad, not the full headdress I wanted! I think I also had a cowboy hat and a rifle once, no dolls for me! We also had a kitten once and a reel to reel tape recorder.

I remember a large spinning and humming top I had one year, you pressed the large top and it made pretty patterns as it span.

My brother had a blue Triang scooter one year. Another year he had a tricycle with a proper boot to put his Corgi and Matchbox cars in. He got way better presents than I received.

Enid Blyton books.
Bunty annual.
A satsuma in silver foil.
A selection box.
Rowney paints in a long palette with brush.
A scrapbook.
A bar of Aero chocolate.
My parents were poor so how they afforded this lot I do not know. It must have meant they deprived themselves.

Shelflife I remember the little brown bricks! Did they have some kind of metal posts as well?

Also remember the iron filings picture to give the mana beard or long hair!

Judy and Bunty Annuals and Rupert of course.

Petite typewriter- still have it.
Talkative Jane
Little roll top desk
A game called Sorry. Can’t remember how it was played
Tube of Smarties

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I loved a Bunty annual!
I also had a building set called ' mini bricks ' Any one else remember those? Small brown bricks - a bit rubbery that slotted together a bit like Lego. Also came with little doors and windows for house building. I loved it but no one I speak to remembers mini bricks. Happy days!

Callistemon21

^Lakeland pencils^ Yes

P.s. Did anyone else read the Chalet School books in the 60s
Yes, I still have a couple.
Oh, how I longed to go to boarding school!

Yes! I longed to be one of the Chalet School girls!

Brother got Meccano. Unfortunately there were boys toys and girls toys in the family, tho my mum was not prissy at all and I was quite a tomboy.

I liked all the crafty presents, Calendargirl

I'm not sure if relatives and friends liked the end results of my efforts, though.

A proper wind-up alarm clock with a woodland scene on the face. In the centre were two pixies manically see-sawing in time with the ticking. It all got a bit much for them, having to go at it 24/7. Pixies and see-saw soon fell off their pivot and lay upside down, looking very pathetic!

Soap on a rope every year,
an annual of some sort and at least one book
and a sherbet fountain.

I too loved the spirograph I was given one year.

Calendargirl

Oh, and those ghastly French Knitting sets, with a wooden cotton reel that produced a long knitted worm.

Fuzzy Felt ( is that name allowed now?)

Mosaic sets, with little hard coloured balls that slotted into holed card and made patterns.

(Can you tell I was never into craft?)

Why
Would the name fuzzy felt “not be allowed “??

Annapops

Your washing machine Urms reminded me of an oven I received when I was about 5years old. It really worked using methylated spirit as the fuel. I remember my dad lighting it for me and putting the small toy whistling kettle on the burner. I screamed with fear when I heard it. Where were the health and safety police back then? How did we survive?

I had just remember I had the same oven made by a friend of my father's . I do not think it got lit very often . I got the book " Children of the New Forest " one year and loved it . My parents owned a small shop , we lived above and alondside it , and in my early years they opened on Christmas day . I remember opening my presents all by myself in my bedroom and trying on a seersucker pink blouse I had been given . In later years we closed the shop and my mother's family would come to us for Christmas lunch .

I have most of the Chalet School books. I read them in the late 60s and they were so exotic to a girl who lived in a village in central Scotland. As an adult, I have bought most of the series.

Lurching from the 50’s into the 60’s I had an etch a sketch, I loved it, so novel. A Barbie my Dad bought back from America, he used to travel there a lot, my sister had a Tressy later, I was jealous and cut the hair off.
I also remember a fat biro pen that had 3, or maybe 4 different colours, you moved a little slot to change colour.

Actually, I read them in the 1950s!

Lakeland pencils Yes

P.s. Did anyone else read the Chalet School books in the 60s
Yes, I still have a couple.
Oh, how I longed to go to boarding school!