Christmas presents when you were young

1974 a while ago I bought a vintage Vulcan sewing machine for my GD. It was still in its box. It didn't have the clamp, so it moved when she sewed. I refurbished my old hand Singer for her instead.

One of my Xmas presents was a childs Vulcan sewing machine. I was about 8/9 years old.
I absolutely adored it. Just one problem though, it only did chain stitching so you had to make sure that you secured the end threads really well otherwise the whole lot would unravel. Even my mum used it to make little dresses for my dolls.
Happy Days

I doubt they'd even sell Bayko these days without a few adjustments. Those metal rods could have had a child's eye out! It's interesting that so many girls were given it, as these days it would probably have to be coloured pink and adorned with flowers and glitter before it made it to the "girls'" shelves. Even Lego sets seems to be aimed towards either boys or girls now

Oh, well spotted on the stove, Jalima! Mine had a back too and a fireplace in the middle with coals that lit up, but the name Vulcan rang a bell as soon as I saw it. You've made my day, as I was starting to think I'd dreamt it too (helped along by DH's reaction when I described the fire hazard to him and insisted I was only 7 or 8 when Santa gave me the wherewithal to burn the house down...).

I had the greenhouse too GrammaH and Deeda I also had the cold frame and the pond. I looked on eBay with a thought to buying some vintage but it's very pricy!
My sewing machine was a 'Little Betty' I used to make dolls clothes with it. I also had Tressy but I didn't get to play with her until Boxing Day as my mother and aunt were 'playing hairdresser'!!

Not a Christmas present, but when DM was expecting me my Dad got issued some new thick seaboot socks (cream wool) which Mum unravelled and knitted into a baby blanket for me.

It's nice to see reading through these posts how many posters remember the gifts that their dad or other relatives actually made for them

The dolls house my dad made me. I made some of the furniture using empty matchboxes and fabric or wallpaper. It got given away when we moved house. I was so angry as nobody had asked me if I still wanted it. ?
He kept the plans and made an identical one for my daughter. I still have it and don't intend to part with it!

GrammaH I had the Britain's garden too and I eventually got the greenhouse! Sadly, my little plastic gardens were a lot neater than the jungle I'm looking at at the moment.

KatyK I had one of those typewriters I had pleaded for a petite typewriter so had to hide my disappointment on Christmas morning when I received this metal one with the letters painted on you turned a wheel to the correct letter and pressed down and a lever shot out against the ribbon. Mum couldn't see the point of spending money on something I wanted if she could find a cheaper alternative. She has kept this up this year she has given my hubby an experience day I got an envelope with a hand written invitation to go along and watch him!!

When I was about 7 my Dad made me a sewing box from an ex army gas mask box. They were strong wooden boxes and he painted it blue. Unfortunately he didn't hide it very well and I could see it under the bed in the spare room drying!! When I was given it, Mom had lined it with pink taffeta and it was lovely. I never let on that I had seen it.

I also had a Bayko Building Set and grew up to marry an architect, who also had a Bayko!! When we downsized 14 years ago to a bungalow we sold the two small sets in the local antique market and got nearly £40!

Sorry - Lot 3244

It was something like thyis but I think mine had a back

www.vectis.co.uk/Page/ViewAuctionLots.aspx?AuctionId=337&DayNo=3&Section=296&Start=40

It probably got thrown out before I set the house on fire!

No, it was a proper toy stove, very small, looked like a proper little cooker.
I'll see if I can find one on the internet.

We had a Primus years ago which we used to take camping.

Nothing to do with Christmas presents, but wondering if the methylated spirit stove was an old Primus, used for camping.
My parents had one, and you had to use methylated spirit
to get it going.

I was beginning to wonder if I dreamt it BBevan and Maggiemaybe, I'm sure the metal of the stove went all black and it didn't last very long!

Yes, I had a typewriter one year. Before that I had a John Bull printing set.

Jalima my sister and I shared a methylation spirit stove one Christmas. I remember cooking rice in one of the little saucepan. It stuck and burned. The house smelled awful all Boxing Day

I am sure that Bayko gave me delusions of grandeur Maggiemaybe. We lived in a terraced house and the Bayko houses (they came with garages too as I recall) were an almost unattainable dream! I haven't managed the house with bay windows either, but who knows, maybe one day! Wigeon3, your post almost had me in tears! I remember seeing a live production of Pinnochio by a travelling theatre group, and the father's heartbroken grief when Pinnochio rejected all his efforts and sacrifices nearly made me cry when I saw it. Perhaps I need to grow up!

And I've still got what I think is a Rosebud doll, resplendent in hand-knitted blue dress, sitting on a shelf in my cellar. Annie, her name is. My girls used to think she had a spooky stare, but I loved her

I've just seen your post about the methylated spirit stove, Jalima! I wonder if it was the same as mine? I've google it in vain, and never heard of anyone else having one (perhaps they all came to a nasty early end ).

I seem to remember a friend having a toy typewriter where there was a wheel to move around to get your letters onto the paper. It's a bit vague as to how that worked.

I loved Bayko too, and again, particularly the bay windows. I've always wanted a house with bay windows (never got one ), and I see now that Bayko probably put that idea in my head!

One year I was desperate for a pair of those high heeled 'glass' (plastic!) shoes that would make me feel like a princess. I can't remember whether I ever got them, so I can't have wanted them that much!

We had the pillow case of presents too.Also one of the Grandads made a dolls house, the usual brick wallpaper and little electric lights, but sadly we had no interest in it.
I really liked any painting sets, especially painting by numbers, also dot-to-dot books.
usually got the paper dolls with cut out dresses, which I enjoyed swapping around, dresses with little flowers on them, rather fancy.Little metal pots and pans for a spot of pretend cooking were always well received.As was any selection box!