November 2023 calling in ,im 60 but in my heart atm im having tea and battenburg cake with me old Nan and uncle charlie who passed yrs ago so thanks for this its gold
I'm 67, you're lucky, my nan died when I was 18, lost my mother in 2018, and lost my uncle Charlie in 2013, he was my favourite uncle of 3, just one left now, and doubt I'll ever see him again.
What a lovely bunch of ladies. Each accepting and proud of who they are and how they live. No hang ups, resilient, no attitude. Just lovely. Ive always said to my children, the most basic wsys to live are the most reawrding and give more satisfaction. You promote thinking and team work and no your place. It is important as then you know your role and feel your worth. All of which are lost today. Making our own stuff from scrath was a.rule and having.the stocking with fruit and nuts and the odd sweetie was a tradition of my Mum and Dad and my Children. How much happier pwople were when they werent ruined and spoilt and made to think they were better than others. Community is what makes anytime of year especially Christmas x Im so glad i found this video x 😊
Now that TV presenter the one interviewing these ladies is 87 herself now. Around the same age as these ladies in this interview. She's the widow of Michael Parkinson who died last year.
I feel sad for the current generation- they have had it so very good and have no idea that they have 😢 A roof over your head a bed to sleep in and food on table- heaven- you are blessed 🙏🙏🙏
It’s such a shame that we have lost 😞 those days. That was Britain 🇬🇧 at its finest. Diversity and our government’s are to blame for this happening to this great country. I should write a book 📖 called 👉🏽 once upon time in Great Britain 🇬🇧.
@@hsmd4533 each woman clearly comes from a different economic background, that's huge diversity in their lives experience. Why does diversity have to be anything further? Are you thinking diversity is men, women, race or different religions and sexualities?
How lovely to interview ordinary ppl who have wonderful stories to tell ,, We don’t always NEED celebs ,,,, I could listen to these ladies for hours & not get bored 😐
I agree. I find it almost repulsive to watch interviews today by celebrities or worse yet news personnel who talk over the people their interviewing. If we could harness the ego energy and convert to electricity we could light a whole city. The lady interviewing could be a voice stand in for Julie Andrews.
@Eagle1 I agree 100% I was born in 1975 but my parents were immigrants from Europe and raised me with a very old school mentality. They both lived through the Depression and taught me to appreciate every single meal, appreciate the luxuries of today like having indoor plumbing and hot-water to shower, the luxury of sleeping in a comfortable bed, all of the things that most people take for granted now. I also feel as though I was born an " old soul" and never felt comfortable with the way people act, I was drawn to movies and shows from the 40s and 50s always wishing I had grown up at that time. I'm embarrassed by my generation but I'm even more disappointed and heartbroken for the younger generations growing up now. Nobody seems to understand respect and appreciate life! I am grateful to have a vehicle that runs yet everyone my age is looking for the next bigger, better, more expensive car, television, phone, etc.. 😣 None of those things matter to me. I don't even have a TV What I care about is love, respect, connections, human spirit, all of the things that actually matter at the end. Idk, it's been very difficult getting through life when you feel like you were born in the wrong era.
Me too. My great aunt and uncle were part of that generation and I think my grandparents were. I miss them all so much. I’m sorry but today’s generations just don’t feel the same.
These ladies are pure gold. No glamour, no egos, no show off, no fakeness and terible makeups just pure honesty and telling the way it was. I could listen to them for hours.
Yes I agree. The best storytellers for me are those who lived through times that we didn't and enjoy telling you all about it. A lot more people seemed to be in the same boat back then.
@@WhiteStripesStripiestFan Today these grandmothers would have Botox, nose jobs, lip fillers, garish make-up, fake boobs and ink from shoulders to ankles. And of course the plastic claws. They'd be talking about their plans to spend holidays at some exotic, expensive location and the ridiculous priced bag they got as a gift.
God. When she said her brother, whom she clearly loved, died in the war my heart skipped a beat. The strong Yorkshire woman is just the salt of the Earth and and the lovely lady in the blue cardi is so humble. What remarkable women. What remarkable footage.
My grandad was Yorkshire and very old school but a wonderful gentleman. He would help or do for anyone. He grew up with what he used say was 'nowt' .... and when things were bad or had to do something that was hard or tough or didn't want to do he just used to get on with it and say 'well, you have it to do, don't you?'
Gordon Taylor I agree. They were a totally different breed back then. I think what I've noticed is that no matter the class, life was difficult for everyone to some extent. I mean, can you imagine having no running water or inside toilet. I mentioned the Yorkshire lady being featured in a mining video on this same TH-cam and the sheer disregard for health and safety was astounding. A guy who was on with her said there was an accident down the mine and the operators just ignored the accident, resulting in the miners carting the dead miners home.
Adrian Heath there would have been elderly people back in the 1970’s that shuddered at the idea of having children and adults watching TV on Christmas Day too. Times change, not better or worse, just change.
Me three! I too like history, vintage things, etc. These ladies remind me of my grandmother. Love stories about the 'old days'. Good to know there are ppl all over the world who experienced this sort of Christmas!
I will always remember being introduced to a lady celebrating her 100th birthday in 1977. I was thirteen years old at the time, and was absolutely fascinated by her, listening intently to everything she had to say. I cherish this memory and feel very privileged to have experienced it all those years ago. 💕
I always thought it would be the most interesting thing to be born in the mid 1800s and live to be a hundred through the mid-1900s. Think about all of the things you would have seen change so astronomically. Going from covered wagons to space shuttles. I love all these old videos that are popping up on TH-cam of 100-year-old people talking in the '40s about growing up during the civil war, or seeing Lincoln get assassinated. It's just so fascinating to me, it's like a time machine.
My nanna (born 1914) used to take on visits to her friends in care homes in the early 1980s. I was preschool age, so I didn't think much of it back then. However, in retrospect how many people I would have seen and walked past that were born in the 1870s onwards. I wish now I appreciated and remember these details better. My granddad from my mother's side was born in 1901 - that's the closest I get to engaging with someone close to that era.
One Christmas around 1987 my whole family on my mums side chipped in to get me a present. A fullsize Kermit the frog that I then used to 'entertain' everyone. Hardship can breed strong memories.
My parents emigrated from England to the Canadian prairies in 1952, with three of us under 3. We were very poor, but I remember many of the things these ladies remember from the early 1900’s - home made everything, mince pies, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake, paper chains, one of our own chickens, (wood stove and no running water or electricity), singing carols, one present each from Father Christmas, my father would have a cigar, and those very precious parcels from England. How my mother worked!
@@MyName-bi4pt I don't want to stand them, they aren't even brought up by anything anymore except their own mind. There almost inhuman...its...so...wrong these generations are.
I am here in Texas watching in 2022. I love listening to these sweet ladies. I especially love listening to Edna and her Yorkshire dialect. Reminds me of the old “All Creatures Great and Small” series. Those were the best.
I think that they would be very disappointed in how things are now. Most of us have plenty, but we still aren’t happy. They grew up poor but very happy!!! These lovely ladies are a fine example of the people of that time, and I admire them.
Who would have thought that I would be sat here on Christmas eve 2019 watching an interview from 1973 with women talking about their Christmas childhoods in 1903. Thames tv is truly one of my favourite channels.
Waxadisc Music I was 1 of 6 kids when Xmas came, we were lucky to get an Apple Or Orange!! That was in Aberdeen. Scot. WW2. On rations!! Think how lucky everyone is today, especially the children!! 🎄👍🏻
@@katycheeseburger Those women didn't make those decisions only lived with the consequence. By the way please try to not be an idiot for your entire life.
Just stumbled on this video now. Oct 2024. 3 lovely ladies talking about the old days. Was just going to have a little look but ended up watching it all. Thanks for sharing. Saved to favourites. 😊
Hi Dawn, me watching 12/11/2024 and I remember so very well my childhood in SALFORD UK. My mum did a tremendous job looking after us, she loved Christmas. We made decorations out of hangers covered in tinsel etc and whatever Christmas food was it was marvellous and poor but marvellous nevertheless 🙏🙏🙏
November 2024 . Glad I came across this I love to hear about life then . I’m from Scotland so would love to find some Scottish stories . It’s comforting to hear these ladies speak
When she said her brother was killed in the first war my heart broke 💔 Then she said she nursed the wounded during the first war and “those were lovely Christmases.” Bless her
Its such a devastating detail which almost feels glossed over. In an age where large families were the norm this family had only two children. Only to lose one to the devastation of world war 1. It must have been utterly devastating and all she says about it is that the Christmases were "quiet". Our modern world is a blessing and so few appreciate how far we have come.
@@bethrobb3684 ..so true, I spend so many hours daydreaming of the past & how I miss people no longer with me. (As much as I do love the family I am lucky enough to have)
I am 50 now... lost my father when I was 28... miss him more and more day by day... my childhood too.. growing up in India in the 70s... middle class.. we have many festivals.. but like the ladies here, we had a lot more warmth, good cheer and everything homemade.. I miss those days.. less money but so much more hope
Even in the 1950s it would be a simple Christmas. We had a tiny Christmas tree. And hung paper chains across the ceiling. And basically got one or two but no more presents. Our food was homemade. And Mum put a silver sixpence in the pudding. No fridge. No TV. But a big roaring fire and fresh food.
I love that these women are still sporting the hairstyles that were in when they were young. Every generation does that, my own mum and aunts wore short hair like the host into old age as they were about her age, but it's delightful to see these guests sporting bobs and a wave from the days of flappers and bright young things.
I love this. I was born in 1974 and I remember as a young girl my Aunts and Mother washing the dishes after big dinner that my Grandmother had cooked and I couldn't wait to be a grown up woman who would be included in the washing up. Tho I was occasionally allowed to put away Tupperware in the lower cubby and I thought it was so very important. Lol
Wow..u must have been VERY young! By the time I was 3, I was standing on a chair and washing most of the dishes! Never thought it was fun. My more made every task absolute drudgery.
I was born in 1966, and love helping with the cooking as well as cleanup. I would stand on a stool and dry the dishes for my mother. No complaints at all.
@@richardc8795 If u were still standing on a stool, u weren't working too hard yet. Once u turn 5-6, it got serious at mom's. If it wasn't perfect, u got beaten bad. I swear, we put in 12 hour days. My mom was from the 'old country'...cooked all night many nights. Ever prep 2 boxes of apples and one box green beans in one afternoon? Min weight of produce boxes is 38 lbs, BTW. Ya, the simpler stuff was fun...like baking...roll out cookies are easy, even if you're 8-10 yr old. Maybe it was being hit and yelled at that made it harder. Hit more if we cried. We did this on top of changing cloth diapers, scrubbing floors, doing windows, darning wool socks, hand scrubbing heels of socks to perfection, scrubbing bathrooms, ironing everything, etc
@@ColtraneTaylor its just great to hear these people, they are not now in living memory, so thank goodness there were people around who thought of doing the interviews 👋
Yes, I love and respect grannies who manage to remain cheerful. In those days those women had so much which was understandably unfair, some were poor too but they made the best of it which warrants that additional respect.
@Maitre Mark yes, 3 years for me. Never turned it on. I don't even know if I still need a TV licence for the internet? I've been paying it all this time
@@vmm5163 ....you only need a licence if you watch live tv (news,etc) including on the internet.......lots of advice on clips on here should you wish not to pay it anymore.........If YOU DONT USE YOUR TV you more than likely dont need to be paying anymore but check first.
I find this fascinating. Decent respectable ladies giving a wonderful insight into their simple lives. You would never get anything like this on Telly today as it’s not about people telling us all how amazing they are, or crying because they can’t cope with everyday life!
This is the most fabulous interview and a real insight into what life was like for people of that generation. I wish we had TV like this now, just unpretentious straightforward chats about issues that mean something. Absolutely great.
I grew up in the Germany in the early 70's and have fond memories of making gifts and decorations. Presents for me were generally two to three items, and mostly books because I loved reading. We would celebrate on Christmas eve with presents and a tree lit with real beeswax candles. The livingroom would be scented with the aromas of homebaked cookies, scents of pine from the tree and the advent's wreath on the table, beeswax and Gluehwein. It was so lovely. After a traditional dinner of bratwurst and potato salad we would then attend Midnight Mass. On Christmas day my mother would cook the goose in the oven and we would visit my grandparents.
I saved this video in my favorites for those days when it seems the whole world has gone mad, I can come back to watch this again and let these ladies take me back to a time when life was so much simpler....
well that was the way it was for real,,i remember we had lots of food, and we made the decorations for the tree because we were poor and couldn't afford much but most of all " WE HAD LOVE FROM OUR PARENTS " JIMMY
Derek C .....id a great aunt who was born in 1902 and died 1998.........used to love listening to her talk about the past.....i wish she was still here as ive a box full of old family photos - some from 1800,s but no names on the back of who they were......ive also traced family tree during covid lockdowns and have managed to get back as far as 1460...some gravestones are still standing in a nearby cemetery from way back then (but they are fragile).....family havent moved far over the centuries....been fun finding out who they are and jobs they done,etc......alot of them lived well into their 80,s and 90,s
@@geoffdundee That's interesting, I've been doing my family tree as well. I tried going back directly from each of my four grandparents, their fathers then their fathers and so on. It's frustrating that the 1921 Census details won't be available until next January (2022). It should be easier to find 1900's info than the 1800's, but it isn't. Our social history shows how lucky we are nowadays. I've always been in awe of our WW2 generation, our greatest. I think it's important to find out our family history. Some intriguing stories to be found.
@@derekc6445 ...most of my family have stayed local (scotland) so its sortoff been easy so far but im stuck on one member at moment (found zero records after his birth) may have either emigrated or went to england? (ive yet to research there..ive just used scotlands people website so far and found most of what i need (it is otherwise free to browse but been costly as i pay to download all birth/death/marriage/wills documents,etc)....ive just done my mothers side so far and i have no doubt i will be frustrated with fathers side as from ireland a few generations back.....rekon it will be a nitemare LOL......i guess the census records are to protect anyone who may still be alive - even aged 100......good luck with your research.
This sparked a memory. . . I think my father put our fresh trees in a bucket of sand or dirt. My Mom always gave us things she knitted or crocheted. Practical things like hats, gloves, scarves. We also always got books. One Cmas we got an encyclopedia set. 🙂
I say this honestly, I could have listened to these sweet ladies for hours. Each one so charming as they retold their past Christmases. I literally stopped all my housework to actually watch these ladies talk. I was born in the late 50s, so I smiled to see the host’s outfit because it was so early 1970s clothes. 😁😬. This was an enchanting show.
Yes i have .The ONLY ladies WHO Are allowed on tv nowadays is just young woman with a lot of makeup , fillers and lipinjections.They would not show us ordinary people.
@@dawnanderson4967 No its not.And if you Are going to ser a movie , there its not normal looking woman there anylonger either.They Are all fake with fillers and fake lipps.I want too ser normal people .Thats probably why i love watching old black white movies.
I have always loved listening to the elderly. They’re so respectful, have integrity and are grateful for the little things. They also have a wealth of knowledge and we can learn so much from them.
I love how direct and matter-of-fact these interviews are. No posturing, no proselytizing, just describing their own experiences and nothing more. What a fantastic source of understanding of how things were long ago.
I just stumbled on to this broadcast ( Dec 15, 2022 ). I'm so happy to listen to these ladie's Christmas stories. The simplicity & happiness in their childhood Christmases was so heart warming. ♥️👌🎄❄️☃️🎅
ManInTheBigHat In our family we do this. But we just glue a string in them and then back together for painting. Never would I have thought of putting coins in them for the children to crack open! She just inspired a new tradition!
I’m very grateful to the people of the 50s, 60s and 70s for making these important historical documents. Hearing from women at different walks of life unfiltered through someone else’s or even their own written word is so important and so unique and I’m glad people began making these types of recordings relatively early on😊
I miss this long lost world, with nan’s and mum’s who looked after the household, everything was cooked from scratch and really tasty, it made being at home such a joy. I miss my childhood and my nan’s so much. Life these days is so hectic and rushed.
The downside of feminism lol Now women haven't got the time to make everything from scratch, and if they did they'd get upset that the men aren't helping
Sadly the reality is to buy the raw ingredients and DIY costs more than a mass produced product, I imagine if you could purchase directly from farmers markets this may still prove cost effective (unless you have a productive garden of your own which would be even better).
I was born in 1971 and i had a brother and 5 sisters.On Christmas morning in our house we would wake up to a filled stocking at the end of our beds,full of fruit and shelled nuts with these jellies called oranges and lemons. I am now 52 years old with younger and older siblings and my mom still does us a stocking every Christmas and without it would feel very strange. But i know one day I won't have one.and that makes me feel so sad and choked up.x
Brilliant. My grandma and grandad were Yorkshire, same age as these ladies. They had a pantry, i had no idea what that meant as a kid growing up in the 70's. They had a fridge and freezer but grandma still kept a pantry and grandad still had his vegetable patch. Rabbit stew was the best
Well this is 2019 and i still love the old vintage christmas, to me when i visit my older neighbours and have a good cup of tea and chat that means so much, my christmas tree is 35 years old and has the same dacs each year, i love to hear the christmas songs on the raido in bed, all the gift thing means nothing to me, having time for people is what matters, each year here in the UK another wee bit of christmas goes, its even called now the big day, where did that come from, its Christmas day, and the 12 days of christmas which ends on 6th jan. I willl always keep christmas the old way and i wish everyone many blessings for 2020.
Chris Mullan Thank you so much. I always take a trip down memory lane at Christmas time and remember my happy childhood christmasses and the almost unbearable excitement of waiting for my grandparents to arrive by bus on Christmas Eve! Such simple and I believe better times. Of course there was crime but not like the almost daily stabbing reports we get these days. (My tree is old too and I make almost all the decs for it, each year adding a couple of new ones, such pleasure things like that give me).
@@janetcw9808 the twelve days of Christmas begins on Christmas Day the 25th December it ends with twelfth night on 5th January and everything cleared away on 6th. Christmas Eve is not part of Christmas in itself but is the day (or more specifically the evening) before Christmas begins. Of course it has a religious significance but it is rooted in paganism, many symbols of this can still be seen in the food, decorations and traditions that are observed at this time.
gary jones People in general, though, not everyone is lucky as some. I feel sad for the Vets that need help ( not just at Xmas) the homeless also @ the other needy. Bless Them.
@gary jones we the people that are fortunate to have better medicines, benefits, social services, helpful charities, food banks , better transport links etc etc etc . It's a shame we live in times of materialistic want, where people don't appreciate what they have. Just don't understand how beggars can afford to drink, smoke and keep a pet dog.
@@originalherdsman3524 It is up to parents of today to show compassion to others. I knew my grandchildren's other grandparents would buy big gifts, so hubby & I bought chickens for people who are doing it tough. Another year I took them out with a set amount of money to buy a gift that they would like to give to another child their age. They enjoyed themselves & spent more time looking for the best for value gift. We are not monetarily wealthy & I work for my dole money at two places that help people. It was an eye opener. May you have a joyous 2020.
I thought I would just watch a few minutes of these ladies reminiscing about Christmas long gone. Watched the whole video - what delightful ladies they are. Assume they have all passed on now, thank goodness they had the chance to reminisce and tell their stories.
Please , please keep these videos for future generations! We need to keep these stories alive because we'll never get a chance to teach our children, grand-children etc if they are all destroyed or lost.
Omnivorous Biped How right you are, these ladies could teach some respect these days, especially when it comes to families. My grandchildren are taught the best things, “ caring, dignity, respect for Elders” also , Please & Thank You!!
My grand mother was born 1886 and died 1969, she saw number of wars, independence of this country, the WW1, the great depression, the WW2, having six sons in that war, losing two of them and still living to a good age of 83. I remember her very well, always cheerful, always working, not complaining.
Can't believe that when I was a kid in the 70s, there were actually old folks around who were Victorian. My great gran, born in the 1890s, used to tell us about bygone Christmases. Fruit like oranges and nuts like walnuts and brazil nuts were a real treat 100 years ago and they would prepare puddings months in advance that were kept in the pantry. They used to make a wreath for the door and paper chains for the tree. I loved the 70s Christmases with Look In annuals, Morecombe & Wise on TV and presents like spacehoppers, slinkies, Barbies and Action Men. You were very lucky if you got a Chopper bike for Xmas. 🎄 🦃 🥂
I'm Russian, and I really enjoyed this old interview. So many stories and memories these ladies have, it's was fascinating! The old times and a distant country... both of which I haven't seen. Our Christmas in Russia is January 7th and it's mostlya religious holiday, but anyone willing can celebrate it. People go to churches and stand through the long service well into the night on the 6th. The 7th is filled with trips to the relatives and friends for gift giving and dinners together. Or you could just stay at home and enjoy the Holiday dinner with family and entertaining Christmas TV shows and movies. For us the New Year Holliday has much more significance and is more festive than the xmas. But the Xmas coming a week after the New Year celebration gave us somehting fun to look forward to as kids :) For ALL the western world: Merry Christmas!
I used to buy a little old lady an iced bun when I saw her in a local cafe. Each time you would think I had given her a diamond. So many elderly people of this generation appreciated such little things. Lovely. ❤
These ladies remind me of my grandparents and what fun I used to have with them. We’d play games and make things and laugh. It was lovely … very special. I miss the good ol days.
Same. I so miss my grandparents and my elder relatives. All my family are gone now. I lost my mother a few years ago. There was so much love and fun. Today the world is a colder place.
no fault to Mary Parkinson, but when she asked one of the ladies if she had a problem raising chickens for a few months and than having to kill them? Her answer "we had a family of 14, we didn't have time to think about that"...priceless! These were some hearty folks back in the day..no complaining, no "oh poor me"..we today could not fathom the way they lived and they did with a smile. What inspirations!
@@guccideltaco i was thinking about homemade ornaments. i know we made some out of felt, and also out of papier mache, but i can't quite remember how..i mean..i think we stuffed them somehow. i mostly just remember painting them.
My great grandmother was born 1890s & died in the 1970s. She was a nurse in WW1. I remember her well, very strict, austere because she’d lived in times when food was really scarce & mothers genuinely struggled to feed & clothe their kids; they’d be grateful for a rabbit even if they had to skin & gut it themselves and we had to use up every scrap of clothing handed down or be considered ungrateful. She’d have been horrified by some of the attitudes today.
I would never eat rabbit. It's the same reason I won't eat duck. They're my friends by the pond in the old days. However my husband has had both. Merry CHRISTmas!! 💖💓💝💘💗💖 💛💙💛💙💛💙 🎉🎅🏻🤶🏻🛷🍫🎂 ❄️☃️🎄🎊🎈🍰 👸🏻💖👑🇬🇧💝👸🏻 🥰🇯🇲🏴🕊️🔥✝️
@@royandjacqueline1294 folks on the brink of starvation in the days before welfare cheques couldn’t afford to be so picky. That we get to pick & choose where we get our nourishment is a modern luxury.
@A Real Londoner I think it is most places now, families are so spread out, such a terrible shame. We can hope that community and caring for one another will come to the for again. It cant be just us that crave it. Have a lovely new year x
Yes my nana was born in 1898. They were so poor they never received anything for Christmas. Even though she never had any gifts as a child this woman had the greatest Christmas Spirit I have ever encountered. I owe her my love of the season
My grandmother died 2006 at age 99 and a half. She was born in Sweden but was sent to England to learn English and socialize with bachelors at Oxford under proper circumstances. She married an Englishman and had two children and a small house before the war, but was forced by collective family to Sweden when England declared war, for the sake of safety but lost her husband and place in England due to that. She had my mother by her second husband, and was my closest family member as long as she lived, closer than my parents even. My "rock of Gibraltar" I called her. Thanks to her I know so much of the old ways and culture my generation is clueless about, both English and Swedish. She taught me so much, and her values were so sound and strong. The women of her generation were incredibly impressive, hard working, intelligent, ambitious, influential and adapted through massive changes from Victorian styled society through to our modern digital age. It's just remarkable to even think about! I miss my grandmother daily. I could listen to these ladies talk all day. They all look so sweet and elderly but these are women who make modern ones look like daft, helpless girls or conceited one dimensional characters many times. Things are not what they seem bc they are grannies, that's for sure! They never took anything for granted and knew how to cherish what they fought hard for and support eachother. We owe so much to these women. Love them! 🙌 🙏💪👋👋👋❤️
I shed a tear for the lady that said they never had any toys, every child and teenager should be made to watch this, the youths of today and the last 40-50 years take the accoutrements of a modern Christmas for granted.
Janette Cotton But they neither missed or needed toys as we are accustomed to and the interviewer talks about the emphasis on food, well i cooked without sleep for two days wrestling with a turkey and ham and various other nice foodstuff so I feel Christmas is still about food, food we normally would not prepare and by god there is no cake baking in our house! No dear! It all comes from either the shop or some family friend who bakes. Also one present per person was common before consumerism and tv commercials made everyone go insane with idea of having lots and lots of everything.
These comments are a bit rich: It’s the middle aged and older folk of the baby boom generation who need to learn lessons, not the “youths” and “eco warriors” who will suffer the consequences
I did enjoy listening to these lovely ladies. Sad that one lost her brother in the 1914-18 war. Funny how Mary Parkinson looked so 1970's and the others wouldn't have looked out of place in 2019.
Choked up when the lady said her Mum used to invite a lady from the workhouse to come for Christmas dinner. I have ancestors who did end up in the workhouse for a while. The family did manage to get out, but it would have been awful to be split up and alone at Christmas. I think this is a truly lovely thing to do.
Wonderful stories! My parents were both born in the 1950s and grew up very much the same way in the rural Dakotas, USA. Homemade decorations and big dinners with self-butchered meat from your own livestock and what you could hunt, cold root cellars and frost on their blankets in the morning, and of course, church was always the main event. My mom still talks about how amazing it was to get an orange in her stocking on Christmas morning. My Dad would only ever get new church clothes, no toys. As kids we thought that all was so tragic lol, oranges and clothes?? We were definitely spoiled by comparison. For all you out there whose parents and grandparents are getting older, ask them about their lives before you. Someday, you won't be able to ask any more questions, and that will truly be tragic. RIP, Dad. I miss you every day, but especially on Christmas ❤
Loved this. And hearing how one woman’s family took in an old lady from the workhouse on Christmas day just drives it home how very lucky we are today.
My nan used to take in an old gentlemen who had no family to spend Christmas with. My mum did the same thing as I grew up and then when I was older I did the same thing when I found a young lad I knew couldn't get home for Christmas so I invited him for Christmas and again as we all have we treated him like a member of the family
@@MultiPurplemist Sounds like your Nan would have been a great guest on that program... And did such a good job raising your Mum and then your Mum of you, that you opened your homes at Christmas.. (I have never done such thing, but humbling to hear that, and makes one think). Kind regards.
@@martynwhitworth5301 My Nan was a wonderful person ❤️ . Unfortunately the cooking skills skipped a generation lol, my mum has never been a cook and she's never been keen to learn either.
Can I please go back in time and sit with these ladies, have a cup of tea and a mince pie, carry on talking about times gone by, they remind me of my mum and aunties who are all sadly long gone. X
It's important to have a historical grasp of some of the contextual details of the era these ladies grew up in. It's not just the technology that was different, but the economics of everything was VERY different than today. Food was much more expensive in 1900. One woman mentioned chicken was not a regular meal. This was absolutely true. Chicken originally was a luxury meat, as they took a long time and space to raise a chicken that was signifantly smaller and lighter than today. The wages their fathers made were about 1/4 what someone would be paid today for the same or similar work, or likely something much more physically demanding and dangerous. And I'm talking about wages adjusted into current time. Families were generally much larger than today. Housing would have been cheaper than now, but with wide spectrum of quality and possibilities. All of this had a huge effect on local culture and attitudes of the time. It really was a different world.
The agricultural revolution played a huge role in changing the food culture and landscape across the world. Regardless of how one feels about factory farming, the ability to raise thousands of birds in a confined space and get them to market weight in 6 weeks is nothing short of miraculous. It takes a quarter the time (which also saves on feed and water) to raise a bird 25 percent larger. A roaster then might be a 3-5lb bird vs now that same bird is 5-8lbs or more. Used to take 24 weeks to get a market bird and now only 6 weeks.
Wow….how did we get to where we are now? Having nothing was so much more. We have too much today and we always want more. People do not appreciate what they have. Great insight into happier and more wholesome times. Thank you.
We never get these types of interviews nowadays. The interviewer is calm, asks interesting questions ( & seems genuinely interested in the answers) gives people time to answer, hardly ever butts in. Interviews today make me feel tense & I never really learn much from them. I loved this!
Michael Parkinson’s wife. An ‘accidental’ but similarly good interviewer on Good Afternoon with the recently departed and absolutely brilliant Mavis Nicholson
November 2023 calling in ,im 60 but in my heart atm im having tea and battenburg cake with me old Nan and uncle charlie who passed yrs ago so thanks for this its gold
How old is your Nan? She must be over 100?..
I'm 67, you're lucky, my nan died when I was 18, lost my mother in 2018, and lost my uncle Charlie in 2013, he was my favourite uncle of 3, just one left now, and doubt I'll ever see him again.
Awww......
Just checking in to make sure you’re still alive. 💜
@@DonnaChambersonwtf kinda comment is that? 😂😂😂
What a lovely bunch of ladies.
Each accepting and proud of who they are and how they live. No hang ups, resilient, no attitude. Just lovely. Ive always said to my children, the most basic wsys to live are the most reawrding and give more satisfaction. You promote thinking and team work and no your place. It is important as then you know your role and feel your worth. All of which are lost today. Making our own stuff from scrath was a.rule and having.the stocking with fruit and nuts and the odd sweetie was a tradition of my Mum and Dad and my Children. How much happier pwople were when they werent ruined and spoilt and made to think they were better than others. Community is what makes anytime of year especially Christmas x Im so glad i found this video x 😊
Now that TV presenter the one interviewing these ladies is 87 herself now. Around the same age as these ladies in this interview. She's the widow of Michael Parkinson who died last year.
Mary Parkinson in conversation with these wonderful ladies
88 now
I can barely express how much I enjoyed listening to these ladies chatting about Christmas ‘in the old days’. Wonderful.❤
I miss this generation dearly! I miss the old people in my family when I was growing up 😢 the stories the wisdom the love ❤
I feel sad for the current generation- they have had it so very good and have no idea that they have 😢
A roof over your head a bed to sleep in and food on table- heaven- you are blessed 🙏🙏🙏
Ohhhh I could not agree more!😢
october 2024 I stumbled on this video. I am so glad I did.
Me too! Wonderful video. I’m now subscribed to this channel and totally hooked 😊
Me too !
And me 😊
It has just appeared in my feed too! Subscribed also
Same ❤
I just realised how old-fashioned my own upbringing was in the 70/80s....we did quite a few of these things described here, ha!
These memories should be kept as part of our national identity. So priceless. Christmas memories are so very special.
What a treasure! It warmed my heart
It’s such a shame that we have lost 😞 those days. That was Britain 🇬🇧 at its finest. Diversity and our government’s are to blame for this happening to this great country. I should write a book 📖 called 👉🏽 once upon time in Great Britain 🇬🇧.
But where’s the diversity??
@@hsmd4533 each woman clearly comes from a different economic background, that's huge diversity in their lives experience.
Why does diversity have to be anything further?
Are you thinking diversity is men, women, race or different religions and sexualities?
@@Eternal_Hope_Q #thatsthejoke.jpg
I am from Sri Lanka and 80's to 90's I used to have a Christmas similar to theirs. Oh Lovely to hear from these Ladies.
I count myself fortunate to have a childhood listening to my elders of stories like these .
I could listen to these ladies all night :)
Not a dye job or collagen injected lip in the bunch. Different priorities, and we have lost so much.
How lovely to interview ordinary ppl who have wonderful stories to tell ,, We don’t always NEED celebs ,,,, I could listen to these ladies for hours & not get bored 😐
Good point...celebs...😝😝
christopher carrier Thank you kind sir ... At least these ladies aren’t boring ,, well as far as I’m concerned they’re not ,,,,
@@katieoreilly7846 They are lovely..as you are.
christopher carrier aww thank you , you’ve made my day , that’s so nice of you to say that ,, I have a smile on my face now ,,, 🎅☘️
@@katieoreilly7846😊 goodnight..from the states..'cross the pond
Notice how nobody butts in, or starts over talking each other. Very polite and in plain English with manners. Very enjoyable stuff
Don John it’s because there are no men present
I agree. I find it almost repulsive to watch interviews today by celebrities or worse yet news personnel who talk over the people their interviewing. If we could harness the ego energy and convert to electricity we could light a whole city.
The lady interviewing could be a voice stand in for Julie Andrews.
I agree. It's a huge problem but few people complain about it. I had to deal with rude interruptions today during a meeting. Nice video.
@Eagle1 I agree 100%
I was born in 1975 but my parents were immigrants from Europe and raised me with a very old school mentality.
They both lived through the Depression and taught me to appreciate every single meal, appreciate the luxuries of today like having indoor plumbing and hot-water to shower, the luxury of sleeping in a comfortable bed, all of the things that most people take for granted now.
I also feel as though I was born an " old soul" and never felt comfortable with the way people act, I was drawn to movies and shows from the 40s and 50s always wishing I had grown up at that time.
I'm embarrassed by my generation but I'm even more disappointed and heartbroken for the younger generations growing up now.
Nobody seems to understand respect and appreciate life!
I am grateful to have a vehicle that runs yet everyone my age is looking for the next bigger, better, more expensive car, television, phone, etc.. 😣
None of those things matter to me. I don't even have a TV
What I care about is love, respect, connections, human spirit, all of the things that actually matter at the end. Idk, it's been very difficult getting through life when you feel like you were born in the wrong era.
I grew up in a spanish household and we had seafood and turron on Christmas day..we all slept in because of midnight mass then feast ..
I remember this generation as a child. They are all gone and we are poorer for it.
Me too. My great aunt and uncle were part of that generation and I think my grandparents were. I miss them all so much. I’m sorry but today’s generations just don’t feel the same.
My grandparents, great aunts and uncles.
My grandparents and freat aunts and uncles.
My nan and sister had some fantastic stories. ❤
Absolutely - a great loss to Britain. Social cohesion, manners, positivity, hard work, selflessness, focus on family and what really mattered.
@@MarthaMansbridgeseriously can't believe everyone was like that.
These sweet people are examples of how much having family and friends
who are present is better than being materially spoiled.
Calm down u edgy weirdo 😂😂😂 u wouldn’t survive back then
@@AaronTheGreat________ at all…not for more than an hour 🤣
Exactly. One thing said that really stuck out was when she said her parents were never too busy to play with them. Rare these days.
❤
These ladies are pure gold. No glamour, no egos, no show off, no fakeness and terible makeups just pure honesty and telling the way it was. I could listen to them for hours.
Me as well 😀
Yes I agree. The best storytellers for me are those who lived through times that we didn't and enjoy telling you all about it. A lot more people seemed to be in the same boat back then.
A song and dance from the ladies would have brightened it up a bit.
@@WhiteStripesStripiestFan Today these grandmothers would have Botox, nose jobs, lip fillers, garish make-up, fake boobs and ink from shoulders to ankles. And of course the plastic claws. They'd be talking about their plans to spend holidays at some exotic, expensive location and the ridiculous priced bag they got as a gift.
Yes they are great.
God. When she said her brother, whom she clearly loved, died in the war my heart skipped a beat. The strong Yorkshire woman is just the salt of the Earth and and the lovely lady in the blue cardi is so humble. What remarkable women. What remarkable footage.
Wendy Herbert I think the Yorkshire lady was also featured in a video about mining.
@@TH-camSpareTime They are such wonderful ladies.
My grandad was Yorkshire and very old school but a wonderful gentleman. He would help or do for anyone. He grew up with what he used say was 'nowt' .... and when things were bad or had to do something that was hard or tough or didn't want to do he just used to get on with it and say 'well, you have it to do, don't you?'
Gordon Taylor I agree. They were a totally different breed back then. I think what I've noticed is that no matter the class, life was difficult for everyone to some extent. I mean, can you imagine having no running water or inside toilet. I mentioned the Yorkshire lady being featured in a mining video on this same TH-cam and the sheer disregard for health and safety was astounding. A guy who was on with her said there was an accident down the mine and the operators just ignored the accident, resulting in the miners carting the dead miners home.
Yes it was a breath of fresh air to hear these wonderful 'ordinary' people tell their stories.
Believe me, Christmas in the 1970’s was a lot simpler than it is today
Christmas was awesome then, and everyone was nice too.
So true.
Happy Times
Adrian Heath there would have been elderly people back in the 1970’s that shuddered at the idea of having children and adults watching TV on Christmas Day too. Times change, not better or worse, just change.
Mitchell C Let’s hope Brexit doesn’t happen. ( my opinion !)
November 2024. Don't know how I found this but I really enjoyed it
Me too. TH-cam knows I enjoy England (I'm American,) history, vintage things, and Christmas. ❤ Perfect suggested video.
Me three! I too like history, vintage things, etc. These ladies remind me of my grandmother. Love stories about the 'old days'. Good to know there are ppl all over the world who experienced this sort of Christmas!
That was cathartic, therapeutic, and quite cozy. Thanks for posting.
Yes I agree, but also oddly depressing in the same breath
I will always remember being introduced to a lady celebrating her 100th birthday in 1977. I was thirteen years old at the time, and was absolutely fascinated by her, listening intently to everything she had to say. I cherish this memory and feel very privileged to have experienced it all those years ago. 💕
Wow, it’s a privilege indeed to have met someone born in the 19th century!
I wonder what she’s up to nowadays? In all seriousness, we’ll done you for having such curiosity at such a young age. Looking back, I wish I had.
I always thought it would be the most interesting thing to be born in the mid 1800s and live to be a hundred through the mid-1900s. Think about all of the things you would have seen change so astronomically. Going from covered wagons to space shuttles. I love all these old videos that are popping up on TH-cam of 100-year-old people talking in the '40s about growing up during the civil war, or seeing Lincoln get assassinated. It's just so fascinating to me, it's like a time machine.
My nanna (born 1914) used to take on visits to her friends in care homes in the early 1980s. I was preschool age, so I didn't think much of it back then. However, in retrospect how many people I would have seen and walked past that were born in the 1870s onwards. I wish now I appreciated and remember these details better. My granddad from my mother's side was born in 1901 - that's the closest I get to engaging with someone close to that era.
@@Lantern66 what lovely memories you have, bless you. 🙏🏻 Thank you for sharing them. Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to you and your family. Tim
One Christmas around 1987 my whole family on my mums side chipped in to get me a present. A fullsize Kermit the frog that I then used to 'entertain' everyone. Hardship can breed strong memories.
One is indeed British, foreskin intact.
Mark Henry Ramsey 😂😂😂
Mark Henry Ramsey Nice subject at the Xmas Dinner. !! 😂 Happy New Year.🍻
Happy new year to all 🍻
calihartley2010. ..... What’s that got to do with the price of turnips ?????? Why ask that question to begin with ????
My parents emigrated from England to the Canadian prairies in 1952, with three of us under 3. We were very poor, but I remember many of the things these ladies remember from the early 1900’s - home made everything, mince pies, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake, paper chains, one of our own chickens, (wood stove and no running water or electricity), singing carols, one present each from Father Christmas, my father would have a cigar, and those very precious parcels from England. How my mother worked!
Was it a good move?
@ Yes, definitely, for us kids and Mum. Harder for my Dad, I think.
Wonderful. I miss this generation of people ❤️🎄
Me too.
I’m 36 and as I’ve grown older I have started to gravitate towards the elder generation. I can’t stand these young kids nowadays.
Everybody should miss them. We won't see their like again.
Yes these women were just a little bit older than my grandmother. They were a really wonderful generation of people.
@@MyName-bi4pt I don't want to stand them, they aren't even brought up by anything anymore except their own mind. There almost inhuman...its...so...wrong these generations are.
I am here in Texas watching in 2022. I love listening to these sweet ladies. I especially love listening to Edna and her Yorkshire dialect. Reminds me of the old “All Creatures Great and Small” series. Those were the best.
We don't all sound like that lol
Maybe not now, but it used to be common.
I live in America and our regional accents are fading, too.
I could listen to the Yorkshire women all-day long. If these women were transported into 2021 they'd die of shock.
Hello Amanda, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the Virus??
I think that they would be very disappointed in how things are now. Most of us have plenty, but we still aren’t happy. They grew up poor but very happy!!! These lovely ladies are a fine example of the people of that time, and I admire them.
@@trevorjennings go away
They would not recognise our cities , They would not believe they were in England
They would be mortified to how much we'd lost community
Who would have thought that I would be sat here on Christmas eve 2019 watching an interview from 1973 with women talking about their Christmas childhoods in 1903. Thames tv is truly one of my favourite channels.
Same!! Haha
You and me both 😁
Same, these people are so interesting 🤗
Amazing. Great insight into times long gone.
Waxadisc Music I was 1 of 6 kids when Xmas came, we were lucky to get an Apple Or Orange!! That was in Aberdeen. Scot. WW2. On rations!!
Think how lucky everyone is today, especially the children!! 🎄👍🏻
These women also probably watched husbands go off to the Great War and Sons WWII while they kept the home front going, nothing but respect.
yes they had nothing, but the hars humbling true life.
@@katycheeseburger Those women didn't make those decisions only lived with the consequence. By the way please try to not be an idiot for your entire life.
@@katycheeseburger how old are you with that "triggered" silliness?
I don`t think they was old enough to have a son in ww1 maybe a brother
??? if they were all born around 1903-ish they would have been about 11 years old when WW1 started. Do the math.
My only criticism of this video is that it should have been longer
Get a bigger computer.
I agree.
@@sp-pz8uc duh.
Just stumbled on this video now. Oct 2024. 3 lovely ladies talking about the old days. Was just going to have a little look but ended up watching it all. Thanks for sharing. Saved to favourites. 😊
Hi Dawn, me watching 12/11/2024 and I remember so very well my childhood in SALFORD UK. My mum did a tremendous job looking after us, she loved Christmas. We made decorations out of hangers covered in tinsel etc and whatever Christmas food was it was marvellous and poor but marvellous nevertheless 🙏🙏🙏
November 2024 . Glad I came across this I love to hear about life then . I’m from Scotland so would love to find some Scottish stories . It’s comforting to hear these ladies speak
When she said her brother was killed in the first war my heart broke 💔
Then she said she nursed the wounded during the first war and “those were lovely Christmases.” Bless her
Its such a devastating detail which almost feels glossed over. In an age where large families were the norm this family had only two children. Only to lose one to the devastation of world war 1. It must have been utterly devastating and all she says about it is that the Christmases were "quiet". Our modern world is a blessing and so few appreciate how far we have come.
@@poling1990 when she said her mother wasn’t well it made me think that she was probably devastated by grief 😢
Indeed.
This program could have been another 5 hours and I would have loved every second more!
logarithmic7 Me too, it brought back many memories of Grandma’s and Granda’s gone, also later Ma’s & Da’s. Nothing compares to Family 💕
Me too! I’ve watched it 3 times!!! 🥰
@@bethrobb3684 ..so true, I spend so many hours daydreaming of the past & how I miss people no longer with me. (As much as I do love the family I am lucky enough to have)
Me too :)
I am 50 now... lost my father when I was 28... miss him more and more day by day... my childhood too.. growing up in India in the 70s... middle class.. we have many festivals.. but like the ladies here, we had a lot more warmth, good cheer and everything homemade.. I miss those days.. less money but so much more hope
Even in the 1950s it would be a simple Christmas. We had a tiny Christmas tree. And hung paper chains across the ceiling. And basically got one or two but no more presents. Our food was homemade. And Mum put a silver sixpence in the pudding. No fridge. No TV. But a big roaring fire and fresh food.
I love that these women are still sporting the hairstyles that were in when they were young. Every generation does that, my own mum and aunts wore short hair like the host into old age as they were about her age, but it's delightful to see these guests sporting bobs and a wave from the days of flappers and bright young things.
Astute observation, there.
I love this. I was born in 1974 and I remember as a young girl my Aunts and Mother washing the dishes after big dinner that my Grandmother had cooked and I couldn't wait to be a grown up woman who would be included in the washing up. Tho I was occasionally allowed to put away Tupperware in the lower cubby and I thought it was so very important. Lol
Wow..u must have been VERY young! By the time I was 3, I was standing on a chair and washing most of the dishes! Never thought it was fun. My more made every task absolute drudgery.
I was born in 1966, and love helping with the cooking as well as cleanup. I would stand on a stool and dry the dishes for my mother. No complaints at all.
I remember being at my grans house always full of family x
@@staceykersting705 When I was ten after washing up I dropped the pile of plates,at my aunt's in Paris.
@@richardc8795 If u were still standing on a stool, u weren't working too hard yet. Once u turn 5-6, it got serious at mom's. If it wasn't perfect, u got beaten bad. I swear, we put in 12 hour days. My mom was from the 'old country'...cooked all night many nights. Ever prep 2 boxes of apples and one box green beans in one afternoon? Min weight of produce boxes is 38 lbs, BTW. Ya, the simpler stuff was fun...like baking...roll out cookies are easy, even if you're 8-10 yr old. Maybe it was being hit and yelled at that made it harder. Hit more if we cried. We did this on top of changing cloth diapers, scrubbing floors, doing windows, darning wool socks, hand scrubbing heels of socks to perfection, scrubbing bathrooms, ironing everything, etc
No miserable grannies there, they've brightened up my day, they are had so much less but so much more!!!!!
I know what you mean, selective videos are so much better than reality.
@@ColtraneTaylor its just great to hear these people, they are not now in living memory, so thank goodness there were people around who thought of doing the interviews 👋
Yes they had less but were still happy thats what my mum and aunts use to say to me sometimes when they use to talk about their childhood days 🙂
Yes, I love and respect grannies who manage to remain cheerful. In those days those women had so much which was understandably unfair, some were poor too but they made the best of it which warrants that additional respect.
Good British television before the madness
Absolutely Mark ... It’s full of rubbish now & one show trying to be “ madder “ than the nxt ,,, So boring !!
@Maitre Mark yes, 3 years for me. Never turned it on. I don't even know if I still need a TV licence for the internet? I've been paying it all this time
I'm 44 and I can't stand the programs on today
@@vmm5163 ....you only need a licence if you watch live tv (news,etc) including on the internet.......lots of advice on clips on here should you wish not to pay it anymore.........If YOU DONT USE YOUR TV you more than likely dont need to be paying anymore but check first.
I find this fascinating. Decent respectable ladies giving a wonderful insight into their simple lives. You would never get anything like this on Telly today as it’s not about people telling us all how amazing they are, or crying because they can’t cope with everyday life!
Thank you Florence, Edna and Emily.
This is the most fabulous interview and a real insight into what life was like for people of that generation. I wish we had TV like this now, just unpretentious straightforward chats about issues that mean something. Absolutely great.
Couldn't have said it any better
I grew up in the Germany in the early 70's and have fond memories of making gifts and decorations. Presents for me were generally two to three items, and mostly books because I loved reading. We would celebrate on Christmas eve with presents and a tree lit with real beeswax candles. The livingroom would be scented with the aromas of homebaked cookies, scents of pine from the tree and the advent's wreath on the table, beeswax and Gluehwein. It was so lovely. After a traditional dinner of bratwurst and potato salad we would then attend Midnight Mass. On Christmas day my mother would cook the goose in the oven and we would visit my grandparents.
I saved this video in my favorites for those days when it seems the whole world has gone mad, I can come back to watch this again and let these ladies take me back to a time when life was so much simpler....
I've saved it too ☺️
Same 😔
I've only just discovered this.
It's joyous 🎄❤️
Absolutely 💯
Little late to the video but I am
Saving this because now the world is insane
Nice to listen to these sane women
It’s so strange watching this with just days until the 2020s begin
I agree i dunno how i stumbled across it . Fate i suppose to show me how precious time is
I was just thinking the exact same thing!
@@zoiciteUK Well said. Here's to a good decade
@@zoiciteUK Kismet.
well that was the way it was for real,,i remember we had lots of food, and we made the decorations for the tree because we were poor and couldn't afford much but most of all " WE HAD LOVE FROM OUR PARENTS " JIMMY
Great to listen to these ladies. Mind blowing to hear Emily remembering the year 1902.
Derek C
.....id a great aunt who was born in 1902 and died 1998.........used to love listening to her talk about the past.....i wish she was still here as ive a box full of old family photos - some from 1800,s but no names on the back of who they were......ive also traced family tree during covid lockdowns and have managed to get back as far as 1460...some gravestones are still standing in a nearby cemetery from way back then (but they are fragile).....family havent moved far over the centuries....been fun finding out who they are and jobs they done,etc......alot of them lived well into their 80,s and 90,s
@@geoffdundee That's interesting, I've been doing my family tree as well. I tried going back directly from each of my four grandparents, their fathers then their fathers and so on. It's frustrating that the 1921 Census details won't be available until next January (2022). It should be easier to find 1900's info than the 1800's, but it isn't. Our social history shows how lucky we are nowadays. I've always been in awe of our WW2 generation, our greatest. I think it's important to find out our family history. Some intriguing stories to be found.
@@derekc6445 ...most of my family have stayed local (scotland) so its sortoff been easy so far but im stuck on one member at moment (found zero records after his birth) may have either emigrated or went to england? (ive yet to research there..ive just used scotlands people website so far and found most of what i need (it is otherwise free to browse but been costly as i pay to download all birth/death/marriage/wills documents,etc)....ive just done my mothers side so far and i have no doubt i will be frustrated with fathers side as from ireland a few generations back.....rekon it will be a nitemare LOL......i guess the census records are to protect anyone who may still be alive - even aged 100......good luck with your research.
my great grandmother died with 102 yo, in 1999, still with 19 century mannerisms.
...120 years ago!
This sparked a memory. . . I think my father put our fresh trees in a bucket of sand or dirt. My Mom always gave us things she knitted or crocheted. Practical things like hats, gloves, scarves. We also always got books. One Cmas we got an encyclopedia set. 🙂
I say this honestly, I could have listened to these sweet ladies for hours. Each one so charming as they retold their past Christmases. I literally stopped all my housework to actually watch these ladies talk. I was born in the late 50s, so I smiled to see the host’s outfit because it was so early 1970s clothes. 😁😬. This was an enchanting show.
Have you noticed back in the day, older pensioner women were 'allowed' on TV, it was normal. Not anymore. 😐
Yes i have .The ONLY ladies WHO Are allowed on tv nowadays is just young woman with a lot of makeup , fillers and lipinjections.They would not show us ordinary people.
@@maybrittrnningen580 Exactly, it's not right. 😐
@@dawnanderson4967 No its not.And if you Are going to ser a movie , there its not normal looking woman there anylonger either.They Are all fake with fillers and fake lipps.I want too ser normal people .Thats probably why i love watching old black white movies.
Well, there is the show Vera with Brenda Blethyn. I mean, she's not an older pensioner woman but she surely isn't a young blonde with injections.
Only "gorgeous" people allowed now.
Everyone was so polite and well-spoken.
What ever happened to our world
@@carolyningalls4580 Indeed.
@@carolyningalls4580 Boomers, media and schools.
@@carolyningalls4580 our country
I miss that most!
Emily's mother took in a lady from the workhouse for Christmas. That is so touching.
Hello Paula, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the Virus??
The sad thing is that there were workhouses...
@@Trevorjennings679 what virus?
I have always loved listening to the elderly. They’re so respectful, have integrity and are grateful for the little things. They also have a wealth of knowledge and we can learn so much from them.
I love how direct and matter-of-fact these interviews are. No posturing, no proselytizing, just describing their own experiences and nothing more. What a fantastic source of understanding of how things were long ago.
I just stumbled on to this broadcast ( Dec 15, 2022 ). I'm so happy to listen to these ladie's Christmas stories. The simplicity & happiness in their childhood Christmases was so heart warming. ♥️👌🎄❄️☃️🎅
I love the gold painted walnut shells with a coin inside. That would've made my day as a kid.
ManInTheBigHat
In our family we do this. But we just glue a string in them and then back together for painting.
Never would I have thought of putting coins in them for the children to crack open! She just inspired a new tradition!
My grandad used to give me matchstick dolls. They were little dolls, in a matchbox, and I loved them.
@@pommiebearsDid he make those dolls himself?
I’m very grateful to the people of the 50s, 60s and 70s for making these important historical documents. Hearing from women at different walks of life unfiltered through someone else’s or even their own written word is so important and so unique and I’m glad people began making these types of recordings relatively early on😊
I’m 58 and loved Christmas in the 70s . Proper Christmas
I'm from Dublin Ireland I still remember my grandmother she was born in 1906 she died in 1980
Mary Parkinson is 83 now, probably older than her interviewees here
Good comment and makes you think! time catches us all.
@@insertnamehere5146 Indeed. Time waits for no one.
She was hot then whoa.
Always loved Mary, much nicer than her husband
It'd be great to hear she talking about her impressions about this interview
I miss this long lost world, with nan’s and mum’s who looked after the household, everything was cooked from scratch and really tasty, it made being at home such a joy. I miss my childhood and my nan’s so much. Life these days is so hectic and rushed.
The downside of feminism lol
Now women haven't got the time to make everything from scratch, and if they did they'd get upset that the men aren't helping
So true
Well stop.
Return to tradition.
Don't buy into the hectic.
Sadly the reality is to buy the raw ingredients and DIY costs more than a mass produced product, I imagine if you could purchase directly from farmers markets this may still prove cost effective (unless you have a productive garden of your own which would be even better).
Me too!!
This is absolute gold. I loved Edna from the Yorkshire region. What a heart warming lady.
I love listening to old folk....especially of Christmases
I was born in 1971 and i had a brother and 5 sisters.On Christmas morning in our house we would wake up to a filled stocking at the end of our beds,full of fruit and shelled nuts with these jellies called oranges and lemons. I am now 52 years old with younger and older siblings and my mom still does us a stocking every Christmas and without it would feel very strange. But i know one day I won't have one.and that makes me feel so sad and choked up.x
Where there’s room in the heart, there’s room in the home…Our purses were often empty, but our hearts were full. ❤
Brilliant. My grandma and grandad were Yorkshire, same age as these ladies. They had a pantry, i had no idea what that meant as a kid growing up in the 70's. They had a fridge and freezer but grandma still kept a pantry and grandad still had his vegetable patch. Rabbit stew was the best
This is a generation I hold so much respect for. Consumption has killed our senses!
It is so nice to hear about these wonderful times when Christmas was simply about joy and family and happiness. It's not like that so much today.
I would love to go back in time. I much prefer these simpler times. These ladies are so lovely!
What to workhouses? The rich crushed the common man, today's tories like Mogg would love to take us back im sure
Wouldn’t want to do the chicken killing.
Well this is 2019 and i still love the old vintage christmas, to me when i visit my older neighbours and have a good cup of tea and chat that means so much, my christmas tree is 35 years old and has the same dacs each year, i love to hear the christmas songs on the raido in bed, all the gift thing means nothing to me, having time for people is what matters, each year here in the UK another wee bit of christmas goes, its even called now the big day, where did that come from, its Christmas day, and the 12 days of christmas which ends on 6th jan. I willl always keep christmas the old way and i wish everyone many blessings for 2020.
Chris Mullen, Same here, the 12 days of Christmas start on 26th.
Pagan fest perhaps?
That Yorkshire lady is Class. XXXX
Chris Mullan I am with you, 100% 🎄. Happy New year from a Scot.🏴🇬🇧🇨🇦🍻🥂 Cheers !!🤗
Chris Mullan Thank you so much. I always take a trip down memory lane at Christmas time and remember my happy childhood christmasses and the almost unbearable excitement of waiting for my grandparents to arrive by bus on Christmas Eve! Such simple and I believe better times. Of course there was crime but not like the almost daily stabbing reports we get these days. (My tree is old too and I make almost all the decs for it, each year adding a couple of new ones, such pleasure things like that give me).
Chris Mullan I love listening to stories too. Blessing to you also 😊
@@janetcw9808 the twelve days of Christmas begins on Christmas Day the 25th December it ends with twelfth night on 5th January and everything cleared away on 6th. Christmas Eve is not part of Christmas in itself but is the day (or more specifically the evening) before Christmas begins. Of course it has a religious significance but it is rooted in paganism, many symbols of this can still be seen in the food, decorations and traditions that are observed at this time.
How spoiled we are all today. These ladies really appreciated Christmas and not used it like we do today for commercialization.
Ya think?
Vox Clamantis Exactly !!
gary jones People in general, though, not everyone is lucky as some. I feel sad for the Vets that need help ( not just at Xmas) the homeless also @ the other needy. Bless Them.
@gary jones we the people that are fortunate to have better medicines, benefits, social services, helpful charities, food banks , better transport links etc etc etc . It's a shame we live in times of materialistic want, where people don't appreciate what they have. Just don't understand how beggars can afford to drink, smoke and keep a pet dog.
@@originalherdsman3524 It is up to parents of today to show compassion to others. I knew my grandchildren's other grandparents would buy big gifts, so hubby & I bought chickens for people who are doing it tough. Another year I took them out with a set amount of money to buy a gift that they would like to give to another child their age. They enjoyed themselves & spent more time looking for the best for value gift. We are not monetarily wealthy & I work for my dole money at two places that help people. It was an eye opener. May you have a joyous 2020.
I thought I would just watch a few minutes of these ladies reminiscing about Christmas long gone. Watched the whole video - what delightful ladies they are. Assume they have all passed on now, thank goodness they had the chance to reminisce and tell their stories.
Please , please keep these videos for future generations! We need to keep these stories alive because we'll never get a chance to teach our children, grand-children etc if they are all destroyed or lost.
Really good stuff. They all reminded me of the old ladies of my childhood, like long forgotten but loved aunt's and Nan's. Warmed my heart, thank you.
A fascinating discussion; a reminder that people matter far more than things.
Omnivorous Biped How right you are, these ladies could teach some respect these days, especially when it comes to families. My grandchildren are taught the best things, “ caring, dignity, respect for Elders” also , Please & Thank You!!
I'm sure the poor in are country where we are as bad as then parents not able to eat just so there children can
I miss this generation.
This should be shown in all Schools
My grand mother was born 1886 and died 1969, she saw number of wars, independence of this country, the WW1, the great depression, the WW2, having six sons in that war, losing two of them and still living to a good age of 83. I remember her very well, always cheerful, always working, not complaining.
How nice of Thames to record this while this generation was still with us. Wonderful historical record (and quite charming!)
Very true 👍
Can't believe that when I was a kid in the 70s, there were actually old folks around who were Victorian. My great gran, born in the 1890s, used to tell us about bygone Christmases. Fruit like oranges and nuts like walnuts and brazil nuts were a real treat 100 years ago and they would prepare puddings months in advance that were kept in the pantry. They used to make a wreath for the door and paper chains for the tree.
I loved the 70s Christmases with Look In annuals, Morecombe & Wise on TV and presents like spacehoppers, slinkies, Barbies and Action Men. You were very lucky if you got a Chopper bike for Xmas. 🎄 🦃 🥂
I'm Russian, and I really enjoyed this old interview. So many stories and memories these ladies have, it's was fascinating! The old times and a distant country... both of which I haven't seen. Our Christmas in Russia is January 7th and it's mostlya religious holiday, but anyone willing can celebrate it. People go to churches and stand through the long service well into the night on the 6th. The 7th is filled with trips to the relatives and friends for gift giving and dinners together. Or you could just stay at home and enjoy the Holiday dinner with family and entertaining Christmas TV shows and movies. For us the New Year Holliday has much more significance and is more festive than the xmas. But the Xmas coming a week after the New Year celebration gave us somehting fun to look forward to as kids :) For ALL the western world: Merry Christmas!
God bless you
Thank you for sharing this story!
Merry Christmas and a blessed and peaceful New Year, Amen!
Merry Christmas from Romania!
I'm Orthodox and live in U.S., and we celebrate Christmas/Nativity on January 7th as well. 😊
So sad for Emily when she says her brother was killed in WWI. You could tell she was close with him. Lovely ladies, all of them.
I used to buy a little old lady an iced bun when I saw her in a local cafe. Each time you would think I had given her a diamond. So many elderly people of this generation appreciated such little things. Lovely. ❤
This is so valuable! I was 10 years of age when this was shown. I wonder what those wonderful ladies would say about the state of the country now.
These ladies remind me of my grandparents and what fun I used to have with them. We’d play games and make things and laugh. It was lovely … very special. I miss the good ol days.
Same. I so miss my grandparents and my elder relatives. All my family are gone now. I lost my mother a few years ago. There was so much love and fun. Today the world is a colder place.
no fault to Mary Parkinson, but when she asked one of the ladies if she had a problem raising chickens for a few months and than having to kill them? Her answer "we had a family of 14, we didn't have time to think about that"...priceless! These were some hearty folks back in the day..no complaining, no "oh poor me"..we today could not fathom the way they lived and they did with a smile. What inspirations!
We made paper chains and popcorn strings in the 70s. For years We had a little angel tree topper that I made in kindergarten.
hi monkey! Those are the memories that count !!
Same here.
So sweet..
Same in the '80s! I also remember my mom giving me some felt, colored thread, and stuffing to sew ornaments to give my teachers in elementary school.
@@guccideltaco i was thinking about homemade ornaments. i know we made some out of felt, and also out of papier mache, but i can't quite remember how..i mean..i think we stuffed them somehow. i mostly just remember painting them.
What an absolute delight this was to watch. I’d give anything for proper times like this to come back. People being polite, courteous and caring!!
My great grandmother was born 1890s & died in the 1970s. She was a nurse in WW1.
I remember her well, very strict, austere because she’d lived in times when food was really scarce & mothers genuinely struggled to feed & clothe their kids; they’d be grateful for a rabbit even if they had to skin & gut it themselves and we had to use up every scrap of clothing handed down or be considered ungrateful. She’d have been horrified by some of the attitudes today.
I would never eat rabbit. It's the same reason I won't eat duck. They're my friends by the pond in the old days. However my husband has had both.
Merry CHRISTmas!!
💖💓💝💘💗💖
💛💙💛💙💛💙
🎉🎅🏻🤶🏻🛷🍫🎂
❄️☃️🎄🎊🎈🍰
👸🏻💖👑🇬🇧💝👸🏻
🥰🇯🇲🏴🕊️🔥✝️
@@royandjacqueline1294 folks on the brink of starvation in the days before welfare cheques couldn’t afford to be so picky. That we get to pick & choose where we get our nourishment is a modern luxury.
My nana was of this era, a completely different world to what we live in now.
Mine too but she taught me well and I still make xmas pudding, gingerbread house (We're not xmas cake lovers), fruit mince and mince pies.
@A Real Londoner absolutely true, it was more about family xx
@@cassieoz1702 that's so lovely, Nana taught her daughters who in turn taught us. It has all been passed down xx
@A Real Londoner I think it is most places now, families are so spread out, such a terrible shame. We can hope that community and caring for one another will come to the for again. It cant be just us that crave it. Have a lovely new year x
Yes my nana was born in 1898. They were so poor they never received anything for Christmas. Even though she never had any gifts as a child this woman had the greatest Christmas Spirit I have ever encountered. I owe her my love of the season
Stir up Sunday……I love it. How wonderful and simple those times were ❤️
I loved this glimpse into the past. These women are strong and know how to make things work, even in rough times.
Nearly fifty years ago, and this still fascinated me and put more than a single tear in my eyes. Thanks for re-broadcasting this.
Just realised the presenter would be closer in age to these gorgeous oldies today!! People and their memories are so precious.
My grandmother died 2006 at age 99 and a half. She was born in Sweden but was sent to England to learn English and socialize with bachelors at Oxford under proper circumstances. She married an Englishman and had two children and a small house before the war, but was forced by collective family to Sweden when England declared war, for the sake of safety but lost her husband and place in England due to that.
She had my mother by her second husband, and was my closest family member as long as she lived, closer than my parents even. My "rock of Gibraltar" I called her. Thanks to her I know so much of the old ways and culture my generation is clueless about, both English and Swedish. She taught me so much, and her values were so sound and strong. The women of her generation were incredibly impressive, hard working, intelligent, ambitious, influential and adapted through massive changes from Victorian styled society through to our modern digital age. It's just remarkable to even think about!
I miss my grandmother daily. I could listen to these ladies talk all day. They all look so sweet and elderly but these are women who make modern ones look like daft, helpless girls or conceited one dimensional characters many times. Things are not what they seem bc they are grannies, that's for sure! They never took anything for granted and knew how to cherish what they fought hard for and support eachother. We owe so much to these women. Love them! 🙌
🙏💪👋👋👋❤️
I shed a tear for the lady that said they never had any toys, every child and teenager should be made to watch this, the youths of today and the last 40-50 years take the accoutrements of a modern Christmas for granted.
Janette Cotton But they neither missed or needed toys as we are accustomed to and the interviewer talks about the emphasis on food, well i cooked without sleep for two days wrestling with a turkey and ham and various other nice foodstuff so I feel Christmas is still about food, food we normally would not prepare and by god there is no cake baking in our house! No dear! It all comes from either the shop or some family friend who bakes. Also one present per person was common before consumerism and tv commercials made everyone go insane with idea of having lots and lots of everything.
Janette Cotton these women could teach many of today’s “eco warriors” a few things about genuinely being a reusable society too!
These comments are a bit rich: It’s the middle aged and older folk of the baby boom generation who need to learn lessons, not the “youths” and “eco warriors” who will suffer the consequences
Jimmy Durex, fyi: your comment is *literally* pointless.
My father was born in 1927 bronx ny. He had one toy and then he had to trade it for a new one.
I did enjoy listening to these lovely ladies. Sad that one lost her brother in the 1914-18 war. Funny how Mary Parkinson looked so 1970's and the others wouldn't have looked out of place in 2019.
Choked up when the lady said her Mum used to invite a lady from the workhouse to come for Christmas dinner. I have ancestors who did end up in the workhouse for a while. The family did manage to get out, but it would have been awful to be split up and alone at Christmas. I think this is a truly lovely thing to do.
Wonderful stories! My parents were both born in the 1950s and grew up very much the same way in the rural Dakotas, USA. Homemade decorations and big dinners with self-butchered meat from your own livestock and what you could hunt, cold root cellars and frost on their blankets in the morning, and of course, church was always the main event.
My mom still talks about how amazing it was to get an orange in her stocking on Christmas morning. My Dad would only ever get new church clothes, no toys. As kids we thought that all was so tragic lol, oranges and clothes?? We were definitely spoiled by comparison.
For all you out there whose parents and grandparents are getting older, ask them about their lives before you. Someday, you won't be able to ask any more questions, and that will truly be tragic.
RIP, Dad. I miss you every day, but especially on Christmas ❤
Loved this. And hearing how one woman’s family took in an old lady from the workhouse on Christmas day just drives it home how very lucky we are today.
My nan used to take in an old gentlemen who had no family to spend Christmas with. My mum did the same thing as I grew up and then when I was older I did the same thing when I found a young lad I knew couldn't get home for Christmas so I invited him for Christmas and again as we all have we treated him like a member of the family
Gosh yes... Absolutely
@@MultiPurplemist Sounds like your Nan would have been a great guest on that program... And did such a good job raising your Mum and then your Mum of you, that you opened your homes at Christmas.. (I have never done such thing, but humbling to hear that, and makes one think). Kind regards.
@@martynwhitworth5301 My Nan was a wonderful person ❤️ . Unfortunately the cooking skills skipped a generation lol, my mum has never been a cook and she's never been keen to learn either.
Lucky. I wouldn't say that we are lucky to be living today. It's a very toxic depressing world
Brilliant video. Makes you realise it ain't all about lots of presents
Vote labour
"Presence is more important than presents".
Can I please go back in time and sit with these ladies, have a cup of tea and a mince pie, carry on talking about times gone by, they remind me of my mum and aunties who are all sadly long gone. X
It's important to have a historical grasp of some of the contextual details of the era these ladies grew up in. It's not just the technology that was different, but the economics of everything was VERY different than today.
Food was much more expensive in 1900. One woman mentioned chicken was not a regular meal. This was absolutely true. Chicken originally was a luxury meat, as they took a long time and space to raise a chicken that was signifantly smaller and lighter than today.
The wages their fathers made were about 1/4 what someone would be paid today for the same or similar work, or likely something much more physically demanding and dangerous. And I'm talking about wages adjusted into current time.
Families were generally much larger than today. Housing would have been cheaper than now, but with wide spectrum of quality and possibilities.
All of this had a huge effect on local culture and attitudes of the time. It really was a different world.
The agricultural revolution played a huge role in changing the food culture and landscape across the world. Regardless of how one feels about factory farming, the ability to raise thousands of birds in a confined space and get them to market weight in 6 weeks is nothing short of miraculous. It takes a quarter the time (which also saves on feed and water) to raise a bird 25 percent larger. A roaster then might be a 3-5lb bird vs now that same bird is 5-8lbs or more. Used to take 24 weeks to get a market bird and now only 6 weeks.
Wow….how did we get to where we are now? Having nothing was so much more. We have too much today and we always want more. People do not appreciate what they have. Great insight into happier and more wholesome times. Thank you.
We never get these types of interviews nowadays. The interviewer is calm, asks interesting questions ( & seems genuinely interested in the answers) gives people time to answer, hardly ever butts in. Interviews today make me feel tense & I never really learn much from them. I loved this!
Yeah, this almost sounds like a family dinner conversation.
Michael Parkinson’s wife. An ‘accidental’ but similarly good interviewer on Good Afternoon with the recently departed and absolutely brilliant Mavis Nicholson