A trip down memory lane

[Donald the Great]

Re: A trip down memory lane

Same thing happens here in OZ George. This thred should be rocking come Christmas time.

[George 1978]

Re: A trip down memory lane

Back in the 1980s I don't recall Christmas starting in the shops back in September or October - adverts on television certainly didn't kick in until just over a month until the big day.

Now we are in October I believe that Argos and Boots have their Christmas catalogues out just like in recent years, and last year Clintons had their Christmas card boxes on display in September! I took advantage to buy a dozen boxes that I have still got in the cupboard in the other room!

Christmas is all year round in a way for those pay installments for their hampers, or those who book tickets for the pantomime almost a year before the curtain goes up.

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

TRICK OR TREAT/PENNY FOR THE GUY?
C'mon, you know you did it right? Knocking on doors hand outstretched for sweets or even better cash! It was of course legalised blackmail, give us some swizzels or the car gets it (perhaps that was just in Salford).Also stuffing old newspapers into some old clothes and using a balloon for a head, "penny for the guy mister?" sitting outside the local boozer like some modern day Oliver twist. great days indeed!!

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

Ok so it is now 15th october and already i am hearing fireworks at night, seems everything is starting sooner and sooner. We now have christmas cards, fireworks and pumpkins all on sale at the same time!...bring on the hot cross buns.

[George 1978]

Re: A trip down memory lane

I remember Blue Peter and Magpie would give a warning just prior to Bonfire Night to be sensible with fireworks. Blue Peter would also remind kids to check bonfires to make sure there were no hedgehogs hiding inside.

Blue Peter Firework Code rule: Keep Shep and Goldie (i.e. pets) indoors.

And don't have too much Coke (a 1998 joke there methinks...)

[staffslad]

Re: A trip down memory lane

The jumping jacks were placed on the ground and when lit would jump into the air, fall back onto the ground then jump into the air again. They also had a tendency to move horizontally as well. Haven't seen any in the shops for decades.

I remember Blue Peter and Magpie would give a warning just prior to Bonfire Night to be sensible with fireworks. Blue Peter would also remind kids to check bonfires to make sure there were no hedgehogs hiding inside.

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

No, again responsible for a lot of burns and eventually banned

On e bay......

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

Jumping Jacks were also a favourite when I was growing up, but I don't think they have been sold for many years.

These were what we called ripraps are they the same as jumping jacks staffslad?

[staffslad]

Re: A trip down memory lane

Jumping Jacks were also a favourite when I was growing up, but I don't think they have been sold for many years.

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

Ooh, are they still available?

No, again responsible for a lot of burns and eventually banned

[zabadak]

Re: A trip down memory lane

The matches were called Bengal matches

Ooh, are they still available?

[Donald the Great]

Re: A trip down memory lane

BONFIRE NIGHT.
So its almost november 5th again (bonfire night) do you / did you ever celebrate bonfire night or guy faulkes night as it is sometimes known?
Although i dont celebrate bonfire night anymore i have fond memories of it as a young kid in Salford, there were few if any organised events in the 60s/70s and we would build our own bonfires on the nearest piece of wasteland or even in the back entry behind the back to back terraced houses that i grew up in. As always in those days there was absolutely no fear of the dangers involved, we would go door to door asking for any unwanted wood such as old floorboards, doors or furniture which were used to build the bonfire, soon as it went dark we would stuff the bonfire with old newspapers and light it, soon as the fire was raging an effigy of guy faulkes was thrown on the blazing fire, we would stand around it roasting potatoes and for some reason black eyed peas?.
Also toffee apples and treacle toffee were traditionally consumed in large quantities...then out came the fireworks!........

My English friend tells me you still celebrate Guy Fawkes Nite or Bonfire Nite. I can recall Bonfire Nite like it was yesterday. Every kid in my small village/town looked forward to it. A day before the great day we kids collected all old wooden disused or broken items and put them in the designated bonfire reserve. Our dads would visit the local store and stock up on the fireworks. There was great anticipation as the hours counted down to the liting up the huge pile of wooden debris.

" Now stand well back from the flames" Mum would tell us boys. Then our dads lit the first of the skyrockets and we watched them flash into the nite sky and explode into their wonderfull colors. Meanwhile on the ground the Catherine Wheels, Horsetails, Roman Candles and Fountains sprung into wonderful life. The larrikan older boys would lite crackers and throw them at each other while we "angels" would enjoy ourselves with a sparkler. When the the flames were at their greatest one of the dads would toss a large paper mache of Guy Fawkes onto the fire to the accompaniment of much cheering and wooping. Then as the nite wore on the flames would dissipate and the last of the fireworks were lit. " Time to go home now boys" Mum would say. That was Bonfire Nite over for another year.

Why Australia stopped having this annual slice of tradition and nostalgia I do not know. Probably the do gooders lobbied to have it banned as they deemed it a danger. Will have to research it.

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

I remember matches which burned with a red flame and bangers - not seen either for a while, I guess bangers were banned...

The matches were called Bengal matches

[zabadak]

Re: A trip down memory lane

I remember matches which burned with a red flame and bangers - not seen either for a while, I guess bangers were banned...

[tex]

Re: A trip down memory lane

Fireworks, the highlight of bonfire night for any young kid, its been a long time since i bought fireworks but the ones i remember best were normally bought in a selection box which contained (as we called them) pinwheels,roman candles,air bombs,helicopters, rockets, ripraps and a selection of fountains. Bangers and sparklers were sold seperately and eventually bangers were withdrawn from sale because people (me)would throw them,ripraps were also withdrawn because of there erratic behaviour and helicopters also were withdrawn because they went up at any angle usually into somebodys face