Christmas at primary school

[Trickyvee]

Re: Christmas at primary school

I remember we had sewing classes, always seemed to make flat Christmas trees from felt or some such and we put these little paper calendars on the bottom.

Anyone else have to do that? I always wondered where those little calendars came from...

That's a memory jog for sure, those little calendars. Yes we stuck them on things too. Also remember using a toilet roll to make a Santa that came out for years on end. Bit of cotton wool and some red crepe paper, pink felt tip for his face and bobs your uncle.

[n3llyo]

Re: Christmas at primary school

every year we got a xmas pressie from the school dished out by the lollipop lady dressed as santa.every year it was a handkerchief either with something like the greencross code on it or printed with some unknown french cartoon (where they got them from no one knew) we also got a block of tasteless brown brick masquerading as a Christmas chocolate lard had a sweeter taste

we made the decorations by sticking strips of multi-coloured paper together in chains ( nearly 40 years later i still have the taste of that glue in my mouth)

christmas parties we all had to bring something so everyone went for the cheap option so out of a class of 30 we allways had 12 bottles of home brand orange squash 17 packets of ready salted crisps and the plate of coconut pyramids that my nan insisted on making ( coconut pyramids were made of icing sugar desolated coconut and pink food colouring that was moulded in a whiskey /shot glass to form small compact mounds of the sweet sickly cake)


nativity plays allways featured kids dressed in over sized costumes that allways started to fall off a few minutes into the play ,kids standing there constantly clawing their faces because the cheapo dress up beards were itching like mad and the scene with animals allways had guest appearances by non nonsensical creatures i remember an elephant and a penguin in our productions

[catflap]

Re: Christmas at primary school

every year we got a xmas pressie from the school dished out by the lollipop lady dressed as santa.every year it was a handkerchief either with something like the greencross code on it or printed with some unknown french cartoon (where they got them from no one knew) we also got a block of tasteless brown brick masquerading as a Christmas chocolate lard had a sweeter taste

we made the decorations by sticking strips of multi-coloured paper together in chains ( nearly 40 years later i still have the taste of that glue in my mouth)

christmas parties we all had to bring something so everyone went for the cheap option so out of a class of 30 we allways had 12 bottles of home brand orange squash 17 packets of ready salted crisps and the plate of coconut pyramids that my nan insisted on making ( coconut pyramids were made of icing sugar desolated coconut and pink food colouring that was moulded in a whiskey /shot glass to form small compact mounds of the sweet sickly cake)


nativity plays allways featured kids dressed in over sized costumes that allways started to fall off a few minutes into the play ,kids standing there constantly clawing their faces because the cheapo dress up beards were itching like mad and the scene with animals allways had guest appearances by non nonsensical creatures i remember an elephant and a penguin in our productions

Sorry - can't work out from reading your post if you have fond memories or are scarred for life?!!

[ann22]

Re: Christmas at primary school

I remember 4 weeks before Christmas the teacher would light one of the candles on the Advent wreath, it was so exciting knowing we were on the countdown.

The boys part of the school would put on a concert which we'd all be taken to see, it was always great, the boys would be constantly forgetting lines and sniggering on stage.

We'd make our own decorations for the classroom, I remember making little bells by cutting up egg cartons and wrapping them in tin foil.

In 5th class we were in a Nativity play on the church altar along with a carol service. I was one of the three kings. Wearing a flowery sheet with gold tinsel selloptaped to the edges (can't believe it stuck). I made my own crown with cardboard, tin foil and tinsel and I wore red flares. I still remember the words I had to say. I remember looking down from the altar at the bit where Mary says to the Angel Gabriel 'but how can this be? I have never slept with a man' and spotting my teacher tittering and nudging the teacher beside her.

[Twocky61]

Re: Christmas at primary school

In secondary school the Christmas party was a disco with party food and bottles of coke & the obligatory punch bowl on the food table served by the prefects. Some of us even smuggled in alcohol, generally bottles of vodka to be drunk in a group behind the bike shed or in an empty classroom. We even spiked the punch to make the party go with a swing

As well as dancing with each other some of the teachers would dance with us too: Mostly female teachers with us lads & the occassional male teacher with a girl. Caroline in our class had a crush on one particular teacher and was ecstatic when he asked her to dance. I am sure she wanted to kiss him & more but she kept it appropriate

I danced with a few teachers; I kept it appropriate too though I didn't really want to

As for Nativity plays in primary school I played the recorder both in morning assemblies and the Nativity play. Ask me to play something on a recorder now & I wont be able to Easiest tune of course was "Three Blind Mice"

[akb48fan]

Re: Christmas at primary school

Only got vague memories of the run-up to Christmas at primary school:

a large tinsel covered box in the classroom with a large slot on the top to put your classmates Xmas cards inside which would be emptied every afternoon by the teacher and the cards passed to each recipient.
In one Christmas concert when I was about 6 or 7 I got to bang a large drum whilst the rest of my classmates had to sing The Little Drummer Boy in front of our parents
The final day before school closed for the Christmas break used to be a free for all where you could bring board games to play or watch TV until the afternoon where there would be a big party in the school hall.

Great days..........

[Twocky61]

Re: Christmas at primary school

Only got vague memories of the run-up to Christmas at primary school:

a large tinsel covered box in the classroom with a large slot on the top to put your classmates Xmas cards inside which would be emptied every afternoon by the teacher and the cards passed to each recipient.
Great days..........

A bit like Valentines day where all the pupils posted Valentines cards in the box to the person they fancied or in some cases to themselves

[Trickyvee]

Re: Christmas at primary school

I can only actually remember one Christmas party at Primary School. 'Do They Know It's Christmas' was playing on the ghetto blaster someone had brought in for the occasion so it must have been 1984. I have a very vivid snapshot memory of sitting on the big table, Mr Kipling French Fancies in front of me and listening to that song.

[Piglet]

Re: Christmas at primary school

Hi @catflap I was looking for those little calendars online, when I can across this forum! They came from the local stationer's at our school. They were also available at W.H.Smith's. I would have to buy extras for making calendars for the aunts and uncles, because we were only allocated one each at school and they went to Mum of course! But we no longer have either shop in our local area and I am searching and searching... They are around, because I have seen an image online. Sadly not with any source or contact details to ask the web site owner. I tried posting an image here, but apparently I am not allowed. Oh, well. At least two of us know what I am talking about! LOL!

[Piglet]

Re: Christmas at primary school

We made the decorations by sticking strips of multi-coloured paper together in chains (nearly 40 years later i still have the taste of that glue in my mouth) ...and the plate of coconut pyramids that my nan insisted on making (coconut pyramids were made of icing sugar desolated coconut and pink food colouring that was moulded in a whiskey/shot glass to form small compact mounds of the sweet sickly cake)

Your reply made me laugh out loud! And then I wondered, whether all this angst, cynicism and sarcasm has developed in the years since school, or were you born an unhappy old grouch? We were warned not to lick the gum because it was made of fish bones and would taste nasty, so it became a dare and act of bravado to do the opposite to what Miss advised... As we were all used to handling fish -- guts and all -- it was not as off-putting as she or you would have us believe.

I bet your Nan made those coconut pyramids from 6oz (150g) desiccated coconut, 3oz (75g) caster sugar, 1 egg white, dessert spoon cornflour decorated with glacé cherries (optional). They could also be made using condensed milk... I think it was something like whatever a tin of sweetened condensed milk weighed to slightly less of dessicated coconut. Pink was only for "posh." LOL! We still make them for fund-raising events, although the rice paper became difficult to source at one point and we found the German oblaten looked more professional and made portioning easier.

I am sorry you have such a depressing memory of school and the fun times. I really hate to think what terrible bad times you must have had! Poor you.

[Cooldeepblue]

Re: Christmas at primary school

I loved the taste of that glue. We were told it was 1000 calories a lick and not to do it but wet a finger. I suspected 1000 calories was a lie but didn't really care !!

[80sChav]

Re: Christmas at primary school

Wow ..... what a thread! II have many memories of these timers indeed

Making Cracvkers, having Party's etc and a general good time/laugh with mates back in the day's before Secondary School hit me!!

What I'd not give to be a kid of that age once again (though not in Today's era)!

80sChav

[big kid]

Re: Christmas at primary school

i loved christmas at primary school.

[Twocky61]

Re: Christmas at primary school

Sadly parents are not allowed to video school nativity plays

[big kid]

Re: Christmas at primary school

i don't think schools do nativity plays any more, in case they offend someone.

Sadly parents are not allowed to video school nativity plays