Something special has been organised for us to do for Pink Saturday. For the next three weeks, Beverly at How Sweet The Sound has a theme lined up for each saturday. This week we are asked to talk about a childhood memory of a special holiday. You can find many more stories of special holiday memories from Beverly’s blog.
I don’t come from a large family. My mother has a brother & sister and when the family migrated to Australia in 1950 they settled in Horsham – a town approx a 4 hour drive, west of Melbourne. When mum & dad married they moved to Melbourne while my aunt & uncle remained in horsham for some time after their respective marriages.
We would take turns at celebrating Christmas in each city (and also alternate with Easter) – one year in Horsham, the next in Melbourne. This meant we would travel to Horsham each year. As a child I always remember Christmas time being hot and at times extremely hot. Before our family owned a car we would travel to Horsham by train. Perhaps not such an exciting thing, but for a child it was. We would need to catch the train at the oddest hours – and I remember the train would stop at Ballarat Station for a breakfast or supper, depending on which direction the train was heading. Mmmm, I can still smell the those Aussie meat pies – they must’ve been a favourite for just about everyone because no matter what time it was, pies was on the menu….. and I would always ask for one even if still half asleep, lol.
We always had a huge feast on Christmas day and I would especially look forward to dessert …. we had so much to eat. In between feasting we would be trying to keep cool, My two cousins & I would play board games and usually a little afternoon siesta would follow.
It was all good old fashioned family fun. With the exception of food there was was nothing too complicated ot too much trouble. The families couldn’t afford ‘real’ holidays but we made our time fun and enjoyed each meoment. We turned simple things into memorable times.
Christmas is also a time of surprises and giving, so before you go don’t forget to enter my first Christmas Giveaway. I have some delightful handmade presents to give away. Just go to the post below this one to enter.
Happy Pink Saturday Everyone!
*****
HOw lovely to spend Christmas in different places, doing different things. I bet the journey was a lot of fun too. I relate re the hot weather – it kind of throws you for turkey & all the trimmings! Afternoon siesta after Christmas dinner is mandatory no matter where you live! And a corny movie on TV.
Happy Nostalgic Pink Saturday!
Hi!!
Christmas time of memories and traditions.
Happy pink saturday!!!
On this first Saturday of December ?Jappy Pink Saturday?. I was away for a while and sure missed running around the blogs arnd seeing all of the goodies everyone was sharing.
Thanks for the memory…
It was a blessing for you to make my morning so much fun. Hoping that you and those you care about spend a wonderful weekend making memories that will last a lifetime?
Elena, this is such a sweet post. I enjoyed reading about your Christmas past. We also would take turns spending Christmas with our cousins, too, and it was always great fun. One year, they would visit us in the country, and one year, we would visit them in the city. Then we moved to the city and continued the tradition into adulthood. I went home for Christmas every year until I was about 35 when my mother died. Then we began to make Christmas memories of our own. Living in the South, we often have warm Christmases, so I can identify with an Australian Christmas. We still put up all the winter decorations, but in Florida, the garlands start dropping needles sometimes thanks to the heat. I’ve learned to use silks! 😉
Happy Pink Saturday to you!
XO,
Sheila
Hi Elena, Happy Christmas Memories and I adore the image of the little gal in the hammock. Peace, Mollye
Oh, I think your story is just perfect for this week. I can imagine how exciting it would have been to take a train ride someplace for the holidays. What fun to travel and smells all the food, to eat and feel so special. I never gave it any thought, about Christmas being during the summer in some areas of the world. Our son in law is from Chile and every year at Christmas they would go to the beach, thanks so much for sharing and Happy Pink Saturday, Char
Elena, thank you for visiting my blog and leaving your kind comments!
What a wonderful memory you’ve shared today! I can just imagine the smell and taste of those pies . . . yummy! What fun it must have been to travel on the train to go and visit family . . . those are the things childhood memories are made of!
Thank you so much for sharing and Happy Pink Saturday!
Blessings,
Teresa
Love your pretty pictures, Elena. Mmmm, those Aussie pies sound so good! Like a pastie I reckon. I think riding a train sounds like loads of fun. Those are good memories of your family getting together to be together and feast.
Happy Pink Saturday~
I love your memories! Life used to be so much simpler. It would be weird for us to have a warm Christmas! Happy Pink Saturday.
I agree, simple pleasures are the best.
Hello, my friend,
I loved hearing about your Christmas memories! How exciting to take a train ride to visit relatives. That is something I have never done! Your family had the most important possession of all: Love for each other! Thank you for always stopping by Bunny Cottage for a visit. It always makes me smile when you do! Happy Pink Saturday to you! Vicki p.s. I am going over to enter my name for your giveaway!
Hi Elena,
I loved visiting and reading of your holidays. I live in Texas and Christmas for us is always cold..sometimes with snow. I loved to read the visits with your cousins,
I always enjoyed my favorite cousins too. Happy Pink Saturday and have a wonderful weekend.
I had a sense of what a warm Christmas was like when I was living in San Diego – but its not the same as hot summer weather in the Southern Hemisphere! Thanks so much for sharing your memories! Happy Pink Saturday!
Happy Pink Saturday (I guess it’s Sunday for you)!
It was so much fun to read your lovely post, and think about how others around the world celebrate Christmas. While I was trying to stay warm you were trying to stay cool! Isn’t it wonderful to conjure up old memories.
Thank you for sharing yours.
Yvonne
Thank you all for your gorgeous comments – for those I haven’t visited yet I’ll be coming soon to read your stories
What a lovely memory. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. I hope you are having a wonderful day and are looking forward to the holidays ahead.
Great post. Enjoyed reading it very much. Memories about Christmas are always worth sharing.
Maggie
Hello Elena,
I also to think that to be surrounded with family and friends is just the greatest. And hey, with food, I don’t think you could go wrong with that LOL.
You know, sometimes it’s the simplest things that turns out to be the most memorable one
Mizpah,
Li
Happy Pink Saturday, Elena.
I loved your memories of alternating holidays with your family. It must have been wonderful sharing such special times together.
When I was a little girl, my mother and I rode the train to visit my grandparents. It was always an adventure.
What a delightful post and I love the cute little pictures you posted. You have some beatiful memories of your childhood that you will remember always.
Dropping back by to wish you a Happy Pink Saturday!
XO,
Sheila