The ones I had between five and ten were better than the rest!
I’ve been looking back at Christmas – a long ago memories list,
From ones at home or abroad thro’ war – well those I surely missed!
They didn’t seem like Christmas then – like those I remembered best,
The ones I had aged between five and ten were better than the rest.
Mind things at home they hadn’t changed – they were such hard up days,
Folks all struggled to get through life in various and different ways.
Means tests were bad and money short – at Christmas we stumbled through,
Little toys bought in previous months were laid away from view.
I remember my first Christmas club – on Tynemouth Road – a shop,
’twas J G Paines – Umbrellas – at his window I would stop,
for weeks before I’d put away the coppers I had saved,
he marked upon a little card the coppers my parents gave.
I had three bob by Christmas then and went up there to see,
What I could get for all that cash – it was a lot to me.
A Noah’s Ark made out of wood and animals were the same,
At 1/3d a bargain – so I bought a compendium game.
The front was Snakes and Ladders with – Ludo on the back,
A little car I got quite cheap ‘cos the wheels were a little slack.
A box of soldiers with a tent – I got for brother Sid,
I remember how he looked all day at the picture on the lid.
A Fuzzy Felt for my sister – Margaret was her name,
Just the very thing for her, I’m glad she thought the same.
And Mr Paine was very good – he said ‘You’ve done quite well,
Saving everything you got – you’re a bright lad – I can tell.
So here’s a little present – a story I enjoyed the most,
To read at Christmas – it’s by Dickens and called Marley’s Ghost.
I still have that book – it’s leather bound – like me it’s getting old,
But that was the Christmas I liked best and now you’ve all been told.