I absolutely loved Xmas as a child, probably because our adored dad loved it and passed that on to us 6 children - he was like a child himself, my mother used to say! Months in advance, he would order and pay BY THE WEEK for our toys and sweets - staples were Annuals (Bunty and Judy) and, of course, Selection Boxes - yum yum! As well, there were the usual dolls, prams, nurses outfits, skates, etc. for us 3 girls and toy guns with caps, cowboy outfits, bikes, train sets, etc for the 3 boys. But best of all for me and my sister (we were the eldest) was the 12 shiny pennies we always got. Dad was a silver polisher, and without fail, every year, we got these shiny pennies in our stocking. We still talk about them! But he refused to collect anything until nearly 9pm on Xmas Eve - the shop closed at 9pm - because he didn't want any of us kids to see any of our presents until Xmas morning. Poor mam would be having forty kinds of fit, terrified that perhaps this year the shop would close early!!!!! My oldest brother was an "absolute demon", "devil" or "a get". He was forever up to mischief, and dragged my next oldest brother into everything - he never get caught himself, of course, although everybody else did! I remember one particular Xmas morning when he and my other brother disappeared out of the house at about 4am (you didn't have to worry in those days) dressed in their Xmas best, and the next thing we knew, they both came flying down our road - bareback - on 2 tinkers horses (scruffy dirty, of course!) whooping and hollering and waking all the parents/kids who weren't already awake. Although my poor mother nearly had a heart attack, all my dad said was "Ah Mona, sure I did worse meself"!! After the excitement of the opening of the presents, it would be time to have a little to eat, then into our Xmas clothes and off to Mass, after which it would be back home for the big traditional family fry-up. Then out on to our road to show off what we got to our friends, and to see what they got from "Santy Claus". Eventually we were called in for Xmas dinner - turkey, ham, roast and mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts and peas, gravy, etc. followed by Xmas pudding and custard. Gorgeous! And finally, that evening, it was off down to Aunty Bridie and Uncle Larry's house for a hooley, when the parents and all the aunties and uncles sang "their" songs - "Mona Lisa" (dad), "One Enchanted Evening" (mam), "A woman without a man" (Uncle Gerry), "Apple Blossom Time" (Uncle Mick), etc, etc. Of course, us kids HATED all these old fuddy-duddy songs, but now ... if only I could hear them all one more time, wouldn't I be one happy woman! Yes, I have great Xmas memories of Dublin in the 1950's. Colette