10 reasons Christmas was better in the 70s and 80s Remember that old school tinsel? It’s easy to look back at those yellow and orange photographs of Christmas from the 70s and 80s and laugh at the cheesy jumpers, the cheesy grins and the fact you only had one type of cheese in the fridge. But as you smirk at the past whilst ordering your smart Scandi themed decorations and array of modern foodstuffs online just think – you probably won’t have a photograph of this year’s festivities to look back on. Because you probably won’t get a real camera out to take one, you won’t have that exciting wait for a week to see if that picture you took of Gran sleeping in her chair after dinner came out. Because you’ll spend the day on your smartphone and social media like you do every day. Because Christmas probably won’t be as brilliant this year as it was in those photos. Because Christmas was better back in the 70s and 80s. And here are just a few reasons why. The Anticipation The Christmas countdown started in December not October so you were still actually excited by the time it arrived. Advent calendars only had a small pictorial scene behind the paper door, there were no chocolates, beauty treats or pieces of jewellery but it was still the most exciting part of the day as every morning you were reminded the big day was drawing closer. On the 24th there was a double door with the nativity behind it, maybe a bit of glitter. Squeal! More Anticipation Getting out the same garish decorations every year and making a mess of the tree was a cause for celebration in itself and there was nothing more festive than going through the catalogue and making a wish list. But it was properly time to get excited when the special double edition of the Radio Times was bought. Circling everything you wanted to watch with a red pen was the very definition of joy. Which brings us on to… The Telly OK the Morcambe & Wise Christmas Special may not have been top of your wish list and you’d rather make your family watch Top Of The Pops to see what made the festive number one but at least you watched it all together. Remember we only had one TV and three or four channels back then (not the thousands we have today) so every single seasonal programme was an event big enough to bring every family member to the sofa. If you missed it you missed out because you couldn’t +1 it, so you just didn’t miss it. And talking to real people about this shared event was as funny as talking about it on Twitter. The Film Which brings me on to this. No you probably hadn’t seen it at the cinema, no you hadn’t rented it out, no you certainly hadn’t already videoed it off the TV and no there was no downloading, no Netflix and no films on permanent loop on Sky. So the Christmas Day film was MASSIVE. Massive I tell you. It’s hard to drum up the same enthusiasm today for a film that you’ve already had umpteen chances to watch. Honestly, even if The Great Escape or James Bond again, still massive. No one watches the same thing in the same room today. The Toy Whether it was a Girls World or the Six Million Dollar Man you hungered all year for it. There was no chance of getting a new toy on a whim so it really took something like Christmas or a birthday to get something so desirable. But the object of your desire was on every TV advert break whipping you up into a festive frenzy that resulted in an almost crazed attack on everything wrapped up under the tree until you found it. There’ll be a photo of your face when you unwrapped it. The Music The Christmas number one was actually a festive tune, not cheesy output from the latest X Factor winner and Top of the Pops was a seasonal spectacular. Actually Christmas tunes were invented in the 70s and 80s. Fact. And we weren’t bored of hearing them. The Food Trifle and satsumas and sherry and a Yule Log. Don’t pretend you still eat that stuff now, you don’t. You eat fancy stuff like Stollen and Panettone, you probably don’t even have a turkey and Christmas is just not the same for it. There was interesting food in the house for the only time in the year – like a tin of Quality Street – and a nut cracker in a bowl of Brazil nuts that lasted until March. Someone who didn’t usually drink would get a bit tipsy and no one mentioned salt, sugar, carbs or knew the difference between good and bad fats. Also, Babycham! The Clothes You always wore your Sunday best on the big day (not a reindeer onesie) and Christmas jumpers were non-ironic. Those in the kitchen had a novelty apron. Someone had a new tie. Who gets a new tie these days? The Tradition Everyone does something different now, back then options were limited (and the shops were not open like they are today!) so we all pretty much did the same thing every year and it usually revolved around: Local band playing carols, midnight mass, leaving out a mince pie and a carrot, being unable to sleep, waking up earlier than you ever thought possible, throwing yourself into a pile of presents, eating masses, going for a walk, The Queens Speech, falling asleep. You knew where you were with Christmas, now we can go ice-skating, go to hotels for lunch, pretty much go anywhere and it’s not on. The Magic If you’re reading this the likelihood is you experienced Christmas in the 70s and 80s as a child so of course it was better because you know – the magic. Also it snowed more back then, no really it did. And it really WAS better.
The bumper edition of The Radio Times was one of the best things about Christmas, I literally was at the newsagents on the day of its release as soon as the shop opened to get my copy. Christmas was better then, because the 70s and 80s was when I grew up and Christmas is all about kids isnt it ?
Radio times came out today mate £3.60, its all about the kids mate, as bing crosby said all the kids from 1 to 93
was born in 62 so I remember the best Christmas's during the late 60's and 70's with nostalgia -sadly nowadays Christmas starts after the summer holidays and ends in January just as Easter starts!
All of that was true. Reminded me of my own childhood. I was born in '62 so it's just my era. Did your mam and dad always redecorate the front room a week before Xmas, mine always did. Great memories conjured up mate. 70's and 80's songs still the best and still played today. Modern Xmas is ****e. I wish I was 12 again. Thanks Wise Man. Merry Xmas.
Excellent article, my time was the 60's and early 70's (as a kid). The double edition was truly exciting, until I worked as a paperboy, twice the weight, twice the time, twice the struggle, same pay!
Not many great memories of Christmas tbh. That's maybe one reason I've gone way ott with my kids over the years. Giving them something to look back on.
What's people's views on this 'Mission Christmas' thing the radio stations are doing, whereby people donate presents for underprivileged kids? My initial thought was that it was inspiring, then my thought process done a complete 180. Surely there's people worse off at Christmas than kids with no toys? This entire campaign is driven by consumerism, the only real winner in this is the retailer. Kids will not all of a sudden be elated with their life if they have a toy donated to them, they're still underprivileged and in many cases neglected. There's thousands of parents out there who just want their child to be alive for Christmas, or to be able to wake up one day not feeling pain. I hate what consumerism has done to the festive period that otherwise has always been about family, at least for me. On the 26th of December a nation will wake up in more personal debt than ever before, filling their Facebook page with pictures of their gormless kids opening ****ty Chinese-made tat. Sorry to be a scrooge, WMS, Christmas was well better in the 80's and probably even better in the 70's mate, it's those values and traditions I'll be ingraining into my children.
I can tell you TT it was even better further back, in fact the further back it is the better it gets, its one of the best things about gettin ard. :
I don't doubt what you say for a second pal, my mother tells me the exact same, I can't wait to see the family. I'm away to a 'Jewmas' dinner this year (my Mrs' family are Jewish), same principles apply, lots of good food, booze and most importantly lots of people. Same kind of thing but the Turkey is Kosher!
Yes it was better in the '80's - I was a child and regularly got things like Scalextric and Lego for Christmas - now, when I ask for them, everyone thinks i'm kidding.... I WANT A SCALEXTRIC!!!
Yeah, most of them don't mate. My Mrs' family aren't orthodox Jews though, they're very relaxed with everything and just see it as a good excuse for a piss up and a bit of scran. I'm atheist mate, I don't 'Celebrate Christmas' really, I just like the time of year, atheism is good like that, we can have all the best bits like the holidays and the food without having to thank the lord for any of it, or turn up at some freezing cold church to sing at blokes in dresses.
Yes, some very good points there. Becca once went to Ireland for a Watford pre season game. Anyhow, her car broke down & they got took to this place where they were fed ham sandwiches. She said they were lovely but would have to confess it to the Rabbi. She's a great lass Becca, I've asked her all sorts about the Jewish faith. Things like Yom Kippur, bat/barmitzfah's & so forth. Excuse my bad spelling by the way.
