2019 Xmas Librezine - 80s Edition

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Bookflix How to Throw an 80s Xmas 80s Haircuts Revisited 80s Fashion Retro Xmas Toys From The 80s Showcasing Saskia Sherry Xmas Traditions Becky’s Crossword Guess Who?

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By Huriyyah Patel 5

By Sarah White The 1980s has been remembered for its big hair, questionable fashion choices and the birth of music television. It was also the years of political and social revolution, miners’ strikes and the collapse of the Soviet Union. The 1980s was an exciting time of change and rebellion, and this was reflected in the development of its pop culture. This was the period of American ‘Yuppies’ and the rise of consumerism, influenced by mass media and advertising. It was these developments that changed how the holiday season was marketed and celebrated across the globe.

So, what was Christmas like in the UK in the 1980s?

The Birth of the Ugly Christmas Jumper.

Christmas in the 1980s was not too dissimilar to how we celebrate today. Many of our current silly Christmas traditions were born in the 80s, including ugly Christmas jumpers which are hugely popular now. The difference is that back then these Christmas jumpers A Very Plastic were highly fashionable and Christmas. totally un-ironic!

Christmas decorations were equally gaudy, with plenty of multi-coloured tinsel, fairy lights, plastic baubles, and those awful scraggly silver tinsel-trees. Many families enjoyed making their own decorations too and filled their homes with paper-chains and paper-snowflakes.

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The Rise of Cheesy Christmas Classics.

Some of the best and most iconic Christmas tracks were released in the 1980s. Band Aid’s charitable ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’

(1984) and The Pogues and Kirsty Maccoll’s ‘Fairytale of New York’ (1987) have become cult Christmas classics that enter the music charts around December every year. MTV was launched in 1981 which surged interest in music television. Music artists and record labels plunged money into making memorable videos to boost record sales. Everyone remembers George Michael prancing around in the snow to ‘Last Christmas’, right? All of this was supported by the BBC’s ‘Top of the Pops’, a weekly chart show, which aired a special Christmas Day episode every year. It featured the best-selling singles of the year and announced the coveted ‘Christmas Number One’ single.

Christmas on the Box. There was no YouTube or Netflix in the 80s so Christmas television was incredibly important. Popular Christmas Specials included Blackadder’s Christmas Carol (1988), repeats of The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show, Carols from King’s and The Queen’s Speech. There was also one ‘big’ film on every Christmas that every family wanted to see, such as Raymond Brigg’s The Snowman (1982), an animated film that was met with immediate success. There was also an increase in production of American Christmas movies in the 80s. This included the cult favourites Gremlins (1984), Die Hard (1988) and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989).

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By Zoe Rothwell We all know that the 80s was a bit hit and miss when it came to ‘The Look’ but however bad we might have thought it was, for some bizarre reason it seems to have made a comeback. Why? You might ask, it was bad enough the first time! I for one was particularly impressed with the horrendous hairstyles from that decade and would like to share the worst hair doo’s, or rather, hair don’ts, of the eighties.

1 – The Mullet – In literature, mullets have been around for thousands of years but during the 80’s there were so many varying kinds of mullets that you just couldn’t keep up. Whether it was permed at the back, spikey on top, loose and tussled, flicked out towards the sides, shaved on top, or with a John McEnroe bandana.

Sporting the ‘business up front’ and a ‘party at the back’ meant “you could not be serious” about any of them.

2 – The Perm – Both men and women, young and old embraced the perm throughout most of the 80’s. The bingo perm is still a hit today for many of the older generation which is kept short with tight curls close to the head so you are still able to see the scalp.

The spiral perm was very popular 8

with the ladies although those with naturally curly hair could scrunch it for a similar awful effect. If you were in into heavy metal music chances are you would have rocked a man perm which most definitely would have cross pollinated with your mullet.

Brian May or may not be a natural curl???

3 – The Flat Top – This was a very popular haircut for the fellas in the 80s and was especially macho having evolved from the military style crew cut. Usually men with muscles would don this spikey doo such as Arnold Schwartzenegger and Dolph Lundgren…although Dolph’s peroxide wedge could sometimes resemble a block of cheese.

4 – The Comb Over – This nostalgic piece has been seen throughout the decades and is a man’s attempt to hide or rather highlight the fact that he is as bald as a coot.

The Trumpster has the biggest whippy known to man and if he ever asked me to ‘comb over here’ I would run a mile. Flip top Fred has nothing on this peddle bin head.

back. Your eye’s would water whilst building scrunchie after scrunchie into a tower of colour whilst giving yourself an instant facelift.

7 – Crimping – These damage creating sizzling tongs would heat up your locks so it resembled a ‘before’ picture from a frizz control product. (see above) Not only did it ruin your ordinarily shiny hair 5 – The One Eye – Annoyingly cool but it would also burn your scalp in the process. Sometimes even the ‘One Eye’ did exactly what it says on the tin. Also known as the your forehead could end up with ‘Perry’ from the ‘Perry Boy’ move- the tell-tale scorch marks of the ment of Manchester, this hairstyle crimpers, giving you that Freddy was basically a massive flick which, Krueger look which was to die for. the longer it grew, the less you could see. Mono vision was all the 8 – The High Top Fade – This was a great hairstyle for those with rage back then with The Human League’s Phil Oakey clearly having afro hair and also if you happened the edge over everyone else. ‘Don’t to be vertically challenged. It was a fantastic way you want me’ was the to create the Christmas number illusion of being one in 1981.... ‘Not tall as some of with that hairstyle these bad boys mate!’ could easily add an extra 4 to 5 inches onto your 6 – The Sink Plunge – A mid height. It was a bit like wearing eighties ‘rite’s of passage’ for most teenage girls, the ‘Sink Plunge’ was platform shoes but on your head.

Larry Blackmon, the lead singer of basically half a high pony nestled on the top of your bonce while the Cameo was apparently the trend rest of your hair flowed down your setter for this doo - WORD UP! 9

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By Amy Worsley BACK to the Future: How 80s fashion is still trendy.

The 80s was all about bold colours, flamboyant styles, and dressing to impress. The 80s fashion icons set various fashion-forward trends such as punk, hip hop, and also exercise attire. The fashion in the 80s had such an impact that it is still seen in today’s looks.

Throughout the 80s neon or bold, colourful clothing was a popular scene on the dance floor, many wearing off the shoulder, ruffles and sequin dresses. Madonna and Cyndi Lauper had a fun and exciting style with many elements that are still seen today. It was all about ‘accessorise, accessorise, accessorise’ - if it wasn’t dozens of beaded necklaces, it was large colourful statement earrings and sunglasses.

Sunglasses and over-sized jackets became a fashionable look for both men and women, and are still favoured today.

80s casual fashion saw a new level of wearing denim. Both men and women would sport a head to toe denim look, with various modifications to suit their style, such as ripped jeans, coloured denim and acid-washed denim. Denim is versatile, and it has stood the test of time with the all denim look having a come-back.

Tracksuits worn today stem from the 80s shell suit, there were a variety of shell suits, some with blocked colours and others caked in patterns. Shell suits colourful antics are resurfacing in today’s fashion, but many are only wearing the top or the bottom at one time and not both together (maybe less is more!).

The rah-rah skirt is a layered skirt crossed between a tutu and a mini skirt it was a popular fashion trend among teenage girls in the early 80s - the late 80s the rah-rah was often made in leather, denim and lace.

Exercise icons like Jane Fonda and Rosemary Conley promoted the leg-warmers and lycra outfits, usually lycra pants underneath a swimsuit with a sweatband over the forehead. Today many people don’t often wear the ‘swimsuit over pants’ look, but tend to fashion the same colour co-ordination and wear lycra pants, not just for exercise but for everyday wear.

There are so many styles that made the 80s - check out the visual similarities from ‘Then and Now’ on the next page.

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By Becky Davison I am from an era known now as Generation X. This followed on from the baby boomers of the 1960s. Subsequently the 80s is part of my historical past, as it goes. Yes! I feel ancient and my mind’s not what it used to be but one thing I always cherish are the memories of Christmas past.

Although the 1980s was not my favourite era, the toys of the time where amazing. Children played, I mean really played, with games and action figures and proper toys. We used to interact with one another in a way that is almost alien to children of today without the help of a phone, an app or social media. These were the days of bad taste, big hair, illuminous clothes, shoulder pads you would need scaffolding to hold up and not forgetting acid wash jeans that you only got from sitting in a bath full of bleach, not a look I would recommend myself but there you go.

Here is a list of the must have Xmas toys of the 80s.

The authentic Cabbage Patch Kids were all the rage in the early 1980s.

Such was the demand for these creations in 1983 that people would camp outside toy stores. Shops were being flooded at the time with electronics, and materialism was at an all time high. Kids just wanted something to hug. Are you kidding me! This is the stuff of nightmares? The toy industry, however, had now discovered the purchasing power of kids. My god though these dolls where ugly. I remember when I was 10yrs old and the last thing I wanted was to play with a doll that looked like my grandma had strung it together with odds and sods she had found lying around the back of the cupboard. No thank you, not me, but boy what a trick I missed. Now highly sort after, these mismatched (only a mother could love them) dolls are worth a whopping £1,788.84 Say What!

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He Man and the Masters of the Universe Ha ha Oh I remember these; my little brother would go everywhere with his He-Man figures and kick off royal if we couldn’t find them.

Masters of the Universe was set in the fictional world of Eternia. The action figures were an immediate success with young children of the time and when the cartoon premiered in the early 80s the popularity of the franchise soared. The action figures captured the imagination of children everywhere and whilst the main purpose of the cartoon was to sell the toys by embedding morality and social values within the characters the producers were able to win over the adults who were spending the money. These days this bad boy can be yours for a small fortune. Sealed in its original packaging this toy can be yours for an eye watering £377.42.

TOMY Waterful Ring-Toss This hand held table top game required the use of water to work otherwise it was just a dry container filled with air and little plastic rings. Exciting I hear you say. Well once filled with water it was interesting enough to keep kids occupied for hours well maybe a 5 year old on a long long trip across country and lets face it everyone had one of these cause they were as cheap as chips. Yes, I do remember getting one of these in my Christmas stocking - thanks mum. Who needs computers when you have a ring toss? Forget Minecraft, back in the 80s if you had nothing else to play with, and I mean NOTHING ELSE this was awesome.

Selling now on eBay for no less than £51.50. I think I’ll pass.

A La Carte Kitchen I never got one of these at Christmas maybe my parents didn’t love me enough. One could ask the question is it possible that my lack of this highly sort after strikingly stereotypical cringe worthy plastic beauty is the reason I can’t cook today. However, whilst many young girls of the time may have aspired to be a goddess in the kitchen like their mothers.

I didn’t have such issues because I was unfortunate enough to have a mother who also couldn’t cook so there you have it. I was starved as a child. These won’t break the bank and can be yours for a mere £18.99.

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Zoe – Could you please give me a bit of background information about yourself?

Saskia - My name is Saskia Sherry, I’m 19 years old and I live with my mum and brother in Bolton.

I’m currently studying on a BTEC Level 3 Art and Design course here at Bolton College.

Zoe – What are you working on at the moment?

Saskia – The topic is about tea, anything to do with tea. We have 2 finals. I’m going to create an illustrated comic and we’ve also got to make an 3D teapot using the software Blender.

Zoe – Where has Anime originated from and when did it come into being?

Saskia – It comes from Japan and I think it originally started in the 50s but got more recognition in the 80s and 90s. Now there are conventions and I like to go to the ones in Manchester. There’s Comic Con, AnimeCon and Doki Doki, which is like Japanese culture. It really is a place where you can just be yourself and noone judges you – it’s a culture in itself and I’m heavily a part of it.

Zoe – What is your inspiration for the latest brief?

Saskia – Well I’ve been inspired

by Anime all my life. I love the art style of it, I mean if the artwork is no good I’m not interested – I don’t care if the story’s good - it has to be visually pleasing.

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Zoe – How important are your sketch book journals?

Saskia – For me they are really important because when you look back at something you once thought was great, it’s as though you are looking at your stuff as a different person and through someone else’s eye’s.

brew whilst writing down ways in which they can end the world - they have a deadline and everything! I made all the character’s vastly different so WAR is a

Zoe – How do you get started on a brief?

Saskia – Usually I will do some observational drawings, then some general research, then I research and develop from an artist I like, and then with my own creativity I kind of just mix it all together.

Zoe - Talk me through your idea, Pitch me your idea.

Saskia – My illustration is the ‘Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse’ coming together over a cup of tea to end the world, the old-fashioned way, because of budget cuts and they have to use a blackboard. This group of demi gods are just sat around having a

big hulk of a man but his skin tone is red because thats the colour of war. He’s very angry, and on the inside he’s very traumatised and has a severe case of PTSD. PESTILENCE is like the plague and chemical warfare she’s cute but ggrrr so when no-one takes her seriously she’s like ‘I will release this’, and try’s to wipe everyone out.

DEATH is very stoic, people perceive him as the grim reaper. He’s dressed very formally with a pocket watch that doesn’t actually have any time on it – it’s just a counter for his next victim.

FAMINE has dark skin and is very skinny. He controls whether he should let people starve or not, basically he’s a bit of a psycho.

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By Janette Davies Have you ever wondered why we put up Christmas trees, hang stockings or eat turkey at Christmas? Let’s throw some light on the mysteries behind some of our most popular Christmas traditions.

Father Christmas Trees Christmas In Europe evergreen trees were Father Christmas thought to keep away evil spirits originates from a and illness and were put up durBishop who lived ing the winter solstice, the shortin Turkey named est day of the Saint Nicholas. He year, to remind had a reputation for them that spring giving to the poor would return. and being kind to Walking through children. The most likely legend a forest, profesis that he helped a very poor man sor of theology, who could not afford dowries for Martin Luther, his three daughters. Saint Nichowas so impressed las secretly dropped bags of gold by the beauty of down the chimney of their home stars twinkling so the three girls could marry. through the pines that he took a From then on whenever anyone tree home and attached candles received a secret gift, it was said to to each branch to remind him of be from Saint Nicholas. his experience. This soon caught His name changed to Santa Claus on and Germans decorated their (the Christmas man) when Dutch trees with edible goods and glass settlers in the USA carried on the decorations. tradition, which soon spread to It wasn’t until the 1830s that Europe. Father Christmas deChristmas trees made it to Britain. They became a tradition after picts the epitome of good cheer at Prince Albert, (husband to Queen Christmas, bringing joy and peace to everyone.

Victoria and born in Germany) put one up in Windsor Castle and had a photograph taken of it surrounded by the Royal family.

Turkey Dinner Turkeys were introduced in Britain more than 500 years ago by Yorkshireman William Strickland, who acquired six birds from American Indian traders on his travels. Farmers soon realised that the more expensive animals they usually ate at Christmas could be better used. Chickens were needed for their eggs, cows for their milk. Also being such large birds they could feed a lot of people.

However, they were still quite expensive and didn’t become the food of choice until after WWII and the introduction of fridges to family homes. More than 10 million are eaten at Christmas every year.

Christmas Crackers Christmas crackers are a British tradition dating back to Victorian times when in the early 1850s, London confectioner Tom Smith started adding a motto to his sugared almond bon-bons which he sold wrapped in a twisted paper package. As many of his bonbons were bought by men to give to women, many of the mottos were simple love poems.

Looking to promote his confectionery, he was inspired to add the “bang” when he heard the crackle of a log he had just put on the fire. He decided to make a log shaped package that would produce a surprise bang and inside would be an almond and a motto.

Soon the sugared almond was replaced with a small gift.

Originally sold as the Cosaque it soon became known by the public as the ‘cracker’. The paper hat was added to the cracker in the early 1900s by his sons and by the end of the 1930s, the love poems had been replaced by jokes or limericks.

Advent Calendars Advent marks the four Sundays leading up to Christmas Day. Christians use the four Sundays and weeks of Advent to prepare and remember the real meaning of Christmas.

Paper calendars, with 24 little windows on, were first popular in Germany in the early 1900s, although people made their own from the 1850s. A window is opened on every day in December revealing a small sweet and a Christmas picture.

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Across

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3. Material girl (7) 4. Famous reggae artist who died in 1981 (3_6) 7. Portable sound system with cassette player, played as loud as possible and batteries weighed a ton. (7) 8. TV soap based in Liverpool was first aired in 1982 (9) 9. Who was not M.J’s lover in 1982 (6_4) 10. Four green teenagers all named after Italian artists and their catch phrase was ‘Cowabunga.’ (5_7) 12. A form of street dancing born in the 80s (4_6) 13. Music based fundraising event held on 13th July 1985 organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to help raise money for famine relief in Africa. (4_3) 16. Every teenage girl got their grandma to knit her some of these in the 80s (3_7) 18. In 1981 the first personal _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ became available to the public. (8) 19. David Bowie starred in this musical fantasy released in 1986 (9)

Down

1. This rock band where living on a prayer (7) 2. This hairstyle is cut short on top and long at the back, mainly worn by men of the 80s (6) 5. The Iron lady (8_8) 6. Every girl’s hair accessory (9) 11. Released in 1980, this was listed as one of the greatest computer games of all time (3_3) 14. This small alien just wanted to go home (1,1) 15. Illuminous colours (4) 17. This famous wall was destroyed in 1989 separated East and West Germany during the Cold war. (6)

We’ve found some photos of a few staff members from the 80s.

Can you guess who they are?

What year was it?

1989 How old were you? 6 What was you into? Playing out & chocolate What were your aspirations at that point?

I wanted to become a teacher or a police officer.

Clue - Works in the ESOL Department.

What year was it?

1985 How old were you? 20 What was you into? Miami Vice clothing, music programmes on TV like The Tube & The Old Grey Whistle Test, driving my Ford Capri.

What were your aspirations at that point? None.

I lived in the moment and had one more year apprenticeship as an electrician and worked at an ex-girlfriends pub.

Clue - Works in the Electrical Department

Across 3 – Madonna 4 – Bob Marley 7 – Boombox 8 – Brookside 9 – Billie Jean 10 – Ninja Turtles 12 – Body Poppin 13 – Live Aid 16 – Leg Warmers 18 – Computer 19 – Labyrinth

What year was it?

1984 at Pontins How old were you? 11 What was you into? Dancing, Rollerdisco, Top of the Pops, playing outside with my mates.

What were your aspirations at that point?

Working with animals, making friends and having fun.

Clue - Works in the LRC Down 1 – BonJovi 2 – Mullet 5 – Margaret Thatcher 6 – Scrunchie 11 – Pac Man 14 – ET 15 – Neon 17 - Berlin

ANSWERS 19

Guess Who? 1 – Ishtiaq Hussain 2 – Laurie Wlaton 3 – Zoe Rothwell