Introduction Pages 4

Sunday 12th 13 days before the big day. Christmas Past (p6), Christmas Present (p10) and Christmas’ to come (p27) all feature with Sonnets form Rex Di Noci! I do also have a special thank you to David Sargent for his piece ‘Worth waiting for?’(p8). After many years of Robins on our covers with the Fox last month I couldn’t resist a Pheasant this month and especially with links to the team at the charity that know a lot about Pheasants ‘The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’. They are of course not the only charity as we once again promoting the Christmas tree Collection to raise funds for Carlisle and North Lakeland Hospice at Home. When I look back at December 2020, we have all come a long way, part two of my article about Eden FM radio’s first 10 years concludes, now topped by the work I am now doing planning the next 10 years. Our final piece this came in from Ian Newton Chaplain, he is based on the east side of the county covering Carlisle, Penrith, Keswick and Brampton which includes the Cumberland Infirmary and other community hospitals. For now, I’m getting ready for a family Christmas, my 58th with nan her 97th as a one-to-one. Early Christmas lunch with nan, then I’ll be home for a second.

Thank you to everyone who has made a contribution to the Eden Local in 2021 and thank you for once again taking the time out to read it. For those of you who I meet every month when I’m out delivering thank you for your kind words and appreciation shown for your magazine which has the largest readership in Penrith and Eden. Merry Christmas x Lee

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Christmas Past Childhood

As a child I don’t really remember many Christmases before I was eight, as the use of a camera was rare during that time and everything was very black and white, especially the television! Many of my early memories of Christmas were through the toys I had. The Christmas dinner as we called it was over before 1pm and pre 1970s, there are no photos of Christmas to help recall.

From about 1970 the toys are memorable, when we talk about the games, who we played them with and other toys that meant sharing with a brother, sister a relative or friend - it helped retain Christmas memories. As an only child, I had games like Mousetrap, Battling Tops and I think pre 1970s, I was given the quiz board game the Amazing Magic Robot, which as a seven year old it was above my intellect - a bit like the chemistry set in the early 70s.

In the 70s though, we had Action Man, Scalextric 75 grand prix set, Arfix models, Timpo figures, the Binatone video and the Bontempi electric organ. But one of the most important gifts I had for Christmas wasn’t a toy in 1972, it was a Kodak 126 instamatic camera and that meant many Christmas memories. I also remember my first watch a ‘Smiths’ watch. It was like the camera, in that it was a present that could be used every day. Wow the independence of having an eye on time!

What has helped explain this more to my children, is the fact that with the exception of the video game and the organ, the rest of these toys are in our loft!

At school, primary and middle school, it was all about the nativity. Were you a Mary or Joseph, a sheep, a king or maybe even a star? Were you in the choir or the school orchestra? Or were you helping out behind the stage or selling

Continued on page 10

THE PRESENCE OF CHRISTMAS PAST

Thank God for those coloured Woollies’ pencils Though difficult to sharpen first time out A bonus were the animal stencils Take care not to tear – you’re risking a clout Two years on the junior Meccano A pound fifteen shillings and a tanner To Boxing Day’s panto you did not go When admitting that you’d lost the spanner For the teenager shoes with chisel toes Plus a fountain pen, a Conway Stewart A red and black jumper in which to pose Your mates all laughed but you never knew it Tin soldiers lead painted morphed to plastic Little knew we then - that would be drastic

Rex di Noci November 11th 2021