Can a dog just be for Christmas, not life?
As a person passionate about animal welfare I frequently tell people the old adage that a "dog is for life not just for Christmas". In the past many people bought cute puppies for a Christmas gift only to find that come the New Year the dog was no longer cute nor wanted. Our first dog was such a dog. Back in 1972 it was still possible to buy dogs from pet shops in the UK. Enter Drupi. Somehow or other we went to our local pet shop to buy a goldfish and came out with a 12-week-old dog. He had been what turned out to be an unwanted Christmas gift. The owner was still in the shop as we bought him and it was easy to see that all she wanted was for the dog to get a good home. With three young children he was just too lively for her. He was our first dog as a married couple and our only one which did not arrive with us through a rescue service. He was a super dog, a liver-brown coloured cross Labrador. He was faithful, loving, fun and lived to be past 18. Since Drupi we have had a fair few dogs of all shapes, sizes and ages. We have only had one foster dog and she came to us aged around nine months and lived with us until she died aged around 14 in 2015. Hubby could just not her go to another home, no matter how good it would have been. So there are are perils to taking a dog into your home on a temporary basis but if you are able to give it a go at Christmas read on. Careful consideration Before you think "great we can do that this Christmas" give the matter serious thought. Here is a little advice: 1-Never promise want you cannot fulfill 2-Make sure you know exactly what is expected of you 3-Get as much information as possible about the dog. 4-Timings are important. 5-Get a signed agreement. 6-Check out liabilities and the insurance situation before you commit 7-Know what you are expected to pay, ie urgent vet bills. 8-Don't feel pressurised Is it for you? No matter what time of year could you foster a dog or cat? It may be early for Christmas planning but not in this case. Check out local rescue centres and get yourself approved as a foster home nice and early. If your plans would allow an unexpected additional visitor sound out a local rescue centre now. You will still need to have a person and home check in order to ensure that the dog will be in safe hands and that you can accommodate it. If it is too late for this year think ahead for next Christmas. Some animal rescue centres are already issuing appeals for temporary homes for dogs in their care. This allows the staff, often volunteers, to get some well earned time off but also places the dogs in a loving environment for Christmas. If like me you are a dog nut you will not like to think of any animal locked up in a shelter over the Christmas period. It may not be easy to take in a foster dog but it could be many things including fun and rewarding. So what about it? Are you up for the challenge? https://www.rspca.org.uk/findapet/foster
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For those of you who were not born till the 1960s or much later here are some of my childhood memories of Christmas during the 1950's in the UK or as it still was back then Great Britian.
A British Working Class Christmas in the Fifties Born in 1952 I suppose it would be halfway through the 1950's before I really began to take much notice of what was happening at Christmastime. Our parents were classed as relatively old back then, as most of our neighbours were young parents. My dad was aged 36 when my brother was born and my mum was 33. There had been a baby boy a year or so before but he was sadly born dead. In many ways it is safe to assume that if he had survived I would not be here today, boring you all to death or hopefully entertaining you with some poignant memories. Two children, however, were ample for a family struggling to make ends meet, and having one parent with health issues. My brother was born in 1950 and myself in 1952. As the only children, in what was an ageing extended family I guess we were pretty spoiled financially. Yes our parents had little money but dad always worked and a myriad of great aunts and uncles supplied plenty of presents and some remuneration. Christmas was I suppose a strange affair but we loved it. After all Christmas is whatever it is to you and, if the spirit is right, then it should be fun. Religion We were brought up to attend Sunday School and regular church services each Sunday, Celebrations such as Easter and Christmas were not just special because they were a holiday but because they had a religious significance too. At advent there was usually a Sunday School presentation. This was often a book or some years an illustrated children's bible. To this day I have my first Advent presentation which was a prayer book. This book is a little larger that A5 in size. It is called "I ask a Blessing" and has children's prayers with little illustrations. The hard book cover is a little worn at the edges but considering this book's age the condition is not bad. This book was presented to me in 1955. I would have been 31/2 years old. It is very special to me. All school's held nativity plays and my favourite memory is from 1957. Having just started school that year I was chosen to be Mary. Thankfully it was a mime. Always a chatterbox, even then, I was shy out of the home. I wore a collection of items from my Mum's linen so that I wore white with a dark blue towel draped over my head, as a shawl. One of the other significant events to do with church at Christmas was our Church's pantomime. As kids we loved this. The plays which we had to appear in were a nightmare for me but watching someone else was lovely. St Stephen's church, which was to become Hull Truck theatre years down the road, held great pantos. Who the actors were I have no idea. Perhaps they were amateurs drawn from members of the congregation. Whoever they were they were good. Our Christmas tree and decorations The decorations in the fifties were often sticky coloured paper looped together to make a brightly coloured paper chain. We also had fluffy tissue paper decorations which opened up into a fat Santa or Christmas bell. These were usually kept for years but the paper chains were replaced each year. This meant that someone had the chore of sticking all of these links of paper together. As kids though we loved it. To complete the decorations a sprig of Holly and one or two of Mistletoe would be strategically placed around our home. We had the same Christmas tree forever. Now you may think that I am exaggerating but I am not. When my Mum died in 1975 and we emptied her home there it was, our little Christmas tree. It looked small, sad and neglected. As children though we thought it was perfect. When decorated the tree was placed on the top of our TV set. The tree was 3 to 4 feet high, artificial and was really quite sparse. Once Mum had decorated it though it looked amazing or it did to me. Amongst our tree ornaments we had:-
Christmas presents Perhaps it was because my parents were a little older or maybe just the times, but we had a traditional British Christmas stocking. This was placed at the end of our beds. When we grew and were more street wise this became a pillowcase full of presents. However as small children we had a stocking which was actually one of my Dad's huge, knee length working socks. This would have layers of small gifts and treats. The knobbly bottom of the sock would be due to an orange or tangerine, an apple and some large shelled nuts. We would barter these with each other. As a child I did not eat nuts and swapped these. In the stocking there would be small gifts such as skipping ropes, balls, yo-yos, a kaleidoscope, water pistols, penny whistles a toy harmonica, doll's clothes, colouring books, crayons and more. It could take ages to fully empty this sock. We then went onto the gifts that Santa had brought. In some ways these could be opened quicker. Wrapping paper lovingly placed was ripped open in a flash. Over the years gifts included a toy sewing machine,a brownie box camera, a trike and roller skates. We usually received a new bicycle each year but it was not really new. Dad would have a couple of bike frames in our Great Aunt's attic room. He would disappear from time to time and this would be where he was. As if his hour's of work were not long enough he would add new wheels, a sparkling bell, a lick of paint, new brakes and whatever else was necessary so that we each had a new bike at Christmas. Sure some years I had a boy's bike and sometimes it was my brother's old bike after a makeover. Dad biked to work and all over the place really. As children he would take us off on our bikes each weekend. We would tour the local dockland or countryside stopping of at Museums and such, now and then. Santa and Me Well to start with I was not keen on the big fella. Santa, Father Christmas, or St Nick, call him what you will, but I found him rather daunting. He would appear at school parties, Sunday school lunches, local stores, Hull Fair and more. Sometimes he appeared a little taller, or a little fatter and he usually seemed rather peculiar. Yes, I know it was probably one of his helpers or assistants but all of this was rather unsettling. I would be terrified that he would call my name and I may have to meet this man. Whilst we were at our Great Aunt's Christmas Eve party he would begin delivering presents. One year, as we were heading home a young man shouted at my brother that Santa had already passed overhead. Still my brother raced home with my Dad and hopped into bed almost fully dressed and it was OK. His presents were there at the end of his bed next morning. A while ago, with such memories in mind, I penned a sort of poem or ode to Santa that goes like this:- When I was young it seemed strange to me, that at Christmas time I would sit on the knee, of a rather fat man all dressed in red who on Christmas Eve left presents on my bed. Just how this man travelled here and then there I was not sure and so I would stare when Santa appeared at our school or a store and then in a flash be gone through the door. How could this man ride on a sleigh that flew through the sky on our special day? How could he give to so many so fast such beautiful toys that were made to last? The strangest thing though was that on Christmas night he would climb down our chimney which must have been tight. So that when we awoke, so early next day, our presents were there but not Santa's sleigh. Still, as we all know, now we are grown, mostly its magic that brings Santa to our home. Its best not to wonder just how things appear but enjoy what you are given for Christmas this year. My final memories of Santa are from encounters in the local high street stores, and their Christmas Grottoes. It was usually my great aunt that accompanied us. This Santa was so big that he usually scared me half to death and his presents were often terrible. Christmas food and drink For various reasons my Dad hardly drank alcohol. Still the odd beer at Christmas seemed the usual. Mum would have her one or two cigarettes of the year and the occasional glass of sherry. We kids had Dandelion and Burdock or Cream Soda. The Christmas lunch bird was usually chicken as it was much cheaper than a turkey. However we had all the trimmings. Homemade stuffing, mince pies, Christmas, cake and Christmas pudding. There was always a huge tin of Quality Street chocolates a large tin of assorted biscuits, a selection of nuts in their shells, a massive trifle and plenty of apples and oranges. Dad would roast some chestnuts on the fire as we sat and toasted our toes By Boxing Day everyone was bored of eating rich foods and wanted something simple such as egg and chips. Christmas entertainment My family were really quite musical. We had a large upright piano at home and Dad would rattle out any tune as soon as he had heard it. The tune would be jazzed up or played in rag time style. He also had an old radiogram which had customised speakers added. This was great for belting out his favourites such as Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby or Elvis. Added to this there was a harmonica and an accordion. These were taken to the Christmas Eve bash were everyone would join in singing or have a little dance. The local theatre held professional pantomimes and we were sometimes taken by our parents or our school. Oh no you weren't. Oh yes we were. You get the picture. We only had a television set from the late fifties so our early childhood was spent visiting, playing, listening to the radio, reading, drawing or whatever. The relatives who we visited at Christmas, those who had TV sets, were in general older. One family only had the BBC on their TV set and watched programs such as The Billy Cotton Band Show or The Black and White Minstrels. Imagine that these days. On the whole So there you have a brief glimpse into my childhood Christmases of 1950's Britain. Our small house had no bathroom and an outside loo which seems terrible these days. There was only a fire downstairs and so the bedrooms were freezing. With my Rupert Bear hot water bottle though and a large green eiderdown I was safe from the world. You may be thinking that I was rich compared to you or thinking that I was deprived. Neither is right nor wrong. I loved my childhood Christmases. They were wacky, even then, but such fun. I guess the one fact that made them so appealing was that they were shared with loved ones. So many of these people have not been around for many years, but they are such a big part of these memories. So as you write this year's letter to Santa with your demands remember that is not really the point of it all. Christmas is the Season of Goodwill and, yes the gifts and the trimmings are great, but they are not the essential ingredient. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/group-1950s-kids-were-asked-4853656 http://www.hiddenlives.org.uk/blog/tag/christmas/ The cost of celebrating Christmas can be huge but only if you fall into the commercial trap.
It is far better to celebrate a Christmas that you afford than one which will leave you paying for it next year or even beyond. Debt has a habit of snowballing and once you have money to lay out for debts, such as payments for Christmas credit card spending, you may find it difficult to become debt free. That in turn can lead to the need for more debt if you experience a financial negative early in 2016. Ill-health, redundancy, the roof of your house caving in, or even just urgent new winter shoes for all the family could tip you deep into an ever increasing spiral of debt. So first and foremost as you begin your countdown to Christmas work out your budget This can be flexible but only up to a point. If you have secured a credit card with a deal that is interest free for a period of time remember that sooner or later that 'free trial' will end. Unexpected outgoings in the New Year could leave you unable to clear the debt in time. The Christmas Tree Want a real tree that will fill your room from floor to ceiling? The practicalities of such a tree probably mean this is not a good idea. Then there is the cost of tree. Would you be better opting for a modern 'real looking' artificial tree that can used year after year limiting expense at Christmas? The latter could be an environmentally sound idea although you can source eco-friendly trees these days, usually at a high price though. Decorations Thankfully many modern tree and house decorations are fairly unbreakable although not entirely so if great Uncle Egbert happens to stand on one after it has fallen from the tree! Start with just a few and build your collection of decorations over time. That way some will hold a special significance - remember that Christmas tree decoration that dates back to your childhood, and still holds pride of place each Christmas? Good storage is a must for decorations delicate or allegedly unbreakable and the same goes for artificial Christmas trees. Avoid damp storage areas such as an unheated garage and storing in boxes that may wilt (cardboard) or sweat (plastic) if damp. If a family member enjoys wood craft perhaps he or she could make a purpose built wooden storage box for Christmas bits and bobs? That too could become a family treasure and be passed down through generations. Food and drink Many people still buy far too much food and drink for the brief Christmas period. In the 21st Century supermarkets will only close for a day or two if that and stocking up makes no real sense. However it will save the shopper of the household having to get back to 'normal' too soon after the two main Christmas days. It will also help you set a budget and stick to it but only with careful planning.
Above all resist the urge to overspend. Children in the 21st Century do often have expensive hobbies but most can still have fun and enjoy more basic gifts. Gifts If money is very tight consider talking with your children about the situation, but take care. Whether or not that works depends on your language skills, the age of the children and just how bad your finances are. {If you are experiencing real debt contact the Citizen's Advice Bureau} Gifts are nice to give and receive but the cost of them should not make or break Christmas. Necessity is the mother of invention; shop around and get inventive to get the perfect gifts for your budget. Whether you choose to look for Christmas bargains online or along your local High Street is up to you. Both offer some bargains but both have pros and cons.
Local shopping Along the high Street or local Shopping Mall If you choose to shop locally you could grab a great bargain and help your local community. The main positives are:
The Internet Christmas online shopping experience So what about Christmas Shopping online? Let's start with the positives again as there are many such as:
Online or High Street? Which would you choose? The conclusion? The pros and cons highlighted are just some of those associated with Christmas shopping online or in the City. The choice is yours. It could be that a combination of both will suit your needs. Researching the Internet for gift inspiration and price checks is always useful. If you are not happy to purchase online at least you will then have the information necessary to make your shopping trip easier and more productive. This writer tends to buy from both sources. Much could depend on how financially sound you are right now. For most of us that is not very. Therefore well planned Christmas shopping offers the best value for money. Plus of course the best gifts you can afford for your loved ones. As children in the fifties, my brother and I always loved Christmas. In many ways I guess it was no different to what children experience now. Kids still love Christmas surely?
Back then
Kids are more worldly these days but deep down young kids are much the same as always. For us as children and church-goers, there was always the advent book prize to look forward to, Church amateur pantomimes, the Christmas festivities and the school nativity plays. One of the other highlights was visiting Santa's Grotto. Don't know what Santa's Grotto is? Well let me enlighten you. Visiting Santa's Grotto We often had more than one visit to a Santa's Grotto when we were young. With two maiden aunts, who brought my father up, we were a little spoiled I guess, but we had no living grandparents. We were not well off by any means but compared to some of our neighbours in post-war Britain we fared quite well. These two great aunts would buy us all sorts of gifts and treats, and at least one of them would take us to see Santa. In the fifties there so many large department stores that Santa had a hard time keeping up. He had to delegate some of his work to understudies who would carry out some of his tasks whilst he was busy finishing his Christmas preparations. Consequently Santa's Grotto often had an understudy playing the lead role Each department store would have a Santa's Grotto and for a small fee children could tour around and receive a gift. The grotto was an example of what Santa's polar home really was like but some of these grottoes were simply grotty. After the tour you could sit on Santa's knee and have your photograph taken. I was always too much in awe of the great man to do this. There were often a few elves who had flown in especially to make sure that all was well. After all Santa's reputation was at risk with some of these grottoes and Santa understudies. These days There are still a few places that have a visit to Santa available but with more people shopping online and less high street department stores open for business, their demise is inevitable. These days in the UK getting the prospective Santa understudies criminal records checked and cleared in time is tricky. Such measures I know are a vital, if not a sad, sign of the times. So if there is a Santa's Grotto near you why not take the kids for a visit. Father Christmas will be pleased, and the kids can hand their Christmas list in here, for assured Christmas delivery. Sometimes the smallest Christmas tree can be the most memorable. This was certainly true of our childhood Christmas Tree. Tiny and unpretentious it may have been but it still has a special place in my Christmas memories, more than half a century later.
Artificial and Real Christmas Trees are both great in their own ways, but you need to find the perfect tree for you and your circumstances. Here are some tips then, plus the pros and cons of both artificial and real, which may help you decide which is the right choice for YOU. An artificial or a real Christmas tree? Real and Artificial Christmas Trees both have pros and cons. It will inevitably be down to personal choice. Here are some hints and tips, as well as a few pros and cons, which may help you choose the right tree for you. REAL CHRISTMAS TREES Negatives
Still Fancy a real Christmas Tree? Many years ago when we had real trees we would always buy them locally. Hubby and I would trudge out, no matter what the weather or size of tree, and walking, carry our Christmas Tree home. In some ways it was fun and part of our Christmas festivities. Inevitably though tempers would fray and we would both get stabbed with the pine needles. By the time we arrived home we would be covered with pine needles. So if you really want a Real Tree check out delivery options when you purchase. If you transport the tree in your own vehicle be prepared to find pine needles in your vehicle well into the New Year.In fact maybe even in the summer.
Artificial Christmas Trees Negatives
Artificial trees have come a long way in recent years. There are so many colours and sizes to choose from. There are even upside down trees for those who have little space and want to be a different. Some are already decorated or incorporate lights. If money is tight consider buying an artificial tree that is pre-lit and already decorated. You can save up to buy a more expensive tree in a few years time. Buy your tree on-line in order to get the best value and have your artificial tree delivered to your door. Remember that a classic artificial Christmas tree may have more longevity. Fashions change and if you opt for a contemporary black tree it may look hideous in a couple of years time. |
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