Wow! Growing up in the 80's was really fun because it was the time where we always have to be creative with our toys.
We make our own since we are not well-off. What I love about Christmas time was when me and my three other siblings would go around our neighborhood and do some Christmas caroling armed with our very own made musical instruments. We made drums from milk cans. We put plastic on the bottom of the can and tie it with rubber bands so it will make a beautiful sound. Then for our maracas, we would gather soft drink metal caps, flatten them then we nailed them to a wood making a handle with four rows having 5 to 8 flattened caps on each row. Creating a beautiful symphony everytime you shake it.
We always receive money from the houses we sing songs to because we would rehearse the songs first before we do our caroling. Plus we sing the whole Christmas songs usually three to four songs like a medley. Unlike the other kid carolers they mess up the songs.
There were a lot of times we were chased by dogs... haha. Because mostly our neighbors have dogs in their yards. So my brothers would device a sling shot made from guava branch, two of them have sling shots while me and my other sister we have bamboo sticks.... I am the eldest so I am the leader of our group.
We never experienced having to buy a Christmas tree so we make our own even our Christmas lanterns. Every year different theme. There was one time we made a tree out from a real tree but with just the branches with no leaves then we would cover the branches with japanese paper depending on the motiff like white then we add in some cotton on the edges of the branches pretending to have a white Christmas. For the decorations we use our small guava fruits and other small round fruits in our yard. We cover them with plastic glittery cellophanes usually silver, gold, green, red then we put strings and voila we have instant balls.... Haha.
One time we also made our own tree using the coconut palm stems, the One's used as a broom. We make one big bunch then we let it stand, put it in a big can so it will remain standing and like spread all around like a fountain then we cover the stems with glitters, others with different colors of cellophanes. We can't hang any balls since the sticks are light. We cover the can as well with gold cellophane.
We tried also making a tree made from soap since we learned it from our art project in school so we made one for our own home.
The money we gather from our caroling we give it to our mom so she can buy some food for our Noche Buena or the Christmas Eve dinner.
I really had so many fun and happy memories about Christmas growing up.
That's why when I had my own family I made sure my son was able to go on Christmas caroling with our neighbors kids as well because it is really a fun part of being a kid going around the neighborhood singing Christmas songs and having some money, fruits from their singing. They would have their practice in our house and who's the coach?? Me, of course! Haha. At least when he will have his own family he will have his own tale to tell to his kids.
Growing up, Christmas was what me and my siblings were looking forward to. Happy, happy times! Awww! I am having mixed emotions now while writing this comment. Made me teary
Eyed with happiness and gladness while reminiscing the adventures we had growing up since now we seldom meet during Christmas with my siblings because we all live far from each other, from different cities and during those times it was just four of us then now we are ight. Half of my siblings were not able to experience what the first half had.
My big wish for this Christmas is for me and my siblings plus with my parents to be together as one family again including the many grand kids already... From four siblings to eight then now with twenty grand kids and one great grand daughter. Big family already. We can create a choir now.πππ
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I just remembered that I made my toys with wood that I got in a carpentry shop near my grandparents' house, I built my cars and airplanes to play, while Santa arrived with the expected gift, my parents were very humble and I remember a very special toy, it was a plastic car, which brought inside colored candies, you could see through the transparent casing.
Wow! A lovely toy that will be told for years to come.
That's right π, the best β¨.