Preparations for Xmas

In what will be the second post before Christmas Week, apart from nom'ing the advent calendar day by day counting down to the Twenty-fifth my mind has been looking back a little around what this time of year used to be like.

One thing I did include was apart from the usual Saturday shopping stuff like fresh fruit and  veg from the market stores as we bought food loose together with visiting the butcher and fishmonger, we tended to get things specifically for Christmas in.
Travelling with things featuring decoration on the back seat next to you as for much of that era, we didn't "clunk, click, every trip" and use seatbelts was common place as was having a Christmas tree situated between you and a sibling.
If we were good we might be taken to select the toys we wanted for Christmas having seen the catalogues at the local toy shop and department stores like Woolworth's with that years specials.

 Another thing is what happened yesterday when I saw Santa Claus going around thanks to the local Round Table, collecting for the needy and also you saw him in stores which kind of made me wonder how come he gets everywhere?
Usually they inquire as to how you been - did any of us say we've been bad? - what you were looking forward to before you got a present.
You also may get cards for the school christmas post which you'd write up.