Christmas with the Lynch's

My trips to my grandparents happened twice a year – July and December. The July holiday was a solo trip for me but the December trip was a time for our small family to join forces with the Lynch clan. (My grandfather was proud of his very Irish surname!)

Both my parents finished work on the 15^th December and started again round about the 10^th January. So we would get into our car and travel to Jo'burg. The baby Renault was so tiny. My dad had roof racks and the luggage would be piled on top of the car until it looked top heavy. The boot was so tiny that it couldn't take much in the line of luggage and I shared the back seat with the hand luggage and food – the good old South African padkos (literally translated =road food!). I was not a good traveller and Town Hill outside Pietermaritzburg was usually my downfall. As we crested the hill my dad waited for the urgent "Stop the car!" from the back seat. After that it was usually fine straight on to Johannesburg. We usually left at about 4 in the morning so we could get to Jo'burg in the early afternoon. There were picnic spots all the way. It was very safe to stop there and we would stop for lunch as soon as we found a pretty spot.  

In the early days Christmas in the Lynch household was an integrated family affair. All the family were present. The 5 girls and the 5 boys were there together with their various attachments and progeny. The most exciting time leading up to Christmas was the delivery of the liquid refreshments. I don't remember fizzy cold drinks and liquor being in the house at any other time. That was when I developed my love affair with Cream Soda. I found the green liquid exciting and mysterious. I loved the slightly burnt taste that came with the bubbles! As I grew older Joan started dating Johnny and Johnny worked (I think he was a manager) in a liquor store so the liquid deliveries took on a much more personal note!

The next big preparation was the Christmas pudding. Ma had been collecting pennies for ages. These were cleaned and boiled. The Christmas pudding was mixed in a large mixing bowl and each family member had to use the wooden spoon to give it a stir. It was a very hard job when I was little. And then the money was placed in the bowl and the mixture was stirred again. The mixture included brandy (quite a lot as I remember). It was  placed in a cloth bag (washed and put away from last Christmas!) and was boiled in a huge pot. When it was done it hung in the pantry until Christmas day allowing the brandy to do its work!

And then of course there was the Christmas cake. Baked by Pop, layered with marzipan and covered with delicious hard icing (of course the kids hovered to scrape out the cake mixture and later to collect the used icing funnels!)

At the beginning of the day Christmas presents were handed out. A long job with so many people!

Now to the lunch. There was a big table in the dining room (which was never used for the regular family meals – those were served in the kitchen!) This table separated and extra "leaves" were placed in the middle to lengthen the table. The table was festive with Christmas decorations and crackers. Pop's job was to carve the bird and any other cuts. There were vegetables and salads on the table. Lunch was a very noisy affair! I'm not sure how we all fitted in the dining room or if we all fitted there. The pudding was brought in with jugs of custard, some of the jugs inane (for the kids) and some spiked with brandy! There was great excitement if you found one the lucky coins. You had to chew carefully. It would not be good to swallow a tickey (thruppence or three pennies for the uninitiated!)!

Everyone always ate too much and after the table was cleared and the dishes washed a quiet contentment settled over us all – except the kids who always had boundless energy. Toys were there to be played with, cousins (and any aunts and uncles) were there to play with. I don't really remember the ladies doing much after tidying up but the guys were usually ready to play with the kids. Balls were found, cricket bats etc. At the later stages there were so many kids around! I would like to include some memories posted by my cousins (hope you don't mind cuz's!):

From Merryl: Vera, I remember Christmas day at our house was really the best day of the year. The entire family - aunts, uncles, cousins. The games we played; your dad reading the newspaper out loud; my dad and uncles holding the corners of a blanket for a makeshift trampoline as each of us clambered onto the blanket, shrieking with delight as we were suddenly airborne. These times were priceless and precious. I am so thankful for them and the memories.

From Richard: Merryl, how I remember those Christmas days. Best family day of the year at your Mom and Dads house. New clothes for the occasion. I even remember one year where Michael and I wore our new sailor suits. THOSE WERE THE DAYS!"

Afternoon tea saw the cutting of the cake with tea, coffee or cold drink. For supper we had sandwiches made from the left over meat and salads.  Everyone went to bed bloated!

 
The following day was an anticlimax which unfortunately was my birthday. As a child I never had a party. My mom always said nobody wanted to party the day after Christmas. I was also felt sometimes that I was short changed at Christmas. "Merry Christmas, Vera and happy birthday for tomorrow!"  As a child I was disappointed. As an adult I realise that they had probably spent more on the present. Food for my birthday was always left overs! My daughter used to joke "Don't mess with tradition!" I am making up for it now for the last 8 years or so I have insisted on a birthday party!