Beautiful Christmas stories from the Over60 community
Christmas is a magical time of year where memories you’ll come to cherish forever are made. These special stories from our very own Over60 community will warm your heart and remind you of the beauty of the Christmas spirit.
“I was four years old and my dad, a British soldier, had been MIA for six months. I wrote to Father Christmas and asked if he would bring dad home safely and if it wasn't too much could I have a white rabbit. On Christmas morning, about 7am, someone banged on the door. When we opened it, this exhausted, dirty looking soldier stood there. My dad, unrecognisable but safe. He came inside, took my hand and put it in his great coat pocket. Something moved. I snatched my hand back; dad reached in to his pocket and brought out a white rabbit! Only my mum and I knew about my letter. We hadn't known dad was on his way home to us. It was the miracle of Christmas, I will never forget it. I called the rabbit Snowy and it was perfect, having snowed overnight. 1952 was the best Christmas ever.” – Lisa Drury Hudson
“Until the day my mum died we always got presents from Santa Claus. I was 26 when she passed away during November. Mum had most of the Christmas presents and some on lay-by. I got the ones out of lay-by and we wrapped the presents for her that year. That was the last time mum gave us presents from Santa. I carried it on for a while with my children, but they just didn't seem to understand why I did this when they got older. Maybe this year, now that they are 36 and 34 I might just try it again, for mum.” – Sharryn Lizbeth
“Christmas 2001, my wife Millie, being the eldest sister, used to hold Christmas at our home. Unfortunately this was to be her last Christmas with us as my wife's youngest sister, Carol, decided that she would hold the dinner at her place. That morning as I was getting my wife ready, and being as independent as she was, she had a bad fall in the shower. I then rang Carol and told her what happened. Without a thought, this beautiful person packed up everything – turkey, ham, pork and all the bits and pieces – and came to my wife. We had a great Christmas dinner surrounded by Millie's family, and the look on her face was just a pure pleasure to see. She enjoyed every minute of the day with all her loved ones wishing her a very Merry Christmas.” – John Mc Clelland
“I remember fondly my childhood Christmases because of the build up to the big day. Mum had a Christmas club account with the butcher and supermarket that paid for the special meats and treats which made up our Christmas dinner feast. We didn’t have chicken, turkey or pork through the year so this was a delicacy to be savoured. Mum would bake the Christmas cake, mince pies, shortbread, trifle and of course, the plum pudding and custard with coins hidden inside every piece. Decorating the Christmas tree was a ritual where everyone helped decorate. We went to Catholic school so it held religious significance for our family celebrating the birth of baby Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem. I remember the excitement of Christmas morning, where we rushed to see what Santa had left. We always had new clothes to wear on the day and with an older brother who was always working, there was lots of extras under the tree. I only found out he did this later. I still love Christmas but in a different way. I watch other little faces show excitement now.” – Dianne Tucker
“I have lots of precious memories of Christmas but still remember the year when I was four and my sister was eight. She discovered the beautiful Pedigree dolls our mum had hidden under her bed in the days before Christmas. She waited until the coast was clear, explained to me that Santa was a fairy-tale and showed me the proof. We played with the dolls for an hour or so while mum entertained our aunty in the kitchen. Then we put them back and I was sworn to secrecy with the threat that if mum found out I knew there wasn't really a Santa, then she would take the dolls back to the shop and get her money back. It must have been a convincing act on Christmas morning as Santa paid his visits for another six years until it became clear to everyone that I wasn't as dumb as they believed.” – Beverley Asmus
“We came to Australia in 1958 from the North East of England. Dad had been in the Royal Air Force and was posted to Burma. He arrived back home in 1948 to no work and no prospect of work. We move about for a few years and finally in 1950 he secured a job as a firefighter and a mines rescue specialist. But things were always tough and food hard to come by. We didn't come off rationing until 1956. Dad worked at a few other jobs whilst off shift so we hardly ever got to see him. When we came out to Australia, we didn't have a lot of money and times were hard for a good few years, but Christmas 1958, my uncle and aunt had us for Christmas dinner. I saw my parents reduced to tears because of the kindness and the sheer abundance of good quality food. We had never seen anything like it before. It is a time I will never forget, it marked the change in our lives forever. – Ray and Lyn Allan
Related links:
15 unlikely friendships that will melt your heart
A Christmas miracle saved my sister
Top 10 life lessons kids learn from grandparents