Saturday 17 December 2016

Christmas pudding


How I miss Christmas
Long gone days of poverty
Ma made the pudding

Us kids helped of course
Stirring the sticky mixture
Licking the raw mix

Dad read the paper
In the parlour, "He's best there"
Mum muttered grinning

Old recipe used
Suet, flour, eggs, and raisins
All gave it a stir

Went in our mouths too
Absolutely none wasted
The dog licked the floor

Mum added the prize
Some silver threepenny bits
Lucky to find them

When it was cooking 
Us kids then went out to play
Still smacking our lips

Those days now long gone
Such the warp and weft of life
Memory fading

Gone sticky faces 
Gone days when we had little
Who now cares a fig

How I miss that time
Happy days of poverty
Home made Christmas pud




Image 1 found at www.christmas-plum-pudding.jpg
Image 2 found at www.taste.com.au

26 comments:

  1. It's so amazing when we had luxury of saving up to that fantastic pudding. None was wasted, not like now when bins are filled.

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  2. I know that most people say that there are no such things as "less complicated times", but I disagree. Like your poems suggests, I also remember happier time (especially when it comes to holidays). And I find myself wondering, if the fact that we had so much less is what made those days so wonderful.

    I want pudding.

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  3. with less life indeed was rich...a blessed time gone by...

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  4. The best ingredient is love swirled around - although a shiny coin is always a happy find

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  5. Ah, family gatherings are the best. I could cook now lol and hopefully they like it haha. You have painted a perfect family day.

    Have a great holiday, Robin

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  6. Mmmm. This sounds yummy; I want some.

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  7. It sounds like you truly enjoyed the the gift of sharing that pudding. A special treat from beginning to end, I think the special ingredient was "love"

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  8. This poem is filled with wonderful nostalgia, Robin. I think at this time of the year we all look back with reflection..... It is always a 'miserable-merry' time of year.

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  9. Oh yes, I remember the Christmas pud. And had forgotten how moms used to put dimes in the cakes, everyone would be horrified now. A miracle we didnt swallow them. You took me back, Robin...........

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  10. This is a sweet memory you've captured. And you're right, it didn't take riches to have that delightful warmth. I did laugh a bit too at mom saying dad was better off where he was.

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  11. A wonderful poem...but I couldn't help but think when you got to "warp and waft, memory fading"....memory building....life is maybe a big quilt of things remembered, things made up....Christmas long ago, or perhaps several Christmases sandwiched together....I keep thinking of the big stockings hung at the end of the bed, filled with oranges, peppermint, and nuts....small gifts if it was a good year...a good Christmas.

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  12. What sweet memories! Sweet to the brain, sweet to the tongue!

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  13. Those are such vivid memories of childhood. And it's true - sometimes we yearn for those simpler days when having less, we somehow had more.

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  14. Well... I think this is one of your finest!
    Merry Christmas down under :) Translate it as you wish.
    ZQ

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  15. This was a delight to read - it conjured forth my own Christmas memories of my mom making homemade Christmas cake (with us kid "helping" ... lol ... of course). Thanks for this, Robin. And, as always, once again: Wonderfully written.

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  16. Those were the days of boyhood blessings that linger on in memory. Sad it is gone but not forgotten!

    Hank

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  17. Oh yes, I remember! I can even taste, in my mind, that wonderful raw mix. Thank you.

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  18. The warp and weft of life indeed... beautiful memories Robin...

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  19. This was so cute....
    Merry Christmas

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  20. Luv the nostalgia here Robin

    Happy Holidays

    much love...

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  21. Monday WRites 88 is live; i inviteyou to link in

    much love...

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  22. Love actually is more evident in poverty, all else being stripped away! Nice. I miss my grandparents bread making an my mom's Christmas cookies--a dear mess and neighborhood ritual. I think great nieces and nephews are somewhat reviving these practices-hopefully without the poverty.

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  23. I think most of us would give anything to go back and experience Christmas as a child again... it wasn't so much about the presents then, it was about the magic, and the love. Your story illustrates that so well! Merry Christmas to you, Old Egg!

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  24. I love this. I've never made figgy pudding, but maybe I'll give it a try at least once. Did you eat it with hard sauce?

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    Replies
    1. The 'fig' was a prompt word to be fitted in but not in the cake! To "not care a fig" is an ewxpression of distain or ambivalence. Hard sauce is a new one on me! Usually brandy is put on the top and set alight and then custard added as desired but icecream is also popular.

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