Stir up Sunday and Other Yuletide Customs

[Dave2002]

It's more to do with the fact that USDAW isn't that effective a trade union than anything to do with life being fair or unfair. For one thing it isn't easy to organise solidarity between shop workers for all sorts of reasons; for another they're not in any case all in USDAW.

Aren't some of the workers seasonal workers trying to get extra money, such as students trying to eke out a living? Obviously the seasonal workers don't represent the whole body, but I believe they may be a significant proportion at the peak times.

[BBMmk2]

Unfortunately this is the case. I wouldn't want to do their job at all. They have my best wishes over this period!

[Richard Tarleton]

I was a Christmas postman in Southampton in the late 1960s. I was given the Northumberland Road area, which I was told by the experienced postman whose beat it was normally was Southamton's red light district . It seemed quiet enough in the mornings. Certainly the closely-packed terraced houses meant that I could rattle through my round quite fast - less fortunate were those who drew the affluent outskirts with long driveways to negotiate between deliveries whose rounds took until the early afternoon.

[Padraig]

Well yes, it's coming to that time of year again!

Mrs.BBM has already made Christmas Cake. Smelt very boozy, with brandy being fed, every now and a gain .

I had to look up 'Stir up Sunday' Bbm. Those Anglicans do have a sense of humour! I also share your sense of anticipation of some of the delights to come - cake, brandy, booze - aroused by the aromas coming from your kitchen.

Today was our Stir up Saturday, based on my wife's unfailing intuition that it's time to start the baking. So, I have been been busy weighing and mixing, fetching and carrying and obeying. Did I say washing up? The role of the supervisor is not an easy one.

One cake is made, another is steeping overnight and yes Christmas has come early to the kitchen. Once the start has been made other steps will follow regularly, and this is one Yuletide custom I do enjoy.

[un barbu]

October half-term break was when we went down to friends living near Knockholt and spent an afternoon picking sloes for the next Christmas's sloe gin. I recall that KwikSave in West Norwood had a brand called, with no apparent irony, 'Hogarth Gin.' Perfectly adequate for our purpose.

[Dave2002]

I was a Christmas postman in Southampton in the late 1960s. I was given the Northumberland Road area, which I was told by the experienced postman whose beat it was normally was Southamton's red light district . It seemed quiet enough in the mornings. Certainly the closely-packed terraced houses meant that I could rattle through my round quite fast - less fortunate were those who drew the affluent outskirts with long driveways to negotiate between deliveries whose rounds took until the early afternoon.

Did you “meet” evil dogs? I was warned by the regular postman of a few houses which had dogs when I did the Christmas post one year. Mostly the dogs were a bit of a nuisance, and one could hear them coming. However there was one particularly evil one which would lie quietly behind the door then leap up as the letters went through, and they would very rapidly disappear as the dog sank its teeth into them and pulled them through. Fortunately it never quite managed to bite into my fingers, but it was a very close run thing. After a few visits to that house I developed other strategies so that I didn’t actually post letters through the letter box.

One temporary postman solved his delivery problems - he took a long while to get round - by posting his remaining undelivered letters back in a pillar box. Unfortunately for him though this was noticed after a few days, after which he wan’t seen again.

[Richard Tarleton]

No bad experiences with dogs....but I was careful not to put my fingers through.

[BBMmk2]

MrsBBM had a dog nick a joint once! On Boxing Day!

[Stanfordian]

I know someone, well I still do, whose custom was to work on the Christmas post, but not work the rest of the year.

[Serial_Apologist]

Did you “meet” evil dogs? I was warned by the regular postman of a few houses which had dogs when I did the Christmas post one year. Mostly the dogs were a bit of a nuisance, and one could hear them coming. However there was one particularly evil one which would lie quietly behind the door then leap up as the letters went through, and they would very rapidly disappear as the dog sank its teeth into them and pulled them through. Fortunately it never quite managed to bite into my fingers, but it was a very close run thing. After a few visits to that house I developed other strategies so that I didn’t actually post letters through the letter box.

One temporary postman solved his delivery problems - he took a long while to get round - by posting his remaining undelivered letters back in a pillar box. Unfortunately for him though this was noticed after a few days, after which he wan’t seen again.

I had a similar experience once, posting election circulars. The address in question had a poster in the front window, which said, "Give Blood"!

[gradus]

Delivering leaflets in our village one soon learnt which letter boxes harboured canine teeth. Unfortunately modern doors have those brush arrangements on the letter boxes that make posting sheets of paper almost impossible without shoving one's fingers in as well.

[teamsaint]

MrsBBM had a dog nick a joint once! On Boxing Day!

Was it a Doperman ?

Must have been a Doperman Pincher , I suppose .....

[BBMmk2]

Was it a Doperman ?

Must have been a Doperman Pincher , I suppose .....

A labrador

MrsBBM will be making Christmas Pudding today. Using a recipe first used by Fanny Cradock. It's really very good too!

[Ferretfancy]

[QUOTE=Brassbandmaestro;648903] A labrador

MrsBBM will be making Christmas Pudding today. Using a recipe first used by Fanny Cradock. It's really very good too![/QUOTE

With purple tinted mash on the side ?

[Richard Tarleton]

Was it a Doperman ?

Must have been a Doperman Pincher , I suppose .....

ts, I was hoping you could tell us if SO14 still lived up to its enviable reputation?