Christmas in the Children’s Garden Village

"This has been our seventh Christmas at Belmont, and it has been a real kiddies’ Christmas. The preparations in the kitchen are watched with eagerness, and the stirring of the plum puddings is carried out to the accompaniment of almost deafening cheers. There are many willing hands for the decorating of the rooms and the coming of the great Christmas Tree at night-time intensifies the excitement.

Bringing in the Christmas Tree, 1935

Now and again we peep through the window to watch for the arrival of a good friend who has promised to be Father Christmas. He is let in very quietly and then has to submit to the ordeal of being dressed in full regalia. A great welcome awaited him at the Gaddum Home, the Crossley Home and the Hayes Home, in each of which were 20 boys. At the Shaw Home the girls were wild with excitement. Later the programme was repeated at Belmont and surely there was never such a Christmas Eve, and never such a Santa Claus, and never such cheering and excitement and never such singing by Father Christmas.

Snow at Belmont, 1940

A few hours later we were up to make preparations for the Christmas Day breakfast and in due time came the Christmas Dinner with its turkeys and the Christmas Puddings containing the hidden treasure, a burst of cheering announcing the discovery of each six-pence. During the afternoon the parcels which had come by post from relatives and friends were distributed with great ceremony. There are some of our children to whom no parcels and no letters are sent, and we look around amongst the toys and books and sweets and fruit so kindly sent us by numerous friends, and we make up parcels and address them to these lonely ones, and in this way every child is remembered."

- Extracts from the December report of the Honorary Matron, 1926

We hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas. See you all next year!