Ponbay Lodge care home resident Judith Head, 86, shared her memories of Christmas growing up during the Second World War, offering a glimpse into a season shaped by family traditions.
Judith was born just before the war. Her mother, only 19 at the time, moved back in with Judith’s grandparents, and Christmas in those early years was simple but memorable.
“I’ve always loved Christmas. I remember my mother making coconut fudge from fresh,” Judith recalls. “We baked a Christmas cake and iced it together. We only had one big present, and in my stocking, I’d get an orange or an apple with a sweet.”
Rationing shaped the Christmas dinner table during wartime. Judith added, “Meat was rationed, so if we ran out, we had offal. But Mum and Grandma were very good bakers, so the Christmas cake was always the thing we looked forward to.”
As she grew older, Judith took part in carolling around Westfield, donating the collected money to buy food for elderly residents in the area.
Judith’s most significant Christmas moment came as an adult: “The best present I ever had was my daughter, born on 21st December. I ended up having two Christmas dinners that year—one from my father and one at home.”
Her Christmas memories as a mother include both the amusing and the unforgettable:
“I used to hang sweets on the tree, and the next morning they were always gone. I never knew whether it was the children or the dog,”
These days, Judith spends Christmas with friends at Ponbay Lodge and her daughter Julie, surrounded by grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her wish for this year is a simple one: “For the world to be a bit happier. People aren’t as happy as they used to be.”
Judith and her fellow residents at Ponbay Lodge are inviting the Hastings community to a Christmas Fair on Thursday 27th November from 2:30PM-4:30PM. All are welcome to enjoy craft stalls from local businesses, refreshments, games, a photo booth and more.
Ponbay Lodge’s Christmas Fair will take place in the home at 187 The Ridge, Hastings, TN34 2AE. For more information, call 01424 541648 or email [email protected].
