Please have snow and mistletoe And presents on the tree

The Queen Mary sewing box

It was 1938, I was ten years old, so if you count that out you will know that I am 90. I was ten years old and when it came to Christmas, we had to write our letter to Santa. I was in turmoil; there was this Queen Mary sewing box, which was a very elaborate affair with drawers and everything in it. I loved it but I also wanted a watch and I really didn’t know what to do and my dad said, “Well you can only ask for one thing at Christmas, you only get one present so why don’t you ask for the sewing box and next year you will be older and the watch will probably be better for you.” So I said okay. 

I wrote the letter to Santa and asked for the Queen Mary sewing box and sure enough Christmas morning there was this beautiful sewing box. 

Then, my dad said, “Oh, look at the top of the tree, what’s that at the top of the tree? Oh, it’s for Rose!” It was a watch. That never happened, nobody ever got two presents.

I remember the watch, I found out afterwards it was bought in Samuel’s and it had cost seven shillings and sixpence. It had a little plain face and a black strap.

That is the one Christmas I will always remember.

Rose Deegan (Stories from Finglas, available from Bank of Ireland, Finglas branch)