Who remembers getting one of these for Christmas - the peak of excitement?
For years, my Mum has still bought us a Christmas selection pack, now this tradition has passed onto her grandchildren instead - even though they're all grown up now too. However, today's selection packs come in simple cardboard boxes and don't carry quite the same excitement with them. Looking back to getting one of these stocking shaped selections, I think it was partly the joy of the novelty shape and also very much it being an indulgence, as buying one chocolate bar at the time was a real treat. Nowadays, chocolate bars can get thrown in with a meal deal and perhaps don't even register with the person eating them.
In my youth, going to the sweet shop to buy a bar of chocolate or to select a bag of pick n mix sweets was much more of an event. I recall it being part of our Friday routine - a treat at the end of the school week. We would visit the sweet shop on the way home form school and choose the best combinations of sweets to fill our paper bags. I wonder what your favourites would be? Would it be something mentioned in today's poem?
Pick N Mix
Paper bag in hand,
Stood beside a row of penny chews,
Barely contained delight,
Surveying the sweets in the corner shop.
What should I choose?
Black Jacks, Fruit Salads or pear drops,
Perhaps a sherbet dip-dab?
Or the thrill of unravelling a liquorice wheel,
White mice, pink shrimps,
If there are any left?
Adding up the haul within my head,
Friday's pocket money counted out,
Securing this treasure,
This weekly pleasure, after school,
When spelling tests and times tables were all done.
The prize tucked inside my satchel for the walk home -
After the first few were sampled
Outside the shop, of course,
Who waited until they got home?
Sugary tongue-tingling,
Weekend fun beckoning,
Skipping along the street,
Ready to claim my place on the seatee,
With TV on, ready for Crackerjack
"Don't spoil your tea."
A hollow warning, made in vain,
She knew,
We all knew,
It was always the same,
The treasure never made it through the whole weekend
There'd be games in the garden instead,
A ride on my Chopper bike,
A bag of salt n shake crisps,
Half hour on the swings,
Many other moments that followed on
From those sherbet sweet Fridays
And always the excitement if what to select next week...
Karen Honnor - 'Polaroids and Petals.' 2021
Along with today's theme of pick n mix, which has excitement and a certain element of mystery attached to it, I wanted to add in a couple of author shout-outs that incorporate a bit of mystery. Perhaps you'd like to grab them as last minute gifts, or treat yourself to them - they both come highly recommended.
Let's start with Kimberly Mullins' novella, which is from the Notebook Mysteries: The Twelve Days of Murder
'Christmas is only seven days away! The family has settled in for a quiet holiday. A special gift is on order for Henrietta and other shopping is ongoing. What else is there to do but to enjoy the season?
A night out changes that. It becomes a murderous countdown to Christmas.'
Jane Harvey is a pen name for my friend, Dreena, who has helped me in many ways. She has a series of books out that centre around Hummingbird House, but today's window opens onto her Christmas edition: Christmas at Hummingbird House
'Six flats – and now seven tenants. What stories do they hold?
Paul and April may have settled comfortably into cohabitation, but now a third occupant has come to share the top floor. Will this be the beginning or the end of their domestic bliss?
On the middle floor, Joshua now resides at Number Two. Young, astute, and friendly, he nevertheless remains an enigma. Until Betty invites him along to Christmas dinner…
And then there’s Betty. Stoical, caring, tactical Betty. She can be found making Christmas puddings on ‘Stir Up Sunday’ – but is that all she’s stirring this time?
Join the residents – new and old – this Christmas for a tale of friendships, good cheer, and, as usual – a good many secrets.'
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