Sunday 24 December 2023

Chris Rea - Driving home for christmas


We all enjoy a bit of nostalgia at this time of year, so here is Chris Rea again supplying it by the bucket-load.

This always reminds me of my own family's annual trek from Sussex up to the Shropshire/Wales border, and to the hilltop cottage where we used to spend a week or so each Christmas. The cottage looked out over the rolling Welsh hills, and when covered in snow it was magical. 

It was usually chaotic. Having been left empty since the previous Christmas, often bits of the cottage would be missing (it was very windy up there), or the heating wouldn't work, or the taps would be frozen. There was always something, but we coped and loved every hectic minute. There was no proper road to the cottage, and we would often have to trudge through very deep snow.

The cottage was on the route of Offa's Dyke, and our walks through the woods (often with a local farm's Border Collie in tow) were just wonderful.

I have such fabulous memories of Christmases with my parents, as well as with a few uncles and aunts, none of whom are sadly now with us. I would like to say a huge 'thank you' to all of them (in absentia) for making those Christmases so wonderful. They were what true memories are made of, and this song brings it all back.


27 comments:

  1. How good that the parents manage to leave such beautiful memories. Merry Christmas to you and your family Cro.

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    1. Thank you Yael. Yes, I think we were very lucky having a happy childhood, etc.

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  2. Merry Christmas Cro, to you and yours. I always enjoy a read of your blog. I will enjoy visiting my younger son and his family this Christmas Eve. Tomorrow I will speak to my older son who lives in Canada.Thank goodness for the internet !

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    1. We are having a quiet-ish Christmas Eve, then the real chaos will begin tomorrow morning.

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  3. Merry Christmas to you, Cro, and the whole Magnon clan!

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    1. Thank you Jennifer, I hope your dose of Covid isn't stopping you enjoying the holiday.

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  4. Wonderful memories. Have a lovely Christmas hhis year with all your family x

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  5. I must admit to not being a Chris Rea fan, BUT this song is the favourite for me.

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    1. Some of the lyrics are pretty stupid, but overall it's a goodie.

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  6. What happened to the cottage Cro, is it still there, have you ever been up to have a look? Wishing you and your family a very happy xmas, we'll look forward to hearing all about it shortly!

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    1. My people sold it about 45 years ago. I've seen it on google earth, it still looks the same.

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  7. Merry Christmas to you and the family. Enjoy your thistle glass and it's contents!

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    1. I'm going to wrap it up and give it to myself tomorrow.

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  8. A lovely and rather nostalgic blogpost. Thanks for sharing. Of course when Chris Rea was "driving home for Christmas" it was back up to Middlesbrough which is where he was from.

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    1. He was 'moving down that line', whatever that means! It must be Muddlesbrough-speak.

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  9. A favourite Christmas song. Merry Christmas to you and yours. xx

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  10. This is a staple on the Greek station K listens to. I heard it twice yesterday. Better than listening to anything greek

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  11. Merry Christmas to you and the family. Enjoy your chaotic day.

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  12. Merry Christmas to you & yours, Cro!

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  13. I did that journey in 1968 and spent my 25th birthday there. I will never forget waking to the snow on Christmas day but I didn't know that you all went up there every Christmas.

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    1. I suppose that must have been after you left for NZ. Yes, going up there became an annual ritual.

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  14. Hope you and your family have a lovely Christmas.

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  15. Christmas memories from long ago are always nostalgic and the best. Merry/Happy Christmas to you and yours. Enjoy!

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  16. Merry Christmas. I know that between you all, it will work out to be a memorable year.

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