Seeing as I’m somewhat of a ‘self-opinionated swine’ I love filling in surveys and thus am a member of a number of websites where you can make a little bit of beer money from sharing your opinion.
The other day I was asked about famous ‘brands’ and how much I loved them (or otherwise). I had to trawl through a seemingly endless barrage of questions for about half an hour and answer a fair few, which I thought quite bizarre. I mean, can anyone honestly say that a company ‘understands them and their needs’ to such an extent that they love the brand?
Love?
Surely, that’s too strong a term, isn’t it? Isn’t it?
Well, the other night I had a dream about visiting Father Christmas in his grotto at Debenhams as a child. I can’t say exactly how old I was in the dream but no more than five, I would say. Long buried memories of standing in what then were horrendously long queues with either my Mum, Dad, Gran or Grandad came flooding back and I could really feel the sense of excitement inside of me. The ‘winter wonderland’ the store created each year was on the first floor if I remember correctly and it was not uncommon to queue up for over an hour to get in to see the man himself…
“And what would you like for Christmas, little boy?’ Would be the question once you were sat comfortably on Santa’s knee. Whatever your reply you could be assured that the next thing you would be asked was if you had been good this year or not?
If you had and your conscience was clear a great big YES would burst out of your mouth while if you knew you had been naughty your reply used to be much less animated and apologetic because you knew there was no use in trying to lie to Father Christmas. After all, he knew EVERYTHING and so your best line of attack was to own up and promise to be good from now on (or up until Christmas at least).
With a kindly smile and a crinkle of his long white beard Santa would then reach down into the large sack of presents by his side pull out one and place it in your hands…
“You be a good boy for your Mummy and Daddy now, won’t you? I will be watching don’t forget and remember its only good little boys and girls who get the things they want for Christmas”.
“If I’m good will I get the new bike I want!”
“You will just have to wait and see now won’t you” Santa would say with a twinkle in his eye and after a final wave goodbye you left with your present.
I was the kind of kid who always wanted to save opening the present Santa had given me until Christmas Day. Somehow the excitement of wondering what was inside the colourful paper for days on end was what made Christmas. Often though I was not a ‘good boy’ for Mummy and Daddy after my visit and used to have to hope Father Christmas wouldn’t find out about my misdemeanors. I always used to apologise for my bad behavior when I’d clamed down and used to hope that would count in my favour.
Toy’s & Games back in the 1970’s were a lot more fun than they are today. They were REAL for a start and you could pick them up and gaze for hours sometimes at the shiny box of a games compendium before even opening it! Games compendiums were all the rage back then and every Christmas I was sure to get another one. ‘100 Different Fantastic Games’ sounded so exciting but I often remember being so disappointed when on opening the box there didn’t seem to be anywhere near 100 games inside. All you used to see was plastic pieces, dice, some cardboard shapes and a pack of cards – how could that ever be 100 Games?
Debenhams was always the place to visit though at Christmas. I used to love the Christmas lights along the seafront and when we got to the store we used to park outside the rear entrance if there was a space. There is something inherently magical about fairy lights and Debenhams was always beautifully decorated with those, tinsel and Christmas trees everywhere. If you went into the store by the back entrance you only had to walk up one flight of steps to get to the floor where Father Christmas’s Grotto was. Waiting in the queue for your chance to see him was never boring as there were always loads of colourful things to look at.
“Put that back!” Would come Mum or Dad’s anguished voice as a picked up a sparkling little glass frog or something. It all seemed so innocent then as I knew nothing about prices.
In my dream the other night I got into a kind of ‘Ghost Train’ ride after visiting Santa. The little car I sat in went through a series of Christmas scenes before delivering me back to Mum & Dad again. I can’t be sure though whether this part of my dream is a false memory or not? Could a bit of ‘Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory’ have crept into my subconscious or did the Debenhams of the 1970’s really set up some kind of little ride in store for tots back then? I would love to know the truth about that as it all seemed so real and familiar in the dream…
Searching for information/reminiscences on the Internet while researching this piece I found a news article from 2012 which stated that Debenhams had decided that year to do away with in store Grotto’s. The company felt that as most of their branches were situated in town centers where there would also be a Santa’s Grotto it was both confusing and disillusioning for kids who still believed in Father Christmas to see TWO in the same area. I think that was a wonderfully caring thing to do and a move totally in the spirit of Christmas.
Meanwhile, at http://andysretrospace.blogspot.co.uk I came across a page dated Monday the 13th December, 2010 where there was a picture of an old ‘We Met At Debenhams’ Christmas badge from around 1975.
A jollier reminder of your visit to see Father Christmas no boy or girl could wish to have and I so wish now that I had kept one of my old badges…
Coming back to those surveys I was telling you about earlier I suppose with this article I have answered my own question regarding whether it is possible to love a brand or not? As the world has moved on, as time has taken away so much and as traditional High Street shopping has become a thing of the past, I have become more and more attached to Debenhams. Ironically, while I did work in the Hastings branch briefly on a ‘Manpower Services Commission’ scheme in the early 1980’s (and was applauded for achieving the highest sales figures ever on the ‘Lighting’ department one year) I have very rarely since ever had the money to spend much in the store over the years. If I ever win the lottery though I think my very first spending spree will involve a trip on the bus (I will hire one of the old ‘Double Deckers’ to help recreate my childhood) along the seafront to the Hastings branch where, once inside, I will say ‘I’ll take that!’ as often as I like!
So yes, it IS true , I DO love Debenhams and know now I always will. With connections to my childhood and to all of the 70’s things I used to love (including ‘Are You Being Served?) I think the brand has me trussed up like the proverbial Christmas Turkey these days…
You see, those advertising chappies do know a thing or two after all!
MERRY CHRISTMAS xx
My only recollection of visiting Santa (once?) was much different. My parents took my brother and I to Main Street in our small town of about 700 residents. On the single-story white painted, wood frame building that served as a City Hall and Police Department there was a porch in the front where Santa resided. I seem to recall there was no line, so my brother and I walked up to Santa and he may or may not have asked us those questions before giving us a small bag of candy.
For the most part, after that single experience, Santa Claus was merely an old guy dressed up in a red suit that handed out things to kids no matter what their economic status was--nice.
Ron