Growing up in Sunderland: The Christmas stocking fillers you remember from childhood festive years on Wearside

The season of goodwill is almost upon us, so we wanted to take a moment to remember some of the most cherished gifts we received in our younger days – the treats inside a Christmas stocking, if you were lucky enough to have one.

Unwrapping those carefully-chosen treats on Christmas morning was special, as was the care and kindness that went into picking and preparing them for us. The satsuma would be the first to go for breakfast, while we counted out or coins (chocolate, or otherwise).

Join us for a retro trip down memory lane to Christmas past. What did you have in your stocking?

Louise Tate: “Apple, orange and Milky Way and I do it for my kids now.”

Susan Applegarth: “Christmas morning I looked forward to jumping out of bed to fetch my mam’s nylon, which we used in those days. It was hanging from the mantlepiece with an apple, oranges, nuts, chocolate coins and a sixpence – if I was lucky – and other bits and bobs.

Lilian Loraine: “Apple, orange, sixpence, Mars Bar and a jigsaw.”

Susan Cargill: “Lots of toys and gifts but always a satsuma, Avon soaps and chocolate money.”

Michele Arkley: “Apple, orange, nuts, chocolate and some new shiny pennies.”

Judith Porter: “We had orange, sweets, nuts, a colouring book and crayons, and a kaleidoscope.”

Jax Armes: “Satsuma, sugar mouse, chocolate coins, socks and a couple of small gifts.”

Debra Bent: “Apple, orange, tin of toffees, some nuts and a couple of little fun games.”