Inspired by David’s broad history of giving and receiving gifts, members of the department reflected on their personal experiences of Christmas and other festivities. Some colleagues highlighted memories of generosity – particularly from parents – and an enduring appreciation for the thought behind gifts. Others tied their love of particular gifts to future careers, evolving tastes, and life-long passions. Some colleagues just thought toys were cool.

Enjoy our reflections, and the occasional embarrassing childhood photo…

Emily West, Professor of American History

Emily’s most memorable gift was a red Sony Walkman that she received in the 1980s:

‘I thought I was so cool wearing it, and the technology felt amazing. I may well have worn it with my roller boots…’

Richard Blakemore, Associate Professor in the History of the Atlantic World

Richard fondly remembers hours spent playing with the many Lego sets he received as a child in the 1990s:

‘Well, we definitely had pirate ships and various vehicles, and my brother’s an engineer, so that might be where a lot of our adult careers comes from.’

Matt Worley, Professor of Modern British History

Adam and the Ants’ Kings of the Wild Frontier helped spark Matt’s enduring love of music:

‘The album led me to the Sex Pistols, Jordan, Vivienne Westwood, Malcolm McLaren, punk and on and on…’

Apurba Chatterjee, Wellcome Humanities and Social Science Postdoctoral Fellow

Apurba’s experiences of Christmas in India in the 1990s were more about family and food than toys and music:

‘As a practicing Bengali Hindu, Durga Puja (usually celebrated in October) is our biggest festival. However, I grew up near Barrackpore, a former British Cantonment, and had friends from diverse regions of India. Christmas for us was quintessentially a time for delicious fruit cakes and confections. We had Christian neighbours who used to send us amazing chocolates, biscuits, cakes, fruits, and what not. I used to love their amazing Christmas tree. However, what I most cherish are picnics with friends and family. Once we went to a village called Taki on the bank of Ichamati river, bordering Bangladesh. I really enjoyed that.

It might sound crazy to a western audience, but I remember having drunk lots of fresh coconut water. I still have vivid memories of its amazing taste. My parents were just happy to see that I took interest in something other than the story books I brought with me!’