One of my most treasured possessions is a video from my sixth Birthday party – mainly because it never fails to cheer me up. Not only can I can shut my eyes and listen to my Mam, my brother and my Nana’s voices and pretend they’re still here with us, I also have the option of keeping my eyes open and laughing my way through the dodgy hairstyles and jumpsuits that they’re all wearing.
Also, the cake never fails to make me giggle. Remember those toilet roll holders that were made up of a doll wearing a big knitted skirt that covered the toilet roll? Well it was a cake version of that and looking back, it was absolutely hideous but at the time I was over the moon with it .
My Dad had hired a Camcorder for the day and he was practicing with it when my Nana arrived to help set up for the party which means he ended up filming me opening the presents that she bought me – one of which was the Twinkle Annual which she used to buy me for my Birthday. She used to buy me a copy of the Twinkle comic every time we used to see her and I always looked forward to it.
I can’t remember what I read after that but I do know that it wasn’t until I was a good bit older that I started reading Magazines like Smash Hits and Just 17.
Not like these days, when magazines targeted to younger readers are filled with pop stars and fashion and have *free* gifts like glow in the dark nail varnishes and lip glosses!
This is the magazine Miss Frugal chose for herself when we went shopping tonight….
I wonder what would happen if I presented her with a Twinkle to read 😉
I loved Twinkle! I still have an annual from 1971 that I read to my grand-daughter.
I had COMPLETELY forgotten about Twinkle – and I used to get it every week, too! Thanks for the memories….
I can’t believe it started as far back as 1978. the 80s was the perfect time for such Smash Hits mag with colourful pop stars like adam ant and boy george and then duran and frankie, but by the late 80s there was a deluge of new magazines and it was left behind.
You might be pleasantly surprised. My step daughters are distressingly pink and fluffy and lipgloss obsessed – we got them a Beano subscription (thinking perhaps that they thought they were too grown up for it, or that they'd turn their noses up because it didn't come with fuzzy-bunny-related free gifts) and I swear they were forlorn when it ran out!
What a wonderful way to be able to listen to you mum, nan and brother and among all the excitement of opening your presents too! Brought a tear to my eye just thinking about it. I don;t think I remember Twinkle actually, although I know a certain young lady who has the same taste in magazines as Miss Frugal! x
I used to read Smash Hits too. Also my favourite before that was Look In. Proper magazines just for little girls and no pressure to look like a top model back then either.
I used to love those annuals too. I had one with a story about a girl called Lotus Blossom. -HMx