So pleased I grew up in an era where pleasures were more simple.
My father made me a dolls house from orange crates and mum hand made my dolls and their clothes. The real treat at Christmas time was the stocking at the end of the bed with an orange,nuts and chocolate coins!
When you don’t have a lot it’s surprising what pleasure you get from the simple things.
Mum’s philosophy, ‘Make do and Mend’, has stood the test of time for me 
Christmas in days gone by… was really magical… as you say @Misty36140…home-made things are fantastic…I still treasure a bolero knitted for me by my Gran… I keep it because I know she hated knitting…
Our parents got together with our neighbours… and so no kid went without… everything was recycled… hand-me-down toys/prams/tricycles whatever… given another lick of paint to make them “new”…
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Oh yes Stella, I too have great memories. My father had an old piano that someone had given him, he never had a music lesson in his life but he could ‘play a tune by ear’. Family and neighbours came around, each one bought a little something to eat or drink and everything was shared. Us kids were allowed to stay up late and as you say it was a magical time. We all played simple games like charades, musical chairs, bobbing for apples and the house (though tiny) was filled with laughter. No television, no boredom either. Ahhh nostalgia, alas a thing of the past 
Seems we enjoyed a similar upbringing… we had a piano (Mum played) and Dad played the violin. My elder sister had piano lessons and the rest of learned to play the violin (we had little to large violins, but no Stradivarius … ).
The house always seemed full, busy, noisy… great memories
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