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Retro special: 33 Christmas pictures from across the Black Country and Staffordshire to spark nostalgia

It’s that time of year again when we delve into the Express & Star archives to uncover some of our favourite festive images from across the decades.

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By Tania Taylor
Published

Join us as we relive moments of communities coming together to celebrate, smile at heartwarming faces from the past, and shiver at memories of wintry scenes.

We hope you enjoy this nostalgic gallery, brought together for your enjoyment, and we wish all our readers a very happy Christmas and New Year.

  • You can enjoy this and more with our weekly FREE Nostalgia Newsletter - with scores of archive pictures and exclusive features on the history of Wolverhampton, Staffordshire and the Black Country - all sent to your inbox every Friday. Sign up here

Christmas 1979 and Jane Holloway is pictured with 5 Bulldog puppies bred by her father Richard Holloway of Brierley Hill. Jane kept one for herself three went to USA and one to Canada. The value of each puppy was £350.
Christmas 1979 and Jane Holloway is pictured with five Bulldog puppies bred by her father Richard Holloway of Brierley Hill. Jane kept one for herself three went to USA and one to Canada. The value of each puppy was £350.
Stuart and Sons, Wordsley, Christmas Party. Undated.
Stuart and Sons, Wordsley, Christmas Party. Undated.
Angela and Andree Vandaele, licensees of the Six Ashes pub, near Bridgnorth, invited Wombourne ambulance crews and their families to a free Sunday lunch, December 18, 1989.
Angela and Andree Vandaele, licensees of the Six Ashes pub, near Bridgnorth, invited Wombourne ambulance crews and their families to a free Sunday lunch, December 18, 1989.
December 20, 1973: 'Mrs Edna Nicholls, of Bramley Way, Walsall, a patient in the Walsall General Hospital, joins in the carols with St Matthew's Choir, who last night toured the hospital and sang in every ward.'
December 20, 1973: 'Mrs Edna Nicholls, of Bramley Way, Walsall, a patient in the Walsall General Hospital, joins in the carols with St Matthew's Choir, who last night toured the hospital and sang in every ward.'
Willenhall, December 11, 1975: 'Portobello children presented a nativity play for pensioners at Portobello Residents' Association's rent hut last week.' December 11, 1975.
Willenhall, December 11, 1975: 'Portobello children presented a nativity play for pensioners at Portobello Residents' Association's rent hut last week.' December 11, 1975.
July 24, 1972, which will be publication date. The caption read: 'Keen-eyed bargain hunters at the Forum Theatre, Cannock, sort through the stalls at Cannock ambulance station's rummage sale held to raise funds for the ambulancemen's chrildren's Christmas party and zoo outings.\ Library code: Cannock nostalgia 2012.
July 1972: 'Keen-eyed bargain hunters at the Forum Theatre, Cannock, sort through the stalls at Cannock ambulance station's rummage sale held to raise funds for the ambulancemen's children's Christmas party and zoo outings.'
In December 1982, panto star Dierdre Dee brought a touch of magic to Stafford's big Christmas lights switch-on. Dierdre, who plays Aladdin in this year's pantomime at the Borough Hall, is pictured pulling the switch with the Mayor, Councillor Trevor Reeves, and five-year-old Helen Blochsidge of Bridgman Close. 'I have never done anything like this before and I enjoyed it very much,' said Deirdre, whose television parts have included Dr Selby in the Angels hospital series.
In December 1982, panto star Dierdre Dee brought a touch of magic to Stafford's big Christmas lights switch-on. Dierdre, who plays Aladdin in this year's pantomime at the Borough Hall, is pictured pulling the switch with the Mayor, Councillor Trevor Reeves, and five-year-old Helen Blochsidge of Bridgman Close. 'I have never done anything like this before and I enjoyed it very much,' said Deirdre, whose television parts have included Dr Selby in the Angels hospital series.
A charity darts match between the resident ladies team at the Locksmith Pub in Heath Town and Wednesfield Police, raised money for the children's ward at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton. The photograph shows (from left) Eileen Webb, Manjit Kaur, Yvonne Benbow, Brendan Finn, Constable Angus Seath and Ron Boome. Date stamp 22 December 1980
A charity darts match between the resident ladies team at the Locksmith Pub in Heath Town and Wednesfield Police, raised money for the children's ward at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton. The photograph shows (from left) Eileen Webb, Manjit Kaur, Yvonne Benbow, Brendan Finn, Constable Angus Seath and Ron Boome, taken on December 22, 1980.
December 1946, handwritten on the back in ink is: 'War - POWs. German P.O.W.s attending mass at St Mary's RC Church at Cannock on Christmas morning were received by Rev B Hickson (Priest-in-Charge).' The caption pasted on the back reads: 'Bringing with them toys they had made for distribution among poor children in Cannock, over 200 German Catholics from the prisoners of war camp at Penkridge attended a celebration of Mass by Father B. Hickson at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Cannock, on Christmas morning. Before returning to Penkridge they were served with tea and cigarettes in St Mary's Parish Room. Picture shows them at the church door.' Picture: Fred Parsons, Photographer & Picture Framer.
December 1946, handwritten on the back of the original print in ink is: 'War - POWs. German P.O.W.s attending mass at St Mary's RC Church at Cannock on Christmas morning were received by Rev B Hickson (Priest-in-Charge).' The accompanying caption reads: 'Bringing with them toys they had made for distribution among poor children in Cannock, over 200 German Catholics from the prisoners of war camp at Penkridge attended a celebration of Mass by Father B. Hickson at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Cannock, on Christmas morning. Before returning to Penkridge they were served with tea and cigarettes in St Mary's Parish Room. Picture shows them at the church door.' Picture: Fred Parsons, Photographer & Picture Framer.