Thanks a million!
I was used to doing Christmas on the cheap – till my wish came true!
Jill Walsh, 61, Hull
Strolling past the electronics aisle at the supermarket, I gazed at a glossy, white food processor on the shelf.
Then I clocked the price – it was finally on offer. So I made a note to tell my hubby Steve, 58, when I got home.
It was December 2016, and Christmas was fast approaching. But Steve and I never went crazy on presents.
Each year, we’d swap a stocking of small bits and bobs, and buy one gift for the house together.
A couple of years back, Steve had surprised me with a lovely new vacuum.
Our son, Patrick, joked, ‘You’re the only man who could buy that for his wife at Christmas and get away with it!’
But my salary as a nurse, and Steve’s as an electrical engineer, only just got us through the month. We had to save for everything, especially Christmas.
We stashed away supermarket stamps throughout the year and watched our pennies to cover the festivities.
Not that we were complaining. We had a nice life, our health, family...
But there was one small luxury I couldn’t give up. Every week since November 1994, I’d bought a Lottery ticket.
I’d never won more than a tenner. I carried on, though, ever hopeful.
On 15 December 2016, bleary-eyed after a 13-hour night shift, I checked my e-mails before bed. I could feel ee my eyelids drooping. But an e-mail from the National Lottery caught my eye.
Congratulations!
I clicked it open, hoping I’d bagged an extra tenner. Then my eyes zapped open. All I could see were zeros! Shocked, I couldn’t work out how much I’d won, until I checked with the claim line. The advisor ran some checks, then said, ‘I’m thrilled to say, you’ve won £1 million!’ I burst into tea tears. Shaking, I called Steve at work. ‘We’ve won the L Lottery!’ I squeaked. ‘What?’ He gasped. ‘Are yo you sure this isn’t a scam?’ He came home to speak to them himself. Then it sank in. ‘It’s a Christmas miracle!’ h he exclaimed squeezing me. A million Christmas miracles, more like!
Our kids were thrilled for us.
On 22 December, we were presented with the cheque, and celebrated with a party and a bit of fizz.
The win came too late to make any changes that Christmas Day. We went to my daughter Emma’s, as we’d planned.
Steve and I exchanged the small gifts we’d already bought. Aftershave and scent. It felt almost silly now. Then we gathered round the table for a turkey dinner with our kids and grandchildren. Like nothing had happened.
And yet, everything was different. We couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces. For the first time, we didn’t w worry about n next month’s rent o or bills. We just e enjoyed the day.
Bliss.
After the New Y Year, we started m making real plans. Went on a few c cruises, taking o our family and fr friends with us. And gifted a chunk to help o ours kids pay off th their mortgages. The highlight, th though, was b buying our own f four-bedroomed
My eyes zapped open – all I could see were zeros!
house just outside Hull, with a garage we turned into a bar!
In December 2017, we celebrated our first Christmas in our own home, complete with a 6ft tree!
It twinkled in the corner of the dining room, dripping in beautiful red and gold decorations we already owned, but with a few new ones from the garden centre.
I splashed out on plush, new stockings, and embroidered the name of each of my grandchildren on them.
On Christmas morning, the whole family gathered around the pile of gifts in the lounge.
Suddenly, my youngest grandson started shouting.
‘It’s Father Christmas!’ he yelled, pointing to a figure in a fur-trimmed, red suit striding towards the back door.
I opened it and gasped in mock shock, as he handed me a small gift. The grandchildren had no idea Santa was Steve!
Afterwards, Steve quietly changed back into his trousers and jumper and joined us.
I shuffled his present over to him.
Inside was an Omega watch and guitar amplifier.
‘Thank you, love!’ he beamed, planting a giant kiss on my cheek.
He’d given me my Christmas present back in July. A new, two-carat, diamond for my engagement ring, which was already sparkling on my finger.
This year, we’re returning to stocking-filler presents.
‘There’s nothing I need,’ I told Steve honestly.
A million quid is a lot of money, but we want it to last.
We’ve continued to give our children and grandkids the same gift of £25 each, as we always have.
The win has brought us security and peace of mind.
But most importantly, it’s given us a home that we can fill with fun and laughter on Christmas Day.