More memories...
( to read in order- see stories #1 & #2 in previous post )
~~~
#3
Mama's Christmas Tree
Never did we have a 'bought' Christmas tree, but one chopped down from some surrounding wooded area by my brother or Daddy. ( I hope with permission! :) )
Our earliest Christmas trees, naturally, had no electric lights. Still, they were elaborately decorated with colorful ornaments! These were of glass, celluloid, paper and sometimes balls of tinfoil, collected and made from juicy fruit gum wrappers by my older sisters!
* This is our whole family -very early days ~1945*
In later Christmases we had electric bubble lights on our tree! Mama loved those lights, and, so, did we all! Mama always wanted foil icicles hanging from the very tips of each branch, and as a finishing touch, Angel Hair covering the whole tree! What a beautiful glow that made! Another of Mama's favorites were the paper honey- comb type bells to hang at the windows and doors! These were in the deepest reds and greens - so festive!
Like this one!
Mama always managed to have brightly wrapped gifts for everyone, under the tree. Sometimes it might be five and dime finds...little toys, puzzles, paper dolls, coloring books! Often there were handmade gifts of clothing, warm mittens, scarves, house slippers - all made with Mama's love! And always there would be a doll for my sister and me on Christmas morning!
What sweet memories - our Christmases of the past! ~~~
*Christmas in South Florida in 1950.
Notice - my sis and I have our new Christmas dolls...and look at our bare feet!! :) *
~~~
#4
Another Christmas Eve… ( Immokalee, Fl )
Another Christmas Eve
This Christmas Eve, Mama and Daddy both had to work late.
We wait in the car, my sister and I, for their work to end; getting
increasingly more antsy as time drags by!
We want to get home … get to bed - to sleep - so Santa can come!
Their work ends, at last!
As every child on Christmas Eve must eventually do,
we managed to subdue our excitement enough to,
finally, sleep!
We had left a snack of nuts and fruit for Santa,
as was our custom.
In Santa’s haste to get out quickly and quietly,
after dispersing his gifts,
he dropped a small bunch of the grapes on the back stoop!
I know this to be a fact ...because Daddy said so!
He found the grapes! :)
My Christmas doll of that year not only talked,
but recited the Lord’s Prayer,
word for word!
I was amazed!
~~~
Santa's lost grapes!
Remembering…(on this date)Nov ‘03
~~~
#5
Christmas-Perrine (Perrine, Fl)
The Christmas I was twelve, my sister got a beautiful walking doll with shiny blond hair!
I got a red silky and ruffled party dress. Mom gave me my gift early. I needed it for a very special event at school. It was for a school-boy/girl type social event...a Christmas Sock-Hop!
We all danced in our elaborately decorated socks in the school gym!
(something new and exciting for me!)
So I had one less gift to open on Christmas morning. I did, however, get my first camera that Christmas! :)
(and have been happily snapping away all these years!)
This was my first Christmas of not getting a doll and probably my sister's last Christmas doll!
SO...a page turned...
I felt such sadness in leaving my childhood behind...
Some might argue that I *still * haven't done that!
:)
What do you think? ;)
Just remembering ( on this date)...Dec. 2003
Love,
Junie
I love your childhood Christmas stories, Junie.
ReplyDeleteI think I've seen a picture of that red ruffled sock-hop dress somewhere!
:) Thanks for reading, Skye!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had saved that little red dress! :)
Junie
Dear June ~~ I loved reading your early memories of Christmases past.
ReplyDeleteNice to have such lovely memories.
It is nice to see the photos too. Thanks for sharing with us.
Thanks for your comments and I am glad you enjoy the posts.
Take care, Love, Merle.
Thanks for coming by, Merle.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy you like my old memories of my Christmases past.
June
Such wonderful Christmas memories...you have a better memory than I do because although I do remember a few things, I don't remember details like you do. Imagine Santa dropping those grapes on his way out! hehe As for the Christmas ornaments from back then, it's funny how today people are paying big money to buy them on eBay!! I remember the mica village my mom use to always have under the tree with the little bottlebrush trees alongside them. I also remember her putting angel hair in the tree and she always put lots of tinsel...to this day I still put tinsel in my tree, I love it:-) xox
ReplyDelete:)
ReplyDeleteYes- Christmas was always a wonderful time for me- all my life -and still is!
( I started writing down all of my old memories of my early life when Mom passed away almost 5 years ago... You'd be surprised how much comes back when you give it a try- and just start writing!
Pea,
ReplyDeleteI love the old Christmas decorations- lol- and have bought a lot off EBAY.. Love the old bottle brush trees and the old santas and elfs -I'll be putting some pictures on of some of my old things soon! I also used to set up a little Mica village...and would cut out little figures (people) from old Christmas cards lol- that was fun.