My love for Christmas goes back to my childhood. My mother would decorate our house on the inside while Daddy would decorate the outside. We always had a live tree (a cedar --back then) and Mom would use fresh greenery to decorate most everything in the house. I remember that our house smelled SO good!!!!
Dad would hang greenery around the eaves of the house and hang a huge picture of Santa Claus above our front door. He used a spotlight to light up Santa at night. I think we were one of very few homes that were decorated on the OUTSIDE back then ('40's-'50's). People loved to drive by our house to see Santa!!!!! That was so special to me. You can see why I loved Christmas SO much.
Another memory I have is the beautiful homemade wreaths that Mom would make --and hang on our front door. I guess that is why I have a love for wreaths to this day. We have three wreaths on the front of our home now. There's one on the front door and two on the front of the house on either side of the computer room window.
Today I'm showing you some memories of Christmas as a child ---and also show you a couple of pictures of our lit wreaths. Above is a picture of Mom, Dad and me standing in front of our home. Note the wreath on the front door and the snow on the shrubs. I was hanging onto my dolly, LuLu. Below are more pictures.
Now you can see the BIG Santa hanging on the side of the house above the front door. That old Pontiac belonged to my older brother, Ray.
I included this picture of my parents so that you would see some of my mother's Christmas decorations around our home. I still have that clock which is shown in the picture --and it still RUNS!! It's one of my favorite possessions from my parents.
This is one of the lit wreaths on the front of our home. We bought this one last year.
This is our new wreath --which we bought before Thanksgiving this year. Both of them look so pretty at night all lit up on the front of our home. I'll show more pictures of the outside (and inside) of our home throughout this month.
What are some of your favorite Christmas decorations from childhood ??? Besides the tree, I think the wreath will always be one of my fav's.
Hugs,
46 comments:
Hi, Betsy.
It's wonderful that you have photos of your childhood home to remember the decorations. I don't really remember any except for the tree.
There was one ornament in particular that I remember because my mom made it. It was an aluminum foil Santa that she embossed and painted.
There was a period when Santa had to be hung on the back of the tree because my Dad was concerned that the idea of Santa Claus would overshadow the true meaning of Christmas--the nativity. But he didn't need to worry, we always knew the reason for the season.
...I love your wreaths and the photos from your childhood. Remember those big posters people would put on their front doors? My Grandpa had cut out the full-sized Santa and cut out wood to match and put a stand on the back of him. He would stand out on the porch. I LOVED that Santa and thought they had the coolest house with Santa on the front porch. I bet my parents have photos somewhere....
Looks like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving day, and your friend's kitchen is gorgeous! :-) Love those waterfalls too...
p.s. We always had a wreath on the front door too. I love them...
Such lovely photos!
And how nice that you are able to bring all those memories into your own traditions.
Such lovely photos!
And how nice that you are able to bring all those memories into your own traditions.
Your wreaths are so beautiful Betsy!
How wonderful to see scenes from your childhood.
Beautiful wreaths of course.
when i worked at the greenhouse we would make wreaths for sale and customers. customers would bring in their greens to be added to whatever we were making. My friend was so creative and made the most beautiful wreathes---one of a kind creations. I made the more simpler type. (simple mind I suppose LOL)
Have a nice weekend. MB
Your wreaths are lovely, Betsy, and old family photographs bring back such wonderful memories, don't they, especially about holiday traditions.
I think it wonderful that you have so many family pictures. Those I had are now mostly lost after so many movings.
I can't decorate today due to having cats but now you have me thinking wreaths. They couldn't get into those. Good idea.
I'm ashamed to admit it, but my childhood favorite decorations were those terribly tacky "bubble" lights. I just loved watching them FINALLY begin to bubble as they warmed. Woe be unto Daddy if he plugged in the tree lights without calling me to watch the bubbles start.
I have two favorites. One is a handmade quilt wreath that was made by my younger sister who passed away a decade ago. The other favorite is a small net angel tree ornament that my parents bought each of us during one of those Christmases when money was very tight.
My parents didn't decorate outside, our neighbors didn't either. We had a huge triple window and our Christmas tree could be seen form outside, especially at night when it was lit. Most people put their trees in front of a window back then.
Marnie
I always enjoy your old pictures..you had "Lulu"... I had "Patsy" and "Pixie."
I loved looking at these photos Betsy! Your parents sure knew how to decorate for Christmas! And how wonderful you still have that clock! I love your wreaths you have too - very pretty! One of my favorite Christmas decorations we had was a nativity set that one of my uncles made - it was so beautiful. (Though my mom would get mad when I kept taking baby Jesus out of the manger to have him play w/ my barbies! HA,ha!)
I just loved seeing your Christmas memories! Your parents decorated just like my mother and dad. I can still smell that wonderful cedar smell from my childhood.... thanks for opening up Christmas memories!
Betsy I enjoyed seeing all these photos. Old family photos are the best.
Girl, I have to tell you I loved your remarks on my blog this a.m. You for sure had me laughing. I would love to meet you and George someday. Ya'll are so fun!
Well neighbor are you ready for the snow we're supposed to get tonight and tomorrow?
Thank you so much for sharing your Christmas memories. Your childhood home looks so festive and welcoming, both inside and out.
Wonderful memories! The Santa over the door is very unusual. I love your wreaths. I have a wren that likes to sleep in whatever wreath is on the front door and then it gets in the house when our son comes home late at night. I can't decide whether to hang the Christmas wreath or not this year.
Betsy, your Mom was so classy with her decorations...they could be a modern day scene!!!
Since my Mom wasn't a fan of Christmas decorations my favorite decoration was a miniature red bicycle that I bought somewhere more than twenty years ago.
Once I had my Christmas tree in a playpen to keep a puppy out of it...it worked...
Your Mom was the Martha Stewart of her time!!! I love how she used all the greenery, I do imagine your home smelled wonderful.
Your wreaths are really pretty too. I have 2 on my front doors, but they dont' light up like yours. :)
I always loved our nativity as a kid...sadly the only remainin piece is the angel and she is now hanging on my tree.
Quite a few years ago when my grandmother died, my mother asked me what I would like to have from her home. I couldn't think of much except a few little things UNTIL Christmas came around. I so wished I had asked for her ornaments, the old fashioned glass ones. We celebrated at her house every year when I was a child and some of my best memories are from being with her. Sadly, the ornaments had all been unceremoniously disposed of.
Its the time of year when we reflect a lot on our Christmas memories. Your lucky to have so many wonderful photo from your passed.
I love you new wreath its beautiful, Betsy.
When I was a kid we had one of the silver trees on out breezeway with the rotating red and green lights. As a kid I thought it was the cat's meow! ha.
Which reminds me Ive got to go in the loft for our trimmings very soon.lol
Love your reminiscing. The only decorating I've done so far is to hang my wreath on the front door and put up my quilted advent calendar.
Oh, this was lovely and I'll have to think more of all my fav childhood memories - yes, and maybe write them down!2 special Christmas events today, so I'll be a busy gal! Enjoy your week-end!
Loved hearing about your special thanksgiving dinner with your friend!
Lovely wreath and memories… :-)
Well,now you've got me thinking about my childhood.Perhaps I will do a blog on that soon.I love the wreaths on your house,very festive.
Blessings,Ruth
It's amazing that once we didn't even decorate the outside of our houses much, things have changed a lot, haven't they. Love your Christmas pictures, Betsy, I think you and Lulu are cute, two dolls.
Beautiful memories and beautiful wreaths. How noce that your Daddy liked to help decorate. I think you look like your Mother.
Hi, Betsy! You are so very fortunate to have all those wonderful photographs from your childhood. What precious treasures! And I think your wreaths are absolutely gorgeous. I can't think of any favorite decorations from my childhood, but I do have a favorite now: our nativity creche that we set up every year. I had always wanted one, from the time I was a little girl, but didn't get it until I had my own children. It's the first thing we put up, before our tree even. When my children were small, I'd read the Christmas story from Luke before we set it up and they loved helping me put everyone in their places. Then, throughout the season, they'd add Lego and Playmobil animals and people to it, so that the baby Jesus had quite a variety of visitors, including lions and kangaroos and knights in armor (who would always bow before him). I set it up now before the kids come home from college, but they always look for it when they come home. :-)
I have a special wreath for my front door. It was made by grandmother. She passed away when I was 18. It's getting old and may not look as fancy as those new ones in the stores, but I wouldn't change a thing!
I remember when my Daddy just had to have one of those aluminum trees with the different colored lights shining on it. Thinking back it was pretty ridiculius looking. Then one year Mama decided the cut tree was going to be decorated in all gold ribbons. My best friend and I tied gold ribbons until we couldn't stand them.
It is nice to have happy Christmas memories. Your wreaths are lovely.
~~Hugs~~
There is no way on this earth that you are big enough to hold the love that is in your heart !
That's funny about the cedar ... I've never heard of that. And also your observation how decorating outside wasn't so common back then. Is it me or has the recession curtailed outside lights this winter as well?
My dad always hung lights all over our house when I was growing up. Mom decorated the inside with a real tree. I still absolutely have to have a real tree every year... it just wouldn't be the same without that smell in the house. Your wreaths are very pretty. What a treasure that you have photos of your family from so long ago and with the Christmas decorations that you remember so fondly. Love that clock, too.
Meems
Oh dear, I am a bit behind in visiting my friends this week. Forgive me. I've been busy partying as you can tell from my blog and I have also been trying to discover where my pre 2008 archives have gone??? Your old photos are gems and I can see why you have fond memories of Christmas with your parents. They were ahead of their time and your wreaths are beautiful. We are a bit slow to get motivated this year as our girls won't be here but we did get the baby Christmas tree out and you have just reminded me that I bought a new wreath last year so I should dig that out too. I must go read your other posts for this week.
Wonderful memories of Christmases past. Love seeing you as a child hanging on to that dolly. ;-)
I LOVE the Santa !
Betsy: Fun photos from childhood.
Wonderful pictures from your childhood, and great memories of those homemade wreaths.
Your present day wreaths are lovely.
I an catching up on what i missed by not loggin in yesterday. the wreathes are beautiful. I like the family photos, makes me wish I had ours. My niece is the historian of the family and when mother died, we let her take the hope chest of memories. we have simailar pictures that take us back in time. precious christmas memories. Daddy had a 53 pontiac when I was 10, looked a lot like this one
Oh Betsy, what wonderful memories and photos. I love your wreaths, I'll bet those are beautiful at night.
My dad was so into Christmas. He would hang lights on the eaves, around the doors, and some windows. One year Santa and the reindeer were on the front lawn. He also loved to decorate inside including the tree, we had some strange trees. Remember the aluminum ones, they came in colors? A blue tree!
Hugs,
Judy
I love your old family photos.
I, too, love the old family photos. I can spend hours looking at old pictures; they are so fascinating!
My favorite decoration was *always* the mistletoe!
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