O' Christmas Tree circa 1960's

Let's travel back to the 1960's, shall we?

I think you will find Christmas trees look a bit different than my current tree. I was thinking about that the other day, so I decided to look back. The picture quality is that of 1960's, so we will have to imagine brighter colors.

First up is one of my favorite Christmas photographs. It is of all the cousins on my dad's side of the family. I am the baby so this is 1960, my first Christmas. We are at my step grandmother's home. I say step, but she is the only one I knew as my dad's mom died when he was a young boy. I think we are a rather cute lot of kids and love the icicles on the tree.

One distinct difference is the size of the trees.

The next photo is 1961. We were stationed in Germany. #armybrat

I love the flocked tree. I still have many of the ornaments on the tree.

The next two photos are the same year. 1962. Still in Germany. 

I chose both of these because I think there is a mommy version and a daddy version. I think the first one is probably the daddy version. I am sure he thinks I am dressed and cute enough to take a picture.

I think this is probably the mommy version. All dressed up ready for a picture.

I do love those boots.

Now, we move onto Columbus, Georgia. We are now stationed at Fort Benning. The tree is a little bigger.

Now, all trees in my early years were cedars. I don't know if that was a southern thing or not. Everyone I knew had this kind of tree. My grandparents would have just cut theirs from the woods. I don't know if that would have been the case while we were in the military. I think that would have been bought and they are cedar. The one in Germany looks like a type of spruce. 

Cedars were the thing in my neck of the woods, but they don't hold heavy ornaments, but back then all ours were lightweight anyway.

I believe we always dressed up for Christmas Eve in my early days as well. Later on in my life after Daddy died, we visited grandparents on Christmas Eve.

The next one is the following year, still in Columbus, but taken on Christmas morning. This tree definitely lacked in shaped, but don't you just love it!!!

I still remember those pajamas.

Next up is 1967. This was after Daddy passed away. We were back in the place where both my parents grew up. The address would be Repton, Alabama. If that isn't small enough for you, the community was Range, Alabama. The woods people!

Of course, they all had beautiful lights in color. I remember by this time Mama had found some metallic reflectors that fit right under the bulb. I thought they made the lights extra special. 

Don't you love that Western Flyer bike from Western Auto?

I thought I would throw this in from church. I was Mary that year in a silent play. We basically just sat there at the front of the church while everyone looked at us. This is the only photograph of it, but Mother took a moving picture of the play. I love it. Never let it be said that a little white country church in the woods can't have a Christmas production. Hartwood Methodist Church had one.

I was so nervous I must have gone to the bathroom twenty times before we left home. Of course, I knew once I got to church I wouldn't be able to go, because I wasn't going to the outhouse in the dark. Yes, I am telling the truth.

I hope I have brought back some memories for you. All good I hope...mine were.

I thought I would share my first Christmas tree as a married girl. 1984. We had just gotten Sally, the first Springer too. She had been born February 29th of that year and was about 10 months old at this time. A elderly lady had gotten her and she was a bit much for her, so she was free and I took her as my first child. That was one spoiled dog.

The tree was my attempt to recreate one I saw in Southern Living. I still have the picture of it. It actually was a pretty good recreation except for the size of it. I had collected quite a few ornaments for it from craft shows that were popular back in that time period.

I did some shopping today. I am farther along and feeling better about that. I was tired, so I figured I would pump out this memory lane tour.

Two kids and some 33 years later, I have had lots of Christmas trees. I still get excited to put one up. I figure if I get the tree up and my little Nativity up I am all good. The other stuff is icing on the cake.

Making memories,

Sandy