Christmas in Tomorrowland, November 1958
There's just one photo today, but it's a goodie! Take a look at this beautiful view of Tomorrowland during the 1958 holiday season. The land even got its own flocked tree - a friend for the Moonliner. I love the color an clarity of this image. Even the sun/moon sculptural element atop the Clock of the World is sharp and crisp.
If you're like me, you like looking at the people in these vintage pix as much as the park. The lesson here is to dress your kid in bright red, so that if she wanders off she will be easy to spot.
14 comments:
That Christmas tree gets lost in its surroundings, doesn't it?!
I love flocked Christmas trees because they remind me of my grandparent's tree, from my childhood. It was flocked and had orange ball ornaments, and stood in a stand that turned and played music. Ours was aluminum with blue silk ball ornaments (that would occasionally unravel). I still have that tree and all the ornaments (and the color-wheel spot light) but haven't put it up since 1981. As a kid, I clearly remember my dad putting it up each year and always getting a few cuts from the darn aluminum "needles."
Thanks for the Christmasy post, Major!
Sue
Major-
Do we know if any other 'lands' had a Christmas tree of their own-?
Red was definitely a popular clothing color in the 1950's - perfect for wearing around in this lovely shot.
Thanks, Major.
Nanook, I think Toontown gets it's own every year, but THAT one doesn't count!
Have we seen any other year, where Tomorrowland had a Christmas tree?
There is a vintage children's Christmas record with some great artwork, showing two children taking off from Tomorrowland, in a Christmas tree-shaped rocket ship!
Nanook, I should have said the reason that the Toontown Christmas tree doesn't count, is because....well, because it's in Toontown!
I bet that those kids are confused by the Clock of the World. I've seen so many pictures of it, but that doesn't mean I could tell you the present time in Asia by giving it a glance. Was there a sign somewhere explaining how it worked? Cool tree, too!
I think that off duty astronaut is explaining how to interpret the
clock to his engineer buddy.
I agree, that's one heck of a tree. Don't remember any of the other lands having a tree. Main Street was always decked out, there might have been a tree in there somewhere.
Toontown did have one thing I liked. Pluto's hot dog stand. Tail Wagger Specials all around, then keep moving west. Well, not any more or you run into Star Wars.
This picture is a beauty, and it's the most futuristic view of the first Tomorrowland I've seen. Those radio tower-like structures, the Christmas tree, the Moonliner, even the flagpoles, are all pointing to the stars.
Now that's a true rarity. A Christmas tree in Tomorrowland. I never understood why Tomorrowland got the short end of the stick when it came to holiday décor. Santa in a spaceship and holiday Martians. It's the perfect setting for it. Thanks, Major.
What a great shot. The Clock might have been hard to figure out, but how cool looking it is makes up for it. The Moonliner is a thing of beauty and I never tire of seeing pictures of it, in the TWA livery of course. Thanks Major, you made my day, again.
Lou and Sue, I dunno, I think the tree looks kind of neat there! I think it’s interesting that they put it up with no decorations, unless they just hadn’t gotten around to putting those on the tree yet. Wow, your aluminum tree with the rotating stand and color wheel is right back in fashion! You should use it. I’d love one of those, and can totally picture those blue silk ball ornaments.
Nanook, they had a tree in the moat in front of the castle for a while, but I don’t know if that counts. Otherwise I am unaware of other trees for specific lands.
TokyoMagic!, ha ha, Toontown gets no respect! I kind of feel the same way, sadly, though I do like Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin. I don’t know if I am aware of that children’s record that you referenced, it sound neat.
Andrew, luckily there aren’t many occasions when you need to know what time it is in Asia! Or I don’t - maybe you do! I don’t think there was a sign showing how the clock worked, but it was pretty self-explanatory once you gave it a good look.
DrGoat, I can almost imagine the conversation. Do you think said “roger” instead of saying “yes” or “OK”? There was (and is) a tree in Main Street, but that’s the tradition for years. I never had Pluto’s hot dogs, it’s almost like a fish serving fish sticks.
Stefano, now I can’t help imagining the radio towers, the tree, and the Moonliner all blasting off into space at once!
K. Martinez, I have to admit that I like your ideas for a Tomorrowland Christmas. Make it fun and silly! I’d be more than OK with that.
Jonathan, this is definitely one of those photos that I wish I could magically step into. How do we make that happen?!
Mix me up a hot toddy in the Giant Jigger! Love the little girls in red dresses.
Agreeing with Major, for several years in the 60's, there were twin trees set in the Castle moat. I have pics of these from various blogs, they were a kind of shiny plastic or metallic look, not meant to be realistic, more of a "pixie dust" look.
These may have been discontinued following the Great Swan Rebellion of 1970.
That is a sharp pic of Old Tomorrowland, showing a south-land Christmas, with many people in shirt-sleeves.
I remember one Christmas, getting up in the dark in the snow at my home in the frozen north, driving miles on icy roads to the airport for my flight to LA for a project meeting in Brentwood, and arriving to 80 degree temps and the LAX palm trees swaying in the breeze. Talk about culture shock. I could be up at 0500AM and on the jobsite by 1000AM, long before airport security.
JG
I dunno why that engineer would need to reference the clock, you could set your watch by the astronaut's haircut.
Melissa, I’ll just make a chocolate milkshake with that jigger thingy.
JG, yes, I think the trees in the moat were white plastic with metal ornaments, though they may have been metallic plastic too. Strange, you’d think that sort of tree would be more “Tomorrowland” than the flocked tree we see in today’s photo. I had a similar experience coming to L.A. for Christmas, flying from snowy Pennsylvania, and getting off the plane to the warm scent of diesel fumes at LAX. It felt like home!
Dean Finder, ha ha, it’s like Stonehenge. Hairhenge!
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