Thursday, December 25, 2014

More Vintage Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everybody!

I thought I'd share a few more vintage Christmas photos, for lack of a better idea. We'll start with this fun image, from 1958. This kid isn't in his jammies (like I was for most of Christmas day). By gum, he is even wearing shiny loafers! It looks like he got a pretty good haul this year, including his awesome Zorro guitar. That's OK, but why would you give a kid a big drum? The parents will be hating that thing! Notice the train setup under the tree. The toy dump truck is cool, and you can work on your hand/eye coordination on that wooden Playskool-type toy.


Here's a lovely portrait of a woman from 1951. She and her husband went TINSEL CRAZY! I always liked tinsel, but my mom didn't because it was "messy". So we never had it. This friendly lady had a husband who was crazy about her, because this lot of slides had literally hundreds of photos of her in various poses and in all kinds of locations.


Here she is again, gazing into the fireplace. The stockings have been hung with care, and all of the cards they've received are displayed on the mantle. There are only two stockings, I hope that they had kids someday (the photographic evidence in my possession is inconclusive)! She looks like she would make a nice mom. 


I labeled this slide as being from the 50's, but on further consideration, I am pretty sure this is from the mid-1960's.


Now this looks more like our Christmas mornings. Everyone is lounging around in robes and pajamas. The little kid is playing with something (Tinker Toys? Pickup Sticks?), while completely ignoring that bitchin' red tractor behind him. Grandma wishes she could take it for a ride down the street.


I hope that each and every one of you has a wonderful day with your family!

12 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-

What a nice set of images for Christmas - from the official Zorro guitar, the over-tinseled (almost too tall) Christmas tree (nice picture rail, too), the perfect blazing fire, the brother & sister-? (that image is flopped, BTW) and our young friend with his grandma and his toy tractor and Tinker Toys. I can't wait to open my presents-!

Merry Xmas to you Major, and the entire GDB faithful who continue to provide great daily commentary and good cheer throughout the year.

K. Martinez said...

We used tinsel until we went with an artificial Christmas tree. It was definitely messy. Sometimes in the spring or summer we'd find a stray tinsel behind the couch or television. These are all wonderful images. Thanks, Major.

Merry Christmas to all!

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas Major - opening GDB every morning is the best present, and your dedication makes it a gift year-round!

Bill in Denver

Adam and Andrew said...

Merry Christmas! Thank you for providing such a wealth of wonderfulness with the Disney Community each year. I absolutely adore your blog. :)

MRaymond said...

Merry Christmas, Major.

Nancy said...

We werent big into tinsel, but my husband's mom used so much that it looked like just tinsel, you couldnt even see green, the lights or the ornaments!!!

Christmas memories are the best, especially those with loved ones lost. Those are my most cherished moments when I see pictures of celebrations past. Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!!!!

Sunday Night said...

Merry Christmas everyone! Love the photos today. The pics of the young lady were tricky shots. The photographer didn't light them with a direct flash. He placed the light source to the side and the exposure was quite good, although I'm assuming he got some help years later from Major. Once again I'm baffled by the fact that these pics made their way to the public.

Orange Co Native said...

I wonder what happened to the tractor in the last picture? Probably long gone by now. Things from the 50's and 60's. Long gone except for a few bits and pieces.
It gives one pause when talking to teenagers today. They think 1995 was a long time ago. I guess it was almost 20 years ago, but it seems like only yesterday since I was in my mid 30's then.

Great photographs. 2015, Disneyland's 60th Anniversary. I'm still remembering the 50th in 2005.

Happy Xmas.

Chuck said...

Oh, for five minutes to step into that first picture and really PLAY like a kid on Christmas morning again! It's a bit dark under the tree (all the better to see the electric train's headlight), but I can pick out several Plasticville, U.S.A. buildings (the blue-and-white Ranch House, the red-and-white Cape Cod House, the Barn, and possibly the Union Station and Platform) as well as an airport hangar that looks very similar to the Plasticville version but isn't exactly the same.

As always, major, it's been a joy to stop by today and see what you and the rest of the GDB community have to share. May you all have a joyous Christmas!

Alonzo P Hawk said...

We only used tinsel after we got rid of the aluminum tree and replaced it with a real live (green)broomstick and nylon neddle tree. Thanks for the vintage memories (not just today) every day of the year.

Thanks Major and Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all the GDBr's wherever you are.

Melissa said...

Hope you're having a MAJORLY merry Christmas!

Absolutely love the inflatable Rudolph in the first picture. And if my mother's childhood memories of Christmas in the 1950's are anything to go by, the tinsel in those days wasn't as easy to work with, so hats off to the tinsellating couple!

Anonymous said...

Lots of things in that first pic that look familiar; ukelele/guitar, tool bench etc. Quite different from my children's childhood.

Grandad or Uncle bought the drum, I'm sure. That's how it was for me.

I agree, Major, I hope that young couple had children. One of the gifts of age is watching your children becoming adults in their own right, with their own tastes and styles. Mine have grown into friends in their own right over the long years. This was unsuspected by me in my youth, having had no examples, but I am very grateful nonetheless.

Thanks so much for these pictures, as well as all year long. Greatly appreciated, as is the commentary by the legendary GDB peanut gallery.

Best to all.

JG