Sunday, December 18, 2011

* Nostalgic Sundays *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

One week from today is Christmas Day! Unbelievable!
Time, once again, for Christmases Past.



This little snowman is about 3 inches tall. He's made of wax, and yes there's a wick on top of his hat., but I will never light it. This isn't from my actual childhood, but it is old. I don't remember where it came from, but I'm so glad to have it because we did have one just like him when I was little. We also had a candle angel with yellow hair, and altar boy with some red in his robe. I remember seeing them melt down after they'd been lit with matches and it made me sad. Don't worry little snowman. That won't happen to you!


I decorated our tree in vintage style this year, using tinsel/icicles and ornaments that were truly old, or made to look old. The blue ornament in the bottom middle of this picture is one of my old ones. It has the indentation in the front, where there's silver and red. It says West Germany on it. I'm not sure where this came from. I either brought it back from Germany when I lived there in the 70s, or purchased it somewhere in the states. Either way, I have five of them and they're some of my favorites.


I love this picture of my brother and me. He has his arm around my shoulder and we both look so sweet. Look at those Steve Urkel corduroy overalls he's wearing! And look at me! I was really knock-kneed then! Don't you love the kittens on my felt skirt, though?!



This is a much-loved Christmas picture and I'm so glad it somehow managed to wind up in my possession. This was in December 1959, so I was just about 2 weeks from being 7 years old. It was in the parlor at Webster College in St. Louis. (At that time, Webster was an all girl college, run by The Sisters of Loretto. Both of my older sisters went there at that time and lived in the dorms.) The doll was part of the display of gifts under the tree. Someone, either my mother or one of my older sisters, thought it would be cute for me to sit there, holding the doll, and have my picture taken. I'm glad they did!

I hope you've enjoyed another look into Christmases Past. I'll also post one next Sunday, the 25th.

Welcome to my newest followers, DL Hammons, Carol Kilgore (#2), ournest, Heather Gilbert, The Golden Eagle, and Sarah. I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! Thank you!

"Christmas is a time when you get homesick - even when you're home."  ~Carol Nelson


30 comments:

  1. OH. MY. FREAKING. GOD! Here we go again!--> Santa brought me that exact same ballerina doll for Christmas in 1959! I was five years old and desperately wanted to be a dancer. At the time and careerwise, I had one ballet picture book to my name and it had the nerve to wear out on me! (<--Can you believe it?!) Then, lo and behold, good ol' Santy Claus saved the day by giving me the ballerina doll! I used to love putting her shoes on my fingers and then making them dance! (Unfortunately, that's as far as I ever got with dance thang...)

    Thanks for the great ride on the Wayback Machine!
    SparkleFarkle~~~~~*

    P.S. "Yes" to me having a baby shoe shoe box-ful of candle figurines (including an angel, a little Santa, a choir girl, a choir boy, a deer, a black cat inside a pumpkin, and an Easter bunny!). I collected them when I was just a smitch, who spent a lot of time at Schultz Bros. (local dime store). And yep, I agree: burning these guys was taboo, because OUCH! I thought they'd feel the flame!)

    P.P.S. Shhh! Don't tell anybody but... I HAD AN OUTFIT JUST LIKE THE ONE YOUR BROTHER IS WEARING!

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  2. I understand about the snowman candle...It's kind of like eating animal crackers or chocolate Easter bunnies.

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  3. I had those same ornaments. your tree is nostalgic with the tinsel. I remember my mom tossing it on our tree where most people placed a few strands on. Merry Christmas.

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  4. Hi Becky! Love nostalgic sundays. You truly don't understand how quickly time passes until you reach... well, our age. I also want to say that I love and appreciate your friendship. I have a few blogging buddy's that I really feel I know (as if we share tea together on a regular basis) you are one of them and its because you open up and share real parts of yourself. you inspire me to keep going, keep writing, keep believing in me. your upbeat optimism jumps right onto my screen. I try not to comment just to comment, I am not here every day, but I am here...now and smiling. you're a wonderful gift Becky Povich!

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  5. Fun post, Becky! I love the old pictures of you and your brother and of you and the doll. Christmas time always brings back so many memories.

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  6. I remember my mom buying me those candles to burn on Christmas Eve. There were Santa ones as well as the snowmen. She would put it on a saucer and light it. When the candle went out I had to go to bed. Great memories.

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  7. I love your tree. I love the vintage so much. I need to go dig out some of my old Christmas photos...great memories. hugs, Linda

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  8. What wonderful pictures! I had a few candles, but our Christmas stuff is stored in the attic. The un-airconditioned attic. Well, after a few years lets just say they were looking a little wilted. :)

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  9. We had a candle just like the snowman, and a Santa. We didn't burn them--they just got dusty year after year, and were put on display during the holiday.

    Watch out for the tinsel. It's deadly if dogs get interested in it. However, Vern looks too smart to want to eat stuff like that.

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  10. How sweet, Becky. I love the photo of you with the doll. What a cutie! And I vaguely remember having a snowman like the one in the picture.
    Hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
    Donna

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  11. Becky, you are so cute. I loved seeing the vintage pics of you guys. Merry Christmas, and thanks so much for your kind words earlier this week.

    Kathy

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  12. We have some of those indented ornaments. A few have pointy spikes on the top and bottom. They are SO fragile! I also remember a snowman and an altar boy candle. As a kid, I loved the tinsel. As the picker-upper when the tree comes down, I am not so enthralled.

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  13. I have really enjoyed your nostalgic Christmas posts!
    Alice

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  14. Love the vintage style tree. That snowman candle looks so freaking familiar ...

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  15. The kittens on your felt skirt are the sweetest! We wore those skirts, too...with poodles or kittens! Such fun! Love your photos and the vintage tree you decorated this year! I didn't buy anything new this year...found stuff at the thrift store and used what I had! Happy holidays! ♥

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  16. My tree is decorated in vintage ornaments this year. I have several old pictures of my Christmas past but I'd have to dig them up. (I'm not very organized when it comes to pictures).~Ames

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  17. Thank you all so very much! I will come back tomorrow and leave better comments! :)

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  18. very cute pictures! And your tree looks beautiful (I love old fashioned stuff)

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  19. these are awesome photos, and I love the nostalgia. I also love the idea of decorating your tree w/tinsel and old or old-looking ornaments. Very cool. And I had a little Christmas tree candle like that once--when you lit it, it played Jingle Bells! :D Merry Christmas! <3

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  20. What adorable pictures, Becky, love them! And I also love the decorations on your tree and the little snowman :)
    Christmas has such a lovely nostalgic feeling to it every year, doesn't it?

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  21. Oh, I love the vintage ornaments!! My grandmother was German, and she had ornaments just like that, I loved them. My mom still has a few left for her tree, and they are always my favorite.

    Adorable pictures too, you look so cute! I've loved your Christmas past posts and look forward to next week's as well. Merry Christmas to you! :)

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  22. I LOVE that quote!

    We have several tree's in our home, and one of them is a vintage tree. It's probably my favorite! :)

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  23. Enjoyed your pictures of Christmases past. I think I still have a tree topper with that style of indentation in the side.
    Yes, I have been an am very busy. Am looking forward to finishing things that I have neglected for too long.
    Thanks for emailing me.
    Merry Christmas

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  24. Becky (and SparkleFarkle), I received one of those ballerina dolls, too! I got a special dispensation to take her across the street to West School in Kennett, Missouri, after Christmas vacation. I was so proud of her! About the icicles, did you have special instructions to place them one at a time on the branches instead of throwing them? Of course, I was such a little lady (better known as prissy-pants) that I wouldn't have thought of tossing a handful -- that would have been one of my brothers who was being admonished! Thank you for the memories, Becky!

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  25. Those pictures remind me of when I was growing up, and I swear we must have had some of those same candle figures...the snowman looks oddly familiar!

    Pat
    Critter Alley

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  26. I remember that same exact candle. I have some ornaments like you. The same type of black and white picture - we have to have come from the same ear there. sandie

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  27. I just LOVE your Nostalgic Sundays Becky! I guess I am a few years younger, born in 65, but I remember candles like that snowman too - might even have one - and a santa, but I think I got them from my hubby's mother. I would not burn them either.

    Reading the comments is almost as fun as reading your post! I love the old pictures! And your tree is gorgeous - I have seen some of those indented ornaments but don't own any. My tree is up and the lights are on, but no one seems to want to hang out with me and finish. So feeling a bit homesick as in Carol's quote - I miss the years when I was as excited as the kids were to decorate the house and when they were at least excited to do something with me :)

    I am kind of crazy right now with crafting, baking, candy making, and some shopping so may not make it back before Christmas so wanted to wish you a blessed Christmas. Big Hugs!

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  28. Christmas nostalgia is some of the very best nostalgia there is!

    =)

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  29. I remember ornaments like that on our tree when we were little. And I just love the photos of you! So cute.

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  30. It makes me so happy to know many of you like my nostalgic posts and photos! I thank you from the bottom of my heart....or as Tennessee Ernie Ford would say, "Bless your little pea-pickin' heart!" :)

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