Sunday, December 7, 2014

Christmas Past




Not long ago, my blogging friend, Vee, had a post about the perfect Christmas.
That got me to thinking.
Is there such a thing?
Like Vee, when I think of Christmas I think of snow, a farm house, 
twinkling lights, carols being sung. 
All of those "old-fashioned" things that I used to see on Christmas cards when I was a kid.

While putting up my little tree and looking at "old" ornaments,
I got to remembering Christmas Past.... Christmas at Granny's house.

Her Christmas tree was real. Those were the days long before fake trees.
She had a church under the tree that would illuminate.
It also played silent night.
I would sit on the floor staring at the church and listening to Silent Night.
I wonder what it was that so fascinated me as a very little girl.


Bubble Lights
Original image from Vermont Country Store.
Then there were the bubble lights on the tree.
I loved the bubble lights. They made me smile.


My aunt always came with something sweet to eat.
Do you remember the gum drop tree?


Gum Drop Tree
Original image from Vermont Country Store


I remember the gum drops disappearing quickly!
I think I still have my Mother's tree -- somewhere.


This is the modern version of the green ceramic tree that welcomed us as we walked into Granny's house.

Ceramic Christmas Tree
Original image from Vermont Country Store.



I have a green tree that my Mother-In-Law gave me.
It welcomes one and all when they enter my home.



Christmas at Granny's.
That's about all I remember.
The most important part -- it was a happy time, full of magic and wonder for a little girl.

*

Another one of my memories is of one Christmas when my Daddy came home with a big box marked Christmas Tree.
I had horrible allergies as a child and was allergic to the "live" Christmas trees.
He brought home one of the first metal trees, with the revolving light.
We had all blue ornaments on the tree.

This is the modern tinsel version.


Tinsel Trees
Original Image from Vermont Country Store

I may have to get one of the smaller trees.
My days of putting up big trees are over.
A four foot tall tree looks good to me!


Christmas Collage


That's my short visit to Christmas past with help from the Vermont Country Store.
The images belong to them and I did some tweaking here and there.


Tree Mosaic

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Ho Ho HO and a Merry Merry

Thank you to Judith for hosting Mosaic Monday.

**

P.S. Did you watch the Orion launch?
WOWZER!
We are off into space once again.
Explorers we are.



23 comments:

Sylvia said...

Wow, I had all those except for the metal tree, never cared for those.
Hope your Christmas is a memorable one!

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

I remember all of that too! I used to be awed by our Christmas trees (still am today) I have to go check out launch, I haven't heard a single thing about it!

Dorothy Borders said...

We must have had very similar childhoods, at least in regard to Christmas. I remember all of that. Especially the bubble lights. I loved the bubble lights. I still do.

Barb said...

You've brought back fond memories, Snap. Christmas brings out the child in all of us.

Michelle said...

My piano teacher always had the bubble lights on her tree and I loved them!

Wildflowerhouse said...

Memories of Christmas past always warm my heart.

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

You've brought back good memories to me as well. We made our gumdrop tree on a styrofoam base with toothpicks and it was fun to assemble and eat later.
The pre-lit 4' silver tinsel tree we use on top of a table was from Michael's a few years back when they had all kinds of colours - even purple! It's the perfect size in our small home and I just slip a large garbage bag over it for storage after taking the decorations off.
Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday Sharon.

Lorrie said...

I enjoyed this trip into the past with you. Lots of good memories of Christmas at my own grandparents' homes came to mind.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Hi Snap!

I love the Vermont Country store catalog because it has so many wonderfully nostalgic items in it! The Gumdrop tree made me smile--I love gumdrops!


As I told you on facebook, we also had the shiny metallic tree for a few years in my childhood. I remember the revolving light that shined on it to change its colors. Sweet memories!

Janet said...

I still have my mom's white ceramic tree just like the one you have pictured. I put it out each year in her memory.

My grandma who lived closest to us when I was a kid never put up a Christmas tree or any other decorations...so none of those old memories for me. I'll just enjoy yours!

eileeninmd said...

Lovely memories of your Christmases past.. The decorations are all so pretty. The lights are my favorite decorations! Lovely post and images! Enjoy your new week!

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

My grandparents had a regular tree in the living room but one of those tinsel trees in another room...a small table top one to hold Christmas cards. My sister still has it ! :)

Mary Howell Cromer said...

Oh the white flocked trees, oh so pretty and full and wonderful for my childhood memories...though we never had one, I always wanted one~

Anonymous said...

Nice memories. My Mom made one of the green ceramic trees with little lights. And she decorated everywhere. We always had a night before paety for friends and my Mom made a new ornament to give them every year. Thanks goodness she passed cradty on to me. xox

Forest Dream Weaver said...

I love your Christmas mosaic....all looks warm and sparkly,as it should be!

Happy Monday!

Sara - Villa Emilia said...

Such a lovely post, Snap! Thank you!
You have beautiful memories from your childhood!
I hadn't seen bubble lights before, now googling them I found many nice pictures of them.

Maggie said...

A lovely nostalgic look back at the way Christmas used to be, your captured images are delightful.

miss-red-fox said...

These are so nice memories! I like to remember my childhood Christmases, too!

Thanks for stoping by on my blog, I'm happy you liked my advent wreath!

miss-red-fox said...

P.S. Have a very happy Christmas!

Donna said...

Lovely memories and we had a silver tinsel tree too as I was allergic to the evergreen tree.

jp@A Green Ridge said...

Love those clusters of glistening white trees and all the memories, of course!...:)JP

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

What a sweet post! I share many of your memories. I love bubble lights and my mom had a silver tinsel tree, not because of allergies, because she loved it.

ann said...

As the grandma of the family now, I am trying to create those beautiful Christmas memories my little ones. I loved the bubble lights as a kid. My best friend's mom always had bubble lights on her tree. I, too, have the ceramic Christmas tree that my mom painted so many years ago and a Santa that she made for her first grandchild that has been next to my tree for40 years. I loved this post.