In 1968, It Was Still "Merry Christmas"

Last year I wrote about memories about my grandmother's silver Christmas tree.  We hadn't found it yet and we knew our mother would not have gotten rid of it.  But, did my grandmother?  My sister found it, still in the box and packed.  I now have my grandmother's silver Christmas tree and it is now all decorated with the color wheel turning twinkling colors of red, green, yellow and blue.  As you can see, with the tree done, Bronx is facing north waiting for Santa.  But more about the Christmas decorating later.  Opening the box, all the branches were stored in their sleeves.  The branches were then wrapped by the color code and everything was wrapped in newspaper. 

The date of the newspaper that everything was wrapped in was Wednesday, December 25, 1968.  The newspaper was The Indianapolis Star.  The newspaper is actually in very good condition.  The front page is The Christmas Story with Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.  The top of the paper it said, "The Star Wishes All A Merry Christmas." 

    It was also a time when space exploration was still young and exciting - see "Pueblo Crew United With Families."  To be honest, I was almost more excited reading the Christmas 1968 newspaper.  We really need to get back to calling it what it is - Christmas.

Flipping through my 1968 treasured newspaper, I had to look at the fashion of the day.  Love the fur collars and empire waist style.  I didn't have time to go through all of the paper, but don't think I will be rewrapping the silver tree with this paper.  Oh, the wonderful memories of the '60s.         

Oh, Silver Christmas Tree!

Just removed my Christmas tree from the house and it is now down at the curb.  Surely, they will still pick it up.  I know, it is January 22nd.  There was still some water in the stand and you know, it wasn't as heavy as when we brought it into the house.  I just follow the saying "Don't do today, what you can put off until tomorrow."  Oh, that's not how it goes?  Sorry, too late to change now!

I'm not sure why or exactly when I started thinking about my Grandmother's silver Christmas tree, but I have been obsessing about the tree for sometime now.  Is it still in the house somewhere?  When was the last time she used it?  In Indianapolis?  In Marion?  In Greentown?  Just can't remember and my sister doesn't remember either.  (By the way, she was of no help in trying to talk me out of getting a silver tree).  We haven't gotten through everything at the house, but is it even there?  Now, my grandmother would have gotten rid of something she no longer wanted.  Just don't know.  Hmmm!  Maybe I need to start looking for one.  It would just be so cool.  Oh, I would still have to have a real Christmas tree.  Maybe I could set the silver tree up in my pretty lavender guest room - that room faces the street and wouldn't that be so pretty and festive.  Ok, searched for one in eCrater - no vintage silver aluminum trees.  Well, let's just check eBay and see how much they run.  Oh, quite a few and wouldn't you know it - lots of people are searching for vintage silver aluminum Christmas trees.  OK, we'll just put a few on my watch list and see how it goes.  I'll need one of those rotating color lights, too.

  

In the meantime, I will look through old family pictures to see if I can find any pictures of the silver Christmas tree.  Wow!  Found some pics.  Christmas at my Grandmother's with the silver Christmas tree.  This was when we lived on 34th Street in Indianapolis, In.  This must have been when I was around 15 so in the early 1960s.  My grandmother's sister, Goldie and her husband and daughter had come up from Florida to spend Christmas with us.   

My Grandmother would also decorate the fireplace, stringing lights and hanging net stockings filled with fruit and nuts.  By the way, that furniture is still in the house that we are going through.  This second picture is of my brother, sister, mother and I (sitting in the rocking chair). 

The last picture is my Aunt Goldie (my grandmother's sister), Uncle Earl, Uncle Acel (my mother's brother), my grandmother, sister, mother and me.  Isn't it weird that we use to dress up to open gifts?  I love looking at old pictures and remembering my wonderful memories. 

But, I really need to get back to cleaning up my living room and rearranging the furniture back to pre-Christmas.  Tomorrow is football!  So, I really need to get it done.  Can't put it off until tomorrow ......... or can I?



The Search for the Perfect Christmas Tree

Yesterday, my daughter, son-in-law and newest grandson, Jascha, went in search for my Christmas tree.  I have to have a real tree - it is just important to me.  As a young child, we didn't have a Christmas tree on Christmas.  At times we decorated the fireplace at my Grandmother's house and then a little later, my Grandmother did get one of those artificial silver trees with the revolving color light that changes the silver to green, blue, red and yellow.  Oh, I enjoyed rocking in my rocking chair watching the colors change on the shimmering tree.  It was pretty, but, in my heart I always wished we had a real tree.  

The first year I was married, my husband and I bought a tree for my Grandmother.  We picked it out, took it over to her house, set it up and decorated it.  I don't believe we told her we were going to before we did it - it was like my surprise to her - I was giving her something that I just knew she had always wanted.  Looking back I'm not sure she was all that excited about it.  Oh, she smiled and let us put it up.  But come to think it, her expression was probably more of an "OMG, what am I going to do" expression.  (she would have used the term "goodness" not "God").  By the next Christmas, my Grandmother had moved to a different town and my oldest daughter was born so no more surprise Christmas trees for my Grandmother.  

How we pick out my Christmas tree has changed over the years.  There were a few years that we had an artificial tree back in the late 1970s and early 1980s but, since then it has been back to the real trees.  Jascha is my youngest grandson and he is now the Christmas tree approver for me.  Yesterday was his second year for this most important duty.  You see it must be the most beautiful tree in the lot with something that sets it apart from all the rest.  Most important, it must be a hugable tree.  As you can see, Jascha has the process down pat.  It must past the smell test,  then he makes sure that there are no missing needles and then of course, the taste test.

 It is obvious, he is a perfectionist when it comes to Christmas trees and understands how important picking out the perfect Christmas tree is for Grandma.  After running between the rows of trees, some short and some tall, he finally finds the Christmas tree that is worthy.  Once we get the tree to Grandma's house, we put it in its stand and feed it some water, making sure the best side faces the front for all to admire.  Also want to make sure there is plenty of room around the tree for presents from Santa.  We'll let it sit for a day before decorating so the branches can fall into place.  Ah, looks perfect.  

Now, Grandma, what about those flamingos?