I had posted a picture from Christmas 1957. The tree was in the background and I received a number of comments about that. All were positive and apparently brought back memories to a number of people. Now it's true that tree was far from the perfect shape. Truth to be told by todays' standards it was scraggly. That's the only word I could think of to aptly describe it. Still with all the ornaments in place, the Angel on top and the tinsel it was a beautiful thing to a four year old. A simple pleasure enjoyed to the fullest. That tree was most likely cut down in the Northwest woods somewhere by Dad. We certainly weren't buying a tree in 1957. That was reserved for the upstreeters and those that thought of themselves as well to do. Disposable income is what they call that these days. Even when I was four I knew we didn't have money to throw away. Dear Mr. Sears and Roebuck financed the majority of Christmas. The things I wanted Santa to bring could all be found in those pages. Oh, there were a few items in the 5&10 and at Marleys' store that interested me, and the toy store on Main Street, but Sears had it all.
Looking back at that tree I am reminded of those days of yore you hear about in Christmas carols. It truly was a much simpler time. The lights where those C-4 monsters on wire big enough to be an extension cord. There was little concern for the amount of electricity being used, the heat generated by the bulbs was the concern. We had bubble lights as well. I still have a box of them purchased some years back in a moment of nostalgia. We weren't nearly as concerned with the perfect shape, it was a tree for gods' sake. If it was green, had most of the limbs and smelled good, it would work. The tinsel always went on last. We were told to be careful to not get the tinsel in the light sockets! I remember starting to put the tinsel on. one strand at a time. Wasn't long before several strands were going up at once and finally handfuls. You know, I can't recall tinsel ever getting into a light socket and causing an issue.
I wonder if we haven't complicated the joy right out of the whole deal. Christmas trees today, if they are real, are purchased carefully trimmed to the perfect shape. You don't see tinsel on many trees anymore and I wonder why that is. It is certainly available in the store. Lights are likely to be LED, rather small and not as bright as the lights I remember. Twinkle lights is the first name that comes to mind for these small lights we see today. Artificial trees are the normal thing. Remember when they first started out? They were white! Yes, I remember that being a thing, a white tree with a color wheel set up to shine on it. Some even played Christmas music, which after about 20 minutes got really annoying. Still, the trees they are using today are what the children today will remember and reminisce about. Those trees are just as beautiful, just as special as any I ever had. The Christmas trees of our childhood will always hold that place in our hearts and memories. In my childhood the tree was only up for a short time. I'm thinking two weeks was about it. It went up shortly before Christmas day and came down New Years day. Dad would be home to help with that. After the ornaments were carefully removed, wrapped in newspaper and packed away the lights came off. That was Dads' job because he could reach the top of the tree. He would carefully coil those strings of light up and place them in the box. The Angel came down and was placed in her original box. I remember that Angel to this day although I don't know what her eventual fate was. Oh, and some years Dad would put his train under the tree. It was a train he had been given as a child, a Lionel, along with the track, crossing gates that went up and down and two track switches. It was quite the set up. That train is in the possession of my sisters son. I understand he has built a special shelf to display it. Lots of memories for me on that train and I am pleased to know it is being taken care of.
Just what I wanted from Santa in 1957 I couldn't say. That I believed he existed is without question. I started getting threatened with that right after Thanksgiving. Santa is watching you! You're not going to get anything from Santa with an attitude like that. And my older brothers teasing me, saying Santa isn't real and you aren't getting anything. My sister would reassure me that yes, I would get stuff from Santa, Santa always brings presents, even if you are a little bad, just don't ever say that out loud in front of grown ups. And if you haven't written him a letter, a note on Christmas eve would do, Santa has extra stuff on his sleigh just in case.
The Christmas tree was like magic. You put it up, decorate it, keep it watered and presents would appear underneath it on Christmas morning. When I got a little older Mom told me to listen to the Christmas tree. That has become a tradition of mine. On Christmas eve, just before going to bed, you turn out all the lights except the tree of course, that has to remain on all night. That's what Mom told me anyway but I do turn them off and I suspect Mom did too. Once the lights are off, the television turned off, and all is quiet you just sit and listen to the Christmas tree. It does have many stories to tell if you listen closely. It took me many years to fully understand that, just what she was talking about, but it is a tradition today, my tradition alone. I may only sit for a few moments or a few minutes, but I will do that. Dreams of sugar plums? No, but I have dreamed of beach plums. Ah, that's another story for another day.
Sears Catalog 1957 two guns and a rope, what more could a boy hope for.
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