Christmas past

[Wild Root]

Well, it’s that time again! Yes, it’s time to get ready for that time we all know as Christmas. It is such a special time of year and it just comes faster and faster as the years roll by. Christmas is a time for giving, singing and stuffing the ever-loving daylights out of our selves. When we think of Christmas time in 1930’s and 1940’s a picture of a large family around a table, a dinner with all the trimmings and the head of the house hold ready to carve the bird comes to mind. These are the ideal images of Christmas! Sad that this is becoming rare. Today, families have taken part of eating at restaurants instead of spending a day in the kitchen. Convenience has taken priority over tradition and quality.

Here, I wanted to help my self and others to get in the spirit of the season by sharing these nice photos of Christmas’s golden era.

I hope you enjoy these photos and I invite all that stop by this thread to share a favorite Christmas story.

Any way, I hope you all have a very merry Christmas!

Root.

The first one is from Hollywood and Vine at about 1945 or so.

[Matt Deckard]

"MERRY CHRISTMAS SAVINGS AND LOAN!"

[Wild Root]

LOL Really! Speaking of "It's A Wonderful Life" here's a sweet shot of Mr. Stewart with his youngest.

Root.

[farnham54]

I guess Christmas means different things to different people.

For me, I mean, it SHOULD bring on feelings of family, companionship, good meals, giving, sacrifice, and celebration. What I do feel is depression. I can't help but think, while I sit in my nice red recliner in my living room, the taste of turkey and wine on my pallet waiting for the christmas Pudding, basking in the warmth of the fire: "What about everyone else?". I hate being a party pooper ladies and gents, but this christmas, instead of raising a glass to ourselves and our families and our futures, let's try to raise a glass to those who, for whatever reason, don't have a wonderful family and a warm meal waiting for them.

Again, sorry to be such a depressing person. I just can't help it this time of year. That being said, to all of my friends here at the lounge, to you and yours have a great christmas.

Regards,

Craig

[Wild Root]

Hey bud, no reason to apologize here. You have touched on a fact that there are lots of people that will not have what some of us have. It’s sad to think about for sure.

At this time, charity organizations are working hard to bring as many less fortunate family and children a brighter Christmas.

We shouldn’t forget and there is not reason to over look the fact that there will be sadness in others lives this year and for many more to come. That’s what drives me to try and do something nice for some one other then my self.

I’m not sure on your religious beliefs, but I feel that when we do something good for another, it really is giving to God.

So, thank you for sharing that!

Have a happy holiday!

Root.

[Michaelson]

Root, your first photo kind of depresses me. That's what my home town used to look like right up into the early 60's at Chrismas time. The sights, sounds and smells of the season were everywhere. If you want a true feel of what it was like, just watch the movie 'A Christmas Story'. It's set in the year 1940, but it could just as well have been made in the late 50's, early 60's in my home town. That's all gone now. The last time I was home, the old downtown area is a ghost town. The merchants have moved to huge malls up river. The 'Higbies" (as seen the movie mentioned above) department store in my town was called Martings, and was locally owned and had been in operation since the late 1800's. It's gone now. I said way back when that if Martings ever closed, my hometown was dead. Well, it's gone and all the furnishing auctioned off.

To those with these home towns still in existance. hold hard and fast to them. They're few and far between, and once gone, they can not be restored.

Regards. Michaelson

[wharrell]

The City Christmas Decorations were so much better back in the 40s and the 50s.

You just don't see that much anymore.

In my small home town, simple colored outdoor lights strung in a zig zag pattern across the streets and adorning the 4 large magnolia trees on the town square were enough to bring joy to any small town boy's eyes.

[Michaelson]

Well, I'll have to say, those lights are STILL used on the court house square in the county I'm currently living in, so there's a good point for slow capital gain in small rural towns...they can't afford to replace their old original Christmas decorations. Regards. Michaelson

[Sergei]

...we should have a photo contest on photographing town squares that depict that charm from the past. I know there has to be some older towns or villages that still have that charm.

I have the same feeling when looking at the older pictures. It depresses me as well as I feel caught up in a reverie of years long past. But this project might change it. But then again..

What do ya think?

[Zohar]

Sounds like a winner to me, Sergei.

I have quite a few towns like that around me, so I'll do my best to take some pictures of them soon.

[Wild Root]

Yeah, looking at those photos makes me happy and sad at the same time.

There are some towns that have nice decorations on the main streets for the season.

I'll have to take some photos of them. Monrovia Ca where I live is a Victorian town. It was founded in 1885. So, there are a good deal of Victorian homes here. So, they try and decorate the Main drag for the holidays.

But, I'm sure that it's not as cool as it once was!

The first photo I shared was taken on Hollywood Blvd and Vine in 1945 or 46.

It was sure a different place to live then. Wish it was the same.

Root.

[Wild Root]

Here's a good example of Christmas among the lucky to go home for the holidays during the war.

Root.