The Mid-Century Evolution of a Family Christmas Tree....

As promised, I'm back with a post to accompany your Christmas Eve tree trimming and stocking hanging, my little moppets!

My grandmother began taking photos of the family Christmas tree in 1960.  She was fairly diligent and continued the tree photos most every year into the early '80s.  All the better to get festive with!!

So without further ado....

1960:

1961:

There was also a tree in my dad and uncle's room that year...

1964:

From the outside....

They used this image for their Christmas Card in 1965!

1967:

1969:

1970:

1971:

1972:

1976:

1981:

2013:

This year's tree at my house....that includes tons of my grandparents' ornaments as well as their ice lights:

Hope you have a lovely Christmas Eve, my dears!

xx

All The Best People Have December Birthdays.....

Hiya kids, Hiya, Hiya!!!

Today is the anniversary of the birth of the most awesomely fabulous, hilariously funny, insanely intelligent, stunningly handsome man in the universe.  Sixty Six years ago today, the world welcomed my dad.  To entertain you fellow mid-century freaks out there, I humbly offer up today, some snaps of vintage birthdays...starring, my dad.....

Here he is with my grandmother in 1948 on his first birthday....

Why don't they make pixie pointed hats anymore?  They really should.  I'm pretty sure I have this one along with the little coat he's wearing in a bin of my old baby clothes...I wore them (and many others that belonged to him) as a child...see, I was quite literally BORN wearing vintage!  Don't even get me started on 'Mama D's' coat!!  WHOA!

Two years old, 1949.....

That sweet lamp resides on the bedside table in my room at Mom and Dad's house.

....and you can just see the base of the 1949 (the only year they made that specific model!) Glolite bubble tree which is keeping Christmas on the entryway shelf at my house!...

1950.....

That's my dad's best friend next to him playing "Wave your hands in the air like you just don't care".  They're still best friends to this day!

1951.....

See that gingerbread house cake?  Here's the article from the local paper describing it...

I've got the pan my grandmother used to make it and I swear one year, I'm going to surprise him with one! 

Here's dad's best friend again, front and center this time!..

1952....

Yeah, I know...those drapes!!!  Gaaaaahhhh!!  Love them!

1953....

 My uncle apparently thought Dad needed some help blowing out the candles....

...and my Papaw apparently thought they needed help eating the cake....

Easy to see where all that handsome came from!

1953...

His favourite gift that year...his Roy Rogers guitar.  He still plays that thing every now and again!!...

There aren't any pics from his 1954 birthday for some reason.

1955.....

No birthday pics from 1956 or '57.

1958....

I'd kill for those cups!!

Who knew Dad was friends with Tex Watson, who apparently felt the same as I do about the cups...

Stay tuned for a family Christmas tree evolution in the next couple of days!!

Happy Halloween!--Life Magazine, October 31, 1960

Just had to share this fab article from the stacks!

Life Magazine, 1960...October 31st to be exact!

Here's a little snippet from the front of the mag.  The last paragraph is about the article and the photog responsible for the creepy, Surrealist shoot.....

"Won't scare the kids"???  Ummm, I'm an adult and even I find the images pretty darn disturbing.  See what you think:

I love how the little girl is sticking her tongue out at the demon!  And willya take a gander at that fabric her snazzy garb is made of!!!  Whoa!

Channeling Michael Jackson 30 years early....

Here are the kids behind the creepyness......

Pip wanted to get in on the action and tried to do his own version of the pics....Whataya think, kids?.....

In the end, he decided he looks much more appealing in a less Dali-esque pose...

Happy Halloween from the 'Brady Ponderosa'!!!