Flashback to December 1971 and helping out with the tree-trimming.
Trimming the tree, 1971. I’m at right, and I’m not wearing a swim cap. There are curlers in my hair.
I got thinking about this yesterday, while sneaking peeks over my laptop, of Basil setting up the holiday display outside. Hunter, the toddler next door, was beside himself with delight over the process. He raced around the yard, touching and looking and “talking” to the deer and the snowman.
At one point he tried to ride one of the deer. I wasn’t quick enough with the camera to capture that Kodak moment. By the time I tried to snap a photo of him talking to the snowman, he was quite shy and reserved. (I have that effect on people; just ask my Jazzercise classes.)
Hunter’s reaction sent memories tumbling into my mind’s eye. Christmas was always magic when I was a kid.
So today I bring you a picture of me, age 5, and my sister, Traci, 3, helping decorate the tree. Yes, those are curlers in my hair. And probably pin curls, too. Torture. Thank goodness for the advent of the blow dryer.
Back to the tree — it delights me to see many of the same ornaments here as I will be pulling out of storage this weekend (well, except for those we lost in the great tree felling of 2011).
For many years, we had an artificial tree. The process was always the same: Dad was in charge of assembling the darn thing, pulling it a piece at a time out of the cardboard box, and hanging the lights (big, fat colored ones that one year singed a favorite Snoopy ornament). Traci and I were allowed to hang the cloth and plastic ornaments. Mom was in charge of the fragile pieces, the garland AND tinsel.
Here’s how it looked when we were all done:
Tree-rific
Looking at the top photo, I can’t help but wonder, though: How many of the ornaments we hung did Mom relocate after we were in bed?
Pushing on a Rope 
That’s some tree. Tinsels was popular “back then”. I remember having to place each.individual.piece of tinsel. Enough to drive you crazy. By the end, we were throwing handfuls at the tree.
Thanks for linking up to this weeks Bloglovin Hop (http://www.journeysofthezoo.com/2013/12/bloglovin-hop-december5.html). I hope that you find some new followers.
Besos, Sarah
Blogger at Journeys of The Zoo
Posted by Journeys of The Zoo | December 6, 2013, 10:59 pmYes, definitely a strand at a time! Thanks for dropping by….
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | December 7, 2013, 7:47 amLove the curlers! My mom used to wear those bristly grey ones…ouch! I have no idea how she slept in them. I was a bit of a tomboy but the few times that she managed to put them in my hair, we had graduated to the pink foam with the snap arm. I think I most used them on my younger brother when I used to dress him up:) I do think however, there might be an old snapshot with curlers in my hair…I will now have to go & look for it!
Posted by Lynn | December 6, 2013, 2:33 pmdid you find it?
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | December 7, 2013, 7:47 amI did! See new post:) Thanks for the walk down memory lane!
Posted by Lynn | December 7, 2013, 4:58 pm:). Love your post!
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | December 7, 2013, 5:06 pmThe only ornaments I relocated were a few fragile glass ones that you and Traci hung on the bottom branches to keep them out of Queenie’s paws.
The tree always looked just perfect to me when we were done!
Posted by mommy dearest | December 6, 2013, 8:21 amYup! Although I think we found tinsel in July!
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | December 6, 2013, 8:24 amYes we did! And a few stray ornament hangers that amazingly missed puncturing any little bare feet…or big bare feet.
You gotta admit….the tinsel made the tree!!! :+}
Posted by mommy dearest | December 6, 2013, 8:35 amCan’t argue there. It would have looked naked without the tinsel.
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | December 6, 2013, 8:38 am