Sunday, December 20, 2009

~CHRISTMAS PAST...Tied Up With Heartstrings~

~OUR DUTCH CHRISTMAS 1964~
Hacienda Heights, California
Me, My Sissy Linda, Cousins Cindy & Kathy

(Us Girls in December 2008)
Linda (My Sister), Cindy & Kathy (Cousins), Me

Today was a melancholy Sunday. If you haven't figured it out by now I'm hopelessly sentimental and I can truly get lost inside my own head if I"m not careful. Christmas does that to me. All the Fa-La-La-La-Lahhhhh's and trips down memory lane can really set my heart to wondering.

In 1964 "The Highlander", a local newspaper from my hometown of Hacienda Heights, California, came out to our modest (and tiny!) home on Sigman Street and photographed my sister, two cousins and I for a write up about celebrating our Dutch Heritage. I've shared with you before that my mother and her sister, my Auntie P, were always doing SOMETHING that got their daughters noticed.

I have NO IDEA what happened to my hair in this picture. The bangs are real. The braids are FAKE! :)

I spent the later part of the evening digging myself through a stack of old photos searching for the FEW pictures taken at Christmas when I was a child. My parents didn't take many photographs so you can imagine the ones we do have collectively mean the world to my family. My sister and I have pictures with our cousins but we have very, very few taken with our youngest sister and brother...like maybe two! It is the one thing I would change about my childhood if I could... I'd have more pictures.

How this clipping has survived is beyond me. It was damaged in a terrible house flood in 1977 and yet remains in one piece...

I blame the fact that I'm now a picture-taking-fool on the simple truth that my parents never owned a decent camera until I was grown and gone...

~CHRISTMAS AT GRANDMA'S 1962~
Hacienda Heights, California
Kathy (cousin), Me, Linda (sister), Cindy (cousin)

I may be wrong, I'd have to ask my sister, Linda, but I honestly believe this is the ONLY picture taken of me as little child at Christmastime. It was snapped in 1963 at my Grandmother's home when they lived on either Kennard or Flamstead Street. I was in Kindergarten and was 5 years old. All us little girls got Butterball Doll Babies that year and my sissy and cousin got gorgeous Bride Dolls... I remember wanting to know where mine was but I was told I was too young to have one. :(

(JUST A NOTE: MY BIG SISTER JUST WROTE AND TOLD ME I DID HAVE A BRIDE DOLL! SHE SAID THEY HUNG OVER OUR BEDS FOR A LONG TIME WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN. I DO DO DO REMEMBER THAT NOW! (ISN'T IT GREAT TO HAVE A BIG SISSY WHO REMEMBERS THINGS FOR YOU????XOXOXO THANK YOU, LIN!) WHAT I DIDN'T HAVE (AND DESPERATELY WANTED) WAS A CHATTY CATHY DOLL! MY AUNTIE P KNEW THIS AND GAVE ME ONE ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO! ALL THIS IS FURTHER EVIDENCE MY MIND IS SLIPPIN'!

~My Mother & Auntie~
Around 1963 or 1964

The picture above is of my mother and her younger sister, my Auntie P. They were heavily involved in PTA and worked hard to promote our local elementary school. This was a Polaroid picture and the original was so dark you could barely make out who was in it. I've learned enough about Photoshop to make me dangerous...at least I was able to lighten the heavily damaged picture enough to see just what it was. My mom or my grandfather painted the poster for the PTA DRIVE that year... My Gramps was always painting those sweet Santa's for the door of our classrooms. My mother did get really good at knocking off his work though so I can't be sure just who painted this one...

Seeing my beautiful Mother in this photo (she was about 29) lends me to believe time goes even faster than I think it does. She turned 75 this year...

Thanks for stopping in today. Like many of you I've been busy enjoying the season while breathing in all things Christmas and Christ-centered. Hoping and trusting your days have been as lovely as mine.

Blessings and love...Rebecca

24 comments:

joanne said...

we are kindrid spirits you and I. I can get lost in my head with memories of the past, and stay there far too long. Some times I have trouble getting back to reality, but it's always a good trip. Thank you for sharing these sweet photos, your were a darling little one and your mom and her sis were/are gorgeous. Very stylish indeed! Take care Rebecca...jj

Anonymous said...

This week I try to completely avoid visiting Christmases Past as I can cry so easily. I so miss my parents as they have been gone for many years... Our son is missing & we never know when he will show up if ever. So-o-o-o, I am not the best Elf Santa ever had!!
Love,
Marilyn

Unknown said...

G'morn, Rebecca ~ Welllll, that morn cup o'tea isn't as enjoyable without reading your writes ... chuckle!

Darling! What a precious picture of you girls, & those pigtails! Oh, gosh! how I remember pigtails! Adorable! Are those rag curls in the other pics? All little beauties you are!

How fun to be able to have these articles for sharing with the family. I agree, memories flood particularly during the Christmas holiday season ... which just make it even more memorable ... little details that are only thought of during this time are treasured even more.

Dutch?! Me, too ... paternal side, from Utrecht, Holland.

Enjoy your celebrating & sharing in the spirit of His word & birth ... today, this moment, treasure forever ...

Hugs, miss you ~ TTFN ~Marydon

Karen said...

I love your pictures. Many of us really enjoy looking at old photos even if they are not of our own family. We learn so much from them.
Have a wonderful Christmas... and take LOTS of picture!!
Hugs,
Karen
Ladybug Creek

Julie Marie said...

Hello Rebecca... your posts always touch my heart so... I love your wonderful photographs and the precious memories that go with them... you have such a beautiful, giving family, inside and out... your baby dolls are adorable! And I love the old Polaroid photo of your mama and your aunt... I remember those school bake sales so well too... my mama always helped with them as well... love to you... Merry Christmas to you and Mr. AGP... Bisous... Julie Marie

chicroses said...

Love your pictures.Those dolls are so cute.I was a junior in high school in 64..awe am I telling you my age? I to seem to be going down memory lane this xmas season more than usual. I don't know why..maybe my age? I lost my brother 2 yrs ago and our dog last feburary. My parents are gone..well enough of that. I do so much appreciate all your sharing espeically with me. I wish you and your family a very merry blessed christmas.Take lots of pictures. Sally

Brenda ~ The Heminger Farmhouse said...

Hello Rebecca, These are wonderful photographs you have. I too have some sweet pictures of when I was young; looking at them makes me feel like it was a lifetime ago. My mother passed away January of 2006, and I have a tote full of pictures she had; I've gone thru some, but not all. It still makes me very sad when I look thru them, with her no longer here. One of these days I will sit down and look thru them all, as I know there are pictures that my sister and brother would like to have.

I wish you and all your family a wonderful Christmas and a Very Happy New Year.
Warmest, Brenda (shabbycatsandroses)

Pat @ My Tattered Elegance said...

Thank goodness we have our wonderful memories. I have quite a few pics and I'm like you I get caught up in the old memories. I hope you and your family have a wonderful and Merry Christmas. And have a blessed day also.
Hugs, Pat

Sandy said...

Those are sweet pictures. I too have very few pictures of my childhood and certainly wish we had more. Have a lovely dy.

Tara said...

You may not have many pictures but the ones you do have are quite special! I have lots of pictures of my cousins and I when we were little, they are great fun to look at. If I don't see you before Christmas, have a wonderful Christmas Rebecca!

June said...

I love it when you get nostalgic, Rebecca sweet. I could go miles down memory lane with you girlie. You all were (are) so cute!
I want to wish you and yours the Merriest CHRISTmas ever!!!
hugs

Victorian1885 said...

Merry Christmas Rebecca to you & your Family! Have a Happy..Healthy..2010! Blessing from Canada!

Wanda

Martha's Favorites said...

Love reading about your childhood memories. They are so sweet. I still have my Chatty Cathy, I forgot all about her until a read your post. Take care of yourself. Remember God loves you a lot! Martha

karen said...

So nice. What wonderful pictures and memories. We have many pictures but mom and dad did not lable them so it is hard to figure out who everyone is sometimes. I write on all my pictures. My son will know who everyone is.

karen said...

Oh! Merry Christmas!!!

Dolores said...

Oh sweet Rebecca.... your post and pictures have left me feeling melancholy....and with the sweet and warm feeling of family and love...
I love the precious pictures.....

God's blessings to you and your family!
Merry Christmas and love to you,
Dolores

Melissa/Piney Rose said...

How wonderful it is to share pictures and memories. You know what one of the saddest things is to me? - seeing all the old photos on ebay and etsy and in antique shops. I KNOW there is family that would love to have them if they only knew they existed. I have a thing for genealogy and cherish everyone's old photos! Merry Christmas to you and your family Rebecca. And take lots of pictures!

Miss Rhea said...

What sweetie pies you four were :) The dolls were almost as big as you all :) It is great that you have the clipping and were featured in the local news. Embarrassment of ALL ends, my Mom made me go on the Bozo Show !! lol !! That was my 5 minutes of fame :) You looked WAY cuter ! :)

Hugs :):)xoxo :)

{Bellamere Cottage} said...

Ahhhhh........Rebecca.....so sweet! What a cute group of girlies....Yep, same thing on the pix here.....very few. I think there used to be more and I don't know what happened to them.....I took more of my daughter because of that, but not nearly as many as she takes of our boy! I think pix are so much easier these days.....digital has changed the world. It used to be so expensive to take pix.......to travel.........to call long distance.
Whew, I think I might be dating myself? :-)


Have a wonderful Christmas!

xoxoxoxox
Spence

Edie Marie's Attic said...

First of all Happy Birthday dear Rebecca! And may you be blessed with many for years of good health, good fortune and happiness!

I love old photos! I had 2 cousins I grew up with too and still adore today. What special memories of Christmas together with them at our darling Meme's house.

THanks for the treasured memories!!

Love & hugs, Sherry

Tanza said...

Hello my sweet friend ~
Aaahh SWEET memories !! doesn't it all seem like yesterday ?! God is good sweet ~r~, and we are so blessed .. I pray you have the BeSt Christmas EvEr, surrounded by all those you LoVe, and you feel HIS PEACE and Abundant LoVe around you ~
Thanks for my "PINK" surprises !! That was Christmas to me :0 You do know what I LoVe, and I feel so blessed each day to call you friend ~ Have a blessed, peaceful Christmas ~
Christmas hugs ~tea~xo

Barbara Jean said...

Sweet memories and pictures.

Blessing to you at Christmas, and Peace and Hope through the new year.

barbara jean

Sue @ Not the Good Scissors! said...

Blessings to you and your family my friend.

May you and your family have a wonderful and joyous Christmas.
Many hugs and much love, Sue

Eclectic Chic Style said...

Oh Rebecca, as usual, you and your blog and your posts are absolutely lovely! I have missed you my sweet girlie girl friend. I am happy to say I am back in blogland and hope you will come back and stay and visit with me and catch up! I hope your Christmas was joyous and magical!!! Big pink hugs to you sweetest one!
♥ Teresa

Blog Archive