Carneys Point NJ 1969
Sister and I in 1953 ( below) and Christmas with my cousins in 1955 ( right).Just two of us but they had four more siblings after this.
My genealogy of my family has illuminated many things for me.Two generations of my family before me had a bumpier ride through life. I don't know how their Christmases all were, just a few sad anecdotes from Depression years.
My Grandfather lost his mother when he was only four. He never told me that although we were very close. He did tell me they were evicted often and their possessions scattered over the years from being tossed out at the curb. My first memory of Christmas was the bubble lights on his post WWII tree and my rag doll "Buttons" that he bought me.
In turn his wife Margaretta died when his oldest son was eight and the youngest of the four, My Mom was only 3.The three boys were for some years in St.John's Orphanage and must have spent Christmases with his family in Kensington.
Christmas in my family of origin was somewhat festive and our tree was picked out by us shortly after Thanksgiving and rooted.
My parents did the same when the grandchildren came.
1 comment:
It is funny the bubble lights were always my favorite on my childhood christmas trees. The buble lights were so emblematic of Christmas that for years I would search out vendors who sold them. Orininally they contained Methylene Chloride (hazardous) and were just about phased out. I guess some other folks felt the same way I did because they were reisuued with a new non hazardous liquid. They are much more available now than 10 or 15 years ago. Bubble lights will always be a big part of Christmas to me...
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