Friday, December 12, 2008

Show and Tell Friday - More Christmas Past

Show and Tell I am joining in on Kelli's Show and Tell Friday. Visit her blog and enjoy all the treasures being shared.

This is a picture of me at age 7-almost 8 and in second grade. I remember being very happy to receive this doll from Santa on Christmas morning. You could "feed" this doll from a bottle and what I didn't know was that it would then "wet" in it's diaper.

Some other things I noticed in this picture is my brother, Steve, (on the right) playing with his new tractor-- and a set of checkers/dominoes on the left that one of us received. The little rocking horse and bear in the background were for my, then, baby brother Wayne. He would have been almost 2 years old.

I remember that bear was around during our childhood for a long time and the rocking horse was enjoyed by several more children since Wayne was born fourth of seven siblings.

Can you see in the background by the tv the stocking (a real sock) stuffed with an orange and candy and other little things still attached to the chair? We didn't have a fireplace so we hung them on a kitchen chair that we brought in by the tree on Christmas Eve:)




I also was given this new dress and shoes. I was so excited about these shoes because you could wear the strap down like a Mary Jane shoe or slip it back over the back of the shoe and it became a slip-on.

I think this Christmas sticks in my memory because after posing for this picture with my new dress and shoes on, I went back into the living room and played with my doll some more. My dad brought me the bottle filled with water to feed her. And of course, I was quite surprised when all of a sudden my dress was wet! I still remember how my dad enjoyed my surprise:)


Do you have any special Christmas gifts that you remember from your childhood? I hope they bring a smile to your face like taking this walk back into time has for me.

Merry Christmas!

38 comments:

Elena said...

This is such sweet post. I love it when people share memories of their childhood. I have really enjoyed the different accounts that you had shared about your family. Your family sounded so loving and happy and reminds me of the days that I was growing up. God bless you! Elena

Lara said...

I loved the pictures and your memories. Thanks for sharing Linda.
I have great memories from that time too.

Sandra said...

I love looking at old black and white photos. You seem to notice the people more in them than all the colors.

Mindy said...

That is such a great story. I love seeing Christmas morning pictures, especially older ones and getting a glimpse of toys of the past. I remember when I got my first wetting doll...lol...I thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Lois Christensen said...

Very nice memories, thanks for sharing them. I remember that doll!

Unknown said...

Wonderful memories and wonderful photos.

Thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog too.

Anonymous said...

This certainly brought a smile to my face. I had a doll you could "feed". It was called a Betsy Wetsy doll. This was back in the dark ages of course. The only picture I have of me at Christmas when I was a child was when I was 6. I have a picture of me holding the doll I received from Santa Claus. I still have the doll. It's the only "old" doll I have in my doll room. I made a blog for these dolls. It's called Dolls Dolls Dolls. The link is on my other blog if you would like to visit there sometime. My dollies always like to have visitors.
Charlotte

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

I had a doll almost identical to that and a bear almost like it also. What special memories they must be for you and your family.

Anonymous said...

What precious photos and memories! We didn't have a fireplace either, so our stockings were hung on our shelving units that were attached to the living room wall. I remember getting a Barbie doll and a dart board for Christmas.

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed reading this

Great memories

I think Christmas makes us all nostalgic

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

I enjoyed reading about your memories and the picture that goes with them!

Manuela

Jean said...

Funny how one picture can stir up so many memories. Great post! Jean

Manda said...

I remember when the Easy Bake oven became my desire for Christmas. I would have been satisfied with new underwear for Christmas, as long as I also got that Easy Bake. I'm sure I had it first on my list, underlined, bolded and in capital letters. I looked all around the tree that morning for a present about the right size but they were all for the boys. I'd given up until gift opening was about done and I grabbed the last present for Tim on the side of the tree. Then I noticed another present right behind it, barely visible. Definitely a "bb gun" moment when I opened my very own oven that makes one brownie at a time from the heat of a light bulb. I loved it, although probably not as much as the boys considering all I did all of Christmas break was make them brownies and cookies.
Thanks for giving me the Easy Bake Oven for Christmas that year, and the boys thank you even more!

-Amanda Collier

akawest said...

I enjoyed reading about your childhood memories. The way you wrote about the new doll and shoes made them very real to me.

Christmas is wonderful as an adult, but as a child, it is truly magical.

Lisa

Julieann said...

OHH, your Show and Tell brought a big smile to my face--such a beautiful little girl you were:)

Julieann

Grammy said...

What wonderful memories.

Linda Q said...

Fun to revisit our childhood huh?!
I was just copying old photos to give nieces and nephews in albums for Christmas. It was a walk down memory lane the ones of me and my brothers at Christmas etc.
Thanks for sharing, fun to read and hear about.

Being Mrs Miles said...

Oh how I love old photos like this - they tell such a story, they are a captured bit of history. Don't you wish we could go back, just for a moment? Will our children ever feel as notstalgic with our crisp, brilliant digital photos? I wonder. Somehow it seems right that our childhood was captured in that grainy old black and white film.

I've enjoyed visiting so much.

Lisa Cobler said...

Such sweet memories. Thanks for sharing them.

P. said...

You were a pretty girl.

Alfazema

Lora @ my blessed life said...

What sweet pictures and memories! I love remembering Christmases past...Thanks for dropping by to see my tree:)

BECKY said...

Hey Linda!! More in common than our blog background...I have a brother named Steve...I am one of 6 children, and my hubby's dad is named Wayne, and it'
s my hubby's middle name. We also got fruit and unshelled nuts in our stockings! Thanks for the trip down memory lane, and for poppin' in to say Hi on my blog!!
Blessings,
Becky

BECKY said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
A Hint of Home said...

I love the family stories. So much history there. I had a doll like that, too.
Love your little shoes.

The Gathering Room said...

Great Blog! Loved the christmas pictures..made me remember a couple Ineed to dig out. OK..my favorite thing was when I was in 4th grade, I got what was then the first walkie talkie doll...and i still have it( will post it on the blog this week) I also got a HiFi record player in the 7th grade...played many 45's on it !
Your family life sounds so much like my own..it is special to be able to share such wonderful memories!

nannykim said...

The doll reminds me of a Betsy-wetsy I received one year for Christmas!! I love looking at old photos--especially Christmas ones!!

Becki said...

What cute pictures and fun to read about your childhood memory of that dolly. I received a baby doll nearly every Christmas and I love every one of them (probably wore them out!)

I think my most memorable Christmas gift, though, was a fireman's helmet - complete with a siren and speaker. My younger brother and I both received one and to this day, I can remember very vividly playing with them. Good memories!

Divamom said...

Your pictures are so sweet! I had a doll that wet like that too! LOL Thanks for sharing! Also, thank you for the instructions on putting captions under the pictures. I'm going to try it! Be blessed! ~Chondra

Sue Seibert said...

Looks like a Betsy-Wetsy! Most of my memories of Christmas going to church and my favorite toys were toy guns. I always got a doll...to please Mother!

Kelli said...

What a wonderful show and tell! Such sweet pictures and memories. My favorite gift was a red velvet dress from my parents. :0)
~Kelli

Sandra said...

Hi Linda,

Thanks so much for visiting my blog. I've enjoyed your blog and love seeing old pictures of Christmas past.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Sandra
Ravenhill Cottage

Donette said...

So sweet! I had a doll that wet, too, but I used up the 3 disposable diapers that she came with in the first couple of hours and my parents wouldn't buy me a new pack - how mean! :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Linda,

Thanks for visiting my show and tell. What a sweet post this is. Thanks for sharing.

Alice said...

Oh my word! I have pictures that look just like this! I think we even had the same TV- lol. I love your doll. I got a Ricky Ricardo doll that I kept for years. No idea where it is now, though. Thanks for the walk down memory lane :O).

You are always welcome at The Shadow of the Cross. Feel free to visit anytime.

Ben said...

Great pics and great memories mom! I can't believe how much you and Amanda looked alike at that age.

Zaroga said...

Beautiful post. It did bring a smile to my face :-)

Zaroga

Lady Katherine said...

Such lovely memories! I enjoyed hearing about your childhood Christmas!

Tammy said...

I just loved this...what sweet pictures of you as a child at Christmastime!
I just loved the stories behind them...thank you so much for sharing these!
~Tammy