This is me, my older sister Ninnah and our grandparents, Honey and Toto — dressed up as Santa — on Christmas morning, 1972. I was four years old.
(Click on picture to see it larger.)
Oh, the memories in this one photo!
We were so delighted to get that new kitchen set. None of these puny little sets you can get today, where all the kitchen is crammed into one piece. No, we got full-kid-size appliances in harvest gold! The freezer had an ice maker with little plastic ice cubes that fell into your glass. The dishwasher had an arm that you could spin around, with little fringes hanging down for water. I loved how the burners glowed red and how there was a microwave on top. It was the coolest kitchen ever!
You should’ve heard us jamming on those guitars and that new piano. Or, maybe not. I’m pretty certain my parents ended up regretting those purchases.
Then there’s my mom’s silver tree, trimmed in turquoise, her favorite color. I have some of those turquoise ornaments on my tree today. This tree had one of those rotating colored lights that made it glow different colors at night. I’d love to have one of those retro trees one day.
The decor brings back so many memories, too. Those orange drapes, the wooden console TV with the smaller black-and-white set on top of it, and my moms snowman family and little white tree I used to swipe for my Barbie townhouse.
And the paneling. This house was brand-new. Walnut paneling was IN!
And then we have the pineapple lamp my mother made in ceramics class, and the orange folding doors that closed off the living room from the hall. Love the teardrop art plaques on the wall, and the solid plastic houseplant. Yes, I was alive before silk plants existed. Yes, that makes me OLD.
And finally, us. My sister and I in our brand-new pajamas opened on Christmas Eve — a tradition I’ve carried on with my boys. And those odd little plastic necklaces we’re wearing — I bet they came in a dress-up kit along with some plastic high-heeled sandals. My sweet grandmother, so young and happy. My grandfather, one of the first of many years he played Santa Claus for us and children at Scottish Rite hospital. He still had black in his beard, and dark eyebrows.
Happy times. 🙂