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Christmas 1964 in Rochester, Indiana. Kodachrome slide. View full size. [It's Christmas in June (for me, especially) with an exceptional selection of member-submitted color slides. There are even more here. Thanks, Santa! - Dave]
Mom here looks a bit tired! She was probably up half the night for weeks, baking cookies, wrapping presents and finishing those she was making. When she finally got into bed, after midnight, each night, she was lucky if she got an hour or two before she had to get up with the baby. Christmas Eve, she probably polished silver, ironed tablecloths and napkins, baked pies for the next day, and cooked a special meal for that night. Then, it was washing and setting the girls' hair, last minute preparations, and getting up with the baby. She probably no sooner got the baby back down, before the older kids started getting up wanting to open presents. After getting everyone dressed and hair combed, she had to get the turkey in the oven, the rolls started, and the side-dishes going. She probably didn't sit down for more than five minutes at a time during dinner, serving everyone, getting up to grab the hot rolls out of the oven (this was before microwaves and you had to stagger batches in the oven to keep hot ones available), and wiping up the milk the two-year-old spilled. After dinner, she got right up and busy on the dishes, while Dad most likely settled in front of the TV with a beer to watch football.
I would bet on these things, because I remember my mother doing them all, and doing them all myself. As tired as it makes me just to think of it all, I wouldn't have traded it for the world! (Well, actually, I would have had more help with dishes.)
Mattie, I have often been on the receiving end of those dreaded headless Barbie assaults (although not lately, I must confess). The missing heads may have been soft, but those bodies, made of rock hard vinyl, made great blackjacks. They were especially lethal if the famous pointed Barbie breasts were on the leading edge at impact.
Lance, headless Barbies were my weapon of choice against my little brothers. They were terrified of them! Bwaa haa haa!
The sparsely decorated tree and braided oval rug -- very familiar.
I remember, during my childhood, that every kid's toybox contained at least one, sometimes several, nude Barbies, minus their heads. Were the heinous decapitations carried out by us brothers? Personally, I don't recall ever doing such a thing...I suspect it was Ken. Never did trust the guy.
I have a picture of my mother and I about the same year that looks just like this~musta been the 'in' pose for the early 60's!
And that Barbie Case! Wish I'd kept mine! I think I remember my brothers drawing a mustache and beard on Barbie....
Please tell me he dind't get the little lady an ironing board for Christmas!
My former wife put all our home movies from the late 40s & early 50s on tape and gave one to each of our children. Their mates loved seeing their mates as children.
I still have that Barbie case and you can't have it. Nyeeaaa!
I had that Barbie case! And I want it back!
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