She was not pleased to have her photo taken. My mom was the same.

My neighbors had a very similar sofa; the springs and scratchy fabric made for some very brief sit-down chats.

Those drapes: absolutely gorgeous. Want!

It's been very warm and cozy experiencing the 1950's in such Vivid Living Ektachrome Color! [Or Kodachrome, for that matter. -tterrace]

So many of the simplicity of life photos this photographer captured have been exquisite and actually looked liked paintings.

Thanks Shorpy, for finding and sharing this special treat with us.
And Happy Holidays to you and yours!

...that my family wasn't the only one to stage the "post-frenzy" Christmas take photo.

Picking up on previous comment, the excellent quality of this series is accomplished by the camera having been a Contax with a Heiland flash attached. Quite heady (and costly) for snapshots.

[Hubert did have a Heiland flash, but his camera was a Kodak Signet 35. -tterrace]

Sensible.

I wold love to have those slippers. Real sheepskin lining I bet. Not like today where everything is faux this and faux that.

They do look warm for a cold winters night even here in Ohio.

My grandparents were just a few years younger in 1951 than Abe and Julia. Older folks of that period all had that same "life has been hard" but they would never let on to their grandchildren. Julia's dress could have been right out of my grandmother's closet in Boone Iowa.

So someone thought Grandpa Abe would love a 12 pound candy cane for Christmas. It probably annihilated all the teeth he had left. The interior design standards were absouletly dismal. Sadly, my grandma's house was very similar. Those couches were so rough that they would hurt your legs if you were wearing shorts. You can see why there is no retro design revival movement for the 40's and very early 50's.

Anyone that's been in Minnesota in the Winter knows: those are useful gifts, especially for the elderly.

With curtains. Startling curtains.

The throw over the back of the sofa was assembled of 5" x 5" 'Granny Squares', crocheted blocks of yarn.

My grandmother, Julia, crocheted one for each of her grandchildren. Same pattern. They're indestructible. I still have mine and curl up under it nightly, here in Minnesota, to watch TV. No hint of wear. Someday, my 19 year old granddaughter, Julia, will do the same.

...forget Abe's shirt, I want Abe's tie!

I'd love that beautiful peach colored wool blanket that Abe is showing us. I have three solid color wool blankets from the 1950's that are still warm and oh so comfy!

Patterns on the wall, patterns on the sofa, patterns on the curtains, patterns on the pillow, on his tie, slippers, socks, shirts -- it's just the way it was back then.

Can anyone identify the electric clock ?

It looks like the type of clock that Sessions Clock Co. used to make.

Is it possible to enlarge that portion of the image sufficiently to read the wording on the clock face? (Might be a good time to discuss the limitations of a fixed-focus, fixed-f-stop snapshot camera vs. the more sophisticated cameras.)

Abe doesn't look too happy about it, but I'd love to have that grey & red plaid shirt!