When the 21st Amendment repealed national prohibition, Indiana initially returned to some state-law liquor restrictions, some of which would still have applied to Grandma in 1949. By 1949 she was no longer required to go to a drugstore in order to purchase hard liquor "by the package" (that is, sealed in a bottle), but state and local layers of permitting requirements hampered her ability to buy it from a store that was out of favor politically. As a woman in Indiana, Grandma could not serve as a bartender (until 1967), and she could sit but not stand at a bar (until 1969). And even today, Hoosier state folks do not lawfully have the option in a grocery or convenience store to buy their beer cans and bottles chilled (like from a cooler), instead of at room temperature.

Old Forester is a very well regarded brand of Kentucky bourbon that has been in continuous production since the 1870s. It even managed to stay in business during the Prohibition era. If it were still around, that bottle would likely be worth a good deal of money. Schenley is no longer being produced as far as I can tell. The business was absorbed some time ago in a series of mergers and acquisitions. Not sure when they ceased production. Apparently it was regarded as a somewhat mediocre quality whiskey. Regarding the cigars, I'm afraid I found very little on the brand. There is an Ambassador chain of stores that markets high end cigars and spirits. However, I have no evidence that they are connected to the cigars under the tree. That ashtray brings back memories. My parents were non smokers, but back when I was a kid you still kept the ashtrays around for guests. Polite people always asked if it was ok to smoke before lighting up in someone else's home. And polite hosts always said "oh go right ahead," as they reached for the ashtray. Mom finally said enough and put the ashtrays away sometime in the mid-late 1980s.

My dad would feel right at home here.

Growing up, he had his own tree. All his presents were from business clients. If it was food (not of the fruitcake variety), it ended up on the dinner table. The food was really good. If it was alcohol or cigars or the like, under his tree.

An ashtray!

... two things we don't see much anymore.

I have so enjoyed all the family holiday pictures you have shared of late - especially this one from Valpo (I am a lifelong Hoosier myself). Even though I never knew any of these people personally, still I grew up with people very much like the ones depicted in your family photos.

Gramma Delworthio had a nice, light touch with the tinsel for a midcentury lady.

This lovely lass reminds me of my grandmother Zelda Small, my mother's mum.

I was born 12:28 a.m. on December 27, 1949, two days after this picture was taken; missing the Christmas due date much to Zelda’s chagrin. As a young boy, I remember presents wrapped gaily in simply printed papers with thin curling ribbons just like this used more like string than decorative embellishments. This photo represents what was quite a nice bounty for the times.

Martha-Stewart-styled rooms filled with mansion-scaled decorations and piles of elaborately wrapped gifts touching the ceiling all came progressively later peaking in the 80s and 90s. Everyone has now either passed on or the younger ones are now living in their new families. I am back to this simpler Christmas and I cherish every moment of it. Thank you for this "memory spark."

I am preparing for a very small party and have to mull some cider for a friend from Marseilles.

Merry Christmas
Charles Worthington

I heartily approve of a "grownup Christmas" too! My fiance has asked for a bottle of good scotch and Bailey's Irish Cream for Christmas -- doubt that we will save those for New Year's Eve. Unfortunately the bottles won't be under a tree as beautiful as this one. With two tree-climbing, ornament-batting cats, I've had to settle for my ceramic tree since 1994.

You don't see those silver icicles on today's trees. How I miss them.

Those aren't fruitcakes, just decorative doorstops. But then, again, aren't they the same?

Looks like some nice fruitcakes there on the right. Or maybe it's Grandma's famous Wensleydale Loaf.

It's a decorative thermometer. Its twin is illustrated and described on this page of an antique dealer's site. Scroll down to the thermometer listings.

[So it doubles as a flask, right? And hopefully has a lighter built in. Put it all together and you'd have a little thermostatically controlled stove. - Dave]

Both Schenley and Old Forester. (And just think, that used to be the norm and not worthy of comment.)

Grandma enjoyed a good stogy, eh?

It looks like a thermometer. Grandpa was a chief engineer in the merchant marine so I'm sure that provided the theme for lots of gifts. He probably placed it over by all the Old Spice and ships in bottles. While in the Navy during WWI he met this fine lass in England, married her there, and shipped her home to St. Louis while he finished his tour of duty. If only they had reality newspaper serials back then. "We thought we would place this English girl literally in the middle of the United States with people she's never met, including her new mother-in-law!"

I love all the wonderful gifts under the tree, but I'm curious about what appears to be the ship's wheel. Is that a clock or a decanter full of Old Spice?

This is Christmas for the grownups. I heartily approve!

Dave, you missed the bourbon and the ashtray. Now that's a Merry Christmas!

Now this is what I call a Christmas tree. Scotch, cigars and hazmat tinsel.