Washington, D.C., circa 1921. "H.I. Scharr Electric Co., front." Harry Scharr started out with a store at 711 13th Street N.W., then added a location at 739 11th Street. In 1927 he filed for bankruptcy. National Photo Co. View full size.

Washington circa 1928. "Christmas tree. No caption information, title devised by library staff." Click here for a closeup of the train set, which has a duck pond and a birdbath. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

December 1961. Maybe people who lived in the Hollywood Hills or in the pages of Sunset Magazine dwelt in high-concept Case Study homes, but regular young marrieds of this period were more likely to have furnished their abodes from the Early American section of the Montgomery Ward catalog. Here is a classic example of its kind, down to the ubiquitous braided rugs.

My nephew Jimmy, on the right, is visiting his cousin Bobby, and apparently I came along to record the event on this 127 Ektachrome. Jimmy is pulling the talk string on his Casper the Friendly Ghost, one of about a billion times he did it that year. "I'm co-o-o-o-ld." After 47 years that sound still echoes in my brain. Bobby's got himself a Mr. Machine, who didn't talk, but the TV commercial jingle still resonates. "Here he comes, here he comes, greatest toy you've ever seen, and his name is Mr. Machine!" I know that because at the age of 15 I was still watching cartoons on TV every day. In addition to the incredibly cool army truck, somebody has gotten a "Super Sonic Jetliner," whose wings were cleverly designed to deliberately detach. Someone else, presumably, has gotten the gift box of Kools up there on the end table. View full size.

Christmas 1955. South Bend, Indiana, with my brothers and sisters.

Circa 1920. "Houck Christmas tree." Everyone gather round for eggnog and carols! National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Father Christmas and young girl on a miniature elephant. A photo for any French family to cherish for years. Found this one near Fayence, in the south of France.

December 1924. "Santa's toys." Toy World at Wanamaker's in New York. Be nice, boys and girls, and you might get a Packard! Be naughty and you might get arrested! 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size.

New York, December 1924. "Unloading Railway Express car." When the sleigh's in the shop, Santa might have to hijack a truck. 5x7 glass negative. View full size.

Christmas 1949 in Valparaiso, Indiana. That's Grandma in a Kodachrome slide. View full size.

It's December 1962 and family and friends have gathered for a near-Christmas dinner. I've just gotten my first 35mm camera, a Kodak Retinette, and with the help of my trusty Kodak Master Photoguide, manage to ace this Kodachrome bounce-flash exposure. That's me, age 16, strategically positioned in front of my father, who's still in his supermarket work garb, so it's obviously not Christmas day. Next to me in front are Aunt Grace and Uncle Jack, my mother's oldest brother. At the time I probably thought his shirt/tie combo was corny, but now I love it. Mother's on the left looking pleased, perhaps because the serendipitous arrival of identical cards made for a pleasing symmetry in her card tree on the wall. In back, my brother and our friends Colleen and Bob. Bob had been my brother's Cal Poly college mate, and later lived with us a bit before marrying Colleen. View full size.

"Volunteers of America, Christmas 1925." Another look at the VOA meeting hall in Washington, now filled with food baskets. National Photo Co. View full size.

"Volunteers of America, Christmas 1925." A festive table, good friends and that venerable yuletide sentiment "Profanity Positively Forbidden -- Shut Up or Get OUT." Merry Christmas! National Photo Co. glass negative. View full size.

"Garfield Hospital Christmas tree." Nurses at the Washington, D.C., hospital circa 1921. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

This image comes from a set of slides taken by my grandmother's stepfather in 1962 or 1963. The two girls are strangers to me, as my grandmother and her sister would have been young women by this time. View full size.

Probably 1952 or 1953. The printing on the back says "The Dayton Co. Minneapolis, 2, Minnesota." If you're having trouble deciding, I'm the stunned-looking, clean-shaven one. The other fellow? Your guess is as good as mine.