My Christmas Memories

The Wonderful Tree

The next memory that comes to mind is THE TREE. The Tree was a beautiful silver aluminum tree, and it was the most “in” thing of the day. My Uncle Homer bought it for Christmas 1961, our first year back in Fillmore. And with it came 24 bright blue balls, and a revolving light with green, red, yellow and blue, which went round and round and which shone on that bright shiny tree. One needed the light because you couldn’t put lights on the tree. It was metal, and would have caused you to shock yourself. I loved that tree. And the light. Oh, the light. That came to mean Christmas to all of us. 43 years later I still have that incredibly beautiful revolving light. I set it up every Christmas, even though now I have a real tree.

Christmas 1963 was another memorable year. It was our first Christmas in the house on Elkins Lane. It was a brand new house. Daddy was there for Chirstmas, and so was my Uncle Homer. Sissy and I got fake wigs for Chirstmas. Well, I guess all wigs are fake. But these were made of acrylic, and were ever so cool Mine was a champagne colored one, and Sissy’s was white. They were both in the short poufy style of the time. I thought I was so cool in that wig. Thinking back on it, I must have looked hilarious in a champagne blonde wig, with my dark skin and black hair. Rachel got a Baby First Step doll. I guess she liked it. I thought it was pretty cool. After we grew up she gave it to me, along with her Chatty Kathy doll.