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You are here: Home / Archives for Photo Blogging / On The Road / Holidays When We Were Little

Holidays When We Were Little

Holidays – Miki – Holidays When We Were Little series

by WaterGirl|  December 18, 20245:00 am| 12 Comments

This post is in: Holidays When We Were Little, On The Road, Photo Blogging

Christmas Day 1959 in Huntsville, Alabama. We would have been 8, 5, 4, and 3 here. (I’m the blonde kid with her eyes closed.) I’m thinking my mom did the tinsel on the tree – no way could us kids have hung that much that straight. Note that even my brother has a doll. My folks were way ahead of their time.

In addition to the annual posed picture, my dad also hauled out the big lights and took movies. Fun times. 

 

On The Road - Miki - Holidays When We Were Little series
Huntsville, Alabama December 25, 1959

Huntsville Xmas 1959

Holidays – Miki – Holidays When We Were Little seriesPost + Comments (12)

Holidays – Winter Wren – Krakow and Christmas Markets

by WaterGirl|  December 17, 20245:00 am| 24 Comments

This post is in: Holidays When We Were Little, On The Road, Photo Blogging

Please send in your holiday pics!

My wife and I had the good fortune recently to spend a few weeks in Europe. We stopped in Paris for a day, followed by Malta and then Istanbul, each for about a week. After Istanbul, I continued on alone to Poland for a business trip. I arrived at John Paul II International Airport near Krakow Sunday evening and was able to visit the Krakow city center and two Christmas markets before the work week began. It was my first time in Krakow itself and unfortunately I was only able to see it at night before taking the train early in the morning to my final destination. Since it is the season, I thought I would share these photos of my visit.

Holidays - Winter Wren - Krakow and Christmas Markets 9
KrakowDecember 8, 2024

My hotel was near the train station. I walked using a pedestrian underpass beneath a busy intersection to traverse to the old town “Stare Miasto” and the central plaza Rynek Główny. Entering the plaza near Saint Mary’s Basilica, I was greeted by this impressive Christmas tree. Some of the light displays on the tree mimicked falling snow – it was a really neat effect that a video captures better. The decorations on the street lamps had the same lighting artifice.

The plaza itself dates from the 13th century and is surrounded by beautiful palaces and town houses as well as the Basilica. Many of the town houses are now hotels with restaurants opening out on the plaza.

Holidays – Winter Wren – Krakow and Christmas MarketsPost + Comments (24)

Holidays When We Were Little – Albatrossity – Christmas (cards) from when we were little

by WaterGirl|  December 16, 20245:00 am| 30 Comments

This post is in: Holidays When We Were Little, On The Road, Photo Blogging

Albatrossity is getting us started with our Holidays When We Were Little series.  The images in the post are in chronological order, but this one absolutely needs to be featured first.  Precocious!  I could be wrong, but I don’t think that was Elizabird.  I wonder if she knows about this!  :-)

Please send in your holiday pics from when you were little.  Pics from holiday markets and holiday lights and decorations are also welcome!

~ WaterGirl

On The Road - Albatrossity - Christmas (cards) from when we were little 3

I love the idea of posting pics from Christmases past, even if mine date back to somewhere just this side of the last Ice Age. So here are a few to get the ball rolling.

I may have mentioned before that my dad was a professional photographer, so my childhood (and those of my 5 siblings) was well-documented. He produced a Christmas card, with a family portrait, every year to send to friends and relatives. I have a few of these, but not a complete set. Here are some from the early years.

And, like my dad, I have a photographic project or two every Christmas. Click here to see the links for the 2025 bird photo calendars (Hummingbirds, Birds of Flyover Country, and Bird Butts!).

On The Road - Albatrossity - Christmas (cards) from when we were little 4
December 25, 1950

I was born in September of this year, so this is my first appearance on the Christmas card. Click here for larger image.

Holidays When We Were Little – Albatrossity – Christmas (cards) from when we were littlePost + Comments (30)

cope – Christmas Long Ago

by WaterGirl|  December 20, 20225:00 am| 56 Comments

This post is in: Holidays When We Were Little, On The Road, Photo Blogging

This morning we have a set of great Christmas pics from cope!  (Thought I had better belatedly clarify since apparently “cope” doesn’t necessarily jump out as a nym!)

My stepdad took lots and lots of pictures when we were growing up.  He only took slides, though, so after a single viewing, they pretty much disappeared into a closet.  Over the past couple of years, I took it upon myself to scan all his slides and turn them into digital slideshows complete with opening and closing credits and accompanying songs of the period.  Some of the slides were, after more than fifty years, in sad shape and my scanning and editing software could only do so much but there you go.

cope - Christmas Long Ago 5
Northbook, Illinois

This is my cohort, my brothers and sisters in arms. I am the oldest. As I keep blathering about, my wife and I are moving back to Colorado after thirty three years in Florida.  The five of us will all be living within fifteen minutes of each other. That small rocking chair is already packed up, ready to go.

cope – Christmas Long AgoPost + Comments (56)

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/31

by WaterGirl|  December 31, 20215:00 am| 17 Comments

This post is in: Holidays When We Were Little

? New Year’s Eve. ?

It’s pretty clear that we were all adorable!

?  Thanks to all who sent in their when we were little pics!  ?

? ? ? ? ?

Karen H

“I mostly lurk here, but it’s been so much fun seeing the photos in this series
that I decided to come out of my shell.”

San Antonio, TX

“In 1949, I was 4 and a budding fashion plate in overalls and a plaid shirt.
Evidently my presents were a dollhouse and a record player.
The cat was named Joe.”

? ? ? ? ?

Marvel and her Sisters
Christmas Day in San Diego, CA
1954


Marvel (left), sister Charleen (center), twin (Marsha) right.

? ? ? ? ?

Commenter Sis and her sister in 1964.

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/31 1

“I’m on the right, and my sister is the baby on the left.
My sister was so wowed by the 2022 calendar that she’s going to check out Balloon Juice and start commenting.”

(Welcome to Balloon Juice, baby sister!  ~WaterGirl)

? ? ? ? ?

frosty and his twin brother!

“This is from my second Christmas.
I think that’s me on the right and my twin brother on the left.
Although it’s hard to tell from this angle.
Note the fence.
Also note we didn’t have any dogs or cats, so draw your own conclusion.”

? ? ? ? ?

Gravie

The entire family often gathered at my grandparents’ glorious old Victorian for Christmas.
PJs and suits were both acceptable.
I am the kid in the front row with the wildly patterned pajamas.

? ? ? ? ?

AliceBlue and her brother, Christmas 1954

? ? ? ? ?

Bonus picture of unfree and siblings just arrived!

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/31 2

“This is from December 1953, my brothers and I, arranged by age.  I’m the eldest and the only girl.  To me the noteworthy thing about this picture (besides my middle brother’s mohawk) is my youngest brother’s toy.  Yes, those are empty thread spools on a shoestring.  He actually remembers making those for himself, and he did grow up to be a computer engineer.”

? ? ? ? ?

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/31Post + Comments (17)

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/28

by WaterGirl|  December 28, 20215:00 am| 11 Comments

This post is in: Holidays When We Were Little, On The Road, Photo Blogging

There was an editing mishap in the 12/27 post and I think I lost 3 people’s photos, but I don’t know which 3 people!

If you are not Karen H, Marvel or Sis, and you have not seen your holiday photos published yet, please speak up in the comments or send me an email message.

This first set of photos today (3 photos) is from SteverinoCT, and the second set is from Evap.

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/28
December 25, 1960

Grandmother and her mother. House tree-stand made by my late grandfather. Santas made by uncle and Mom.

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/28Post + Comments (11)

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/27

by WaterGirl|  December 27, 20215:00 am| 13 Comments

This post is in: Holidays When We Were Little

?Keep sending your pics!  We’ll run them from now until New Year’s Eve. ?

Who knew all the BJ peeps were so adorable when we were kids?

? All holidays matter. ?

? ? ? ? ?

Rich2506: “Me, Cindi and Dave”

Cindi reading to Dave and me!
Winchester, MA.
Dec 24, 1965

? ? ? ? ?

wmd

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/27
“Here’s one of me in front of the Christmas tree holding my cat Mittens.
She doesn’t look too pleased. Guessing about 1970.”

? ? ? ? ?

beth (of BJ Calendar fame)

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/27 1

Cute kids of Christmas past!
beth is on the right

? ? ? ? ?

Elma, Carol, and Betty

 

Kenosha, circa ?
(Maybe we can guess from the tinsel?  ~WG)

? ? ? ? ?

Elma


“Got a doll and stiches for Christmas.”

? ? ? ? ?

Santa and Stacy

“I’m a lurker but faithful longtime reader.
I just like this picture so much, especially the woman with the cigarette.
This was about 1983.”

? ? ? ? ?

On The Road – Holidays When We Were Little – 12/27Post + Comments (13)

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