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| SIS Chandra (2014 SIS Fan Club Exclusive Doll) and Coffey share the same complexion |
Here is one additional photo of the two from a different angle.
Happy Tuesday!
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Here is one additional photo of the two from a different angle.
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She's Released!
Here is one additional photo of the two from a different angle.
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Nikki and the Ugly Christmas Sweater Party - What to Wear?
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| Ugly Christmas Sweater Ornaments from Christopher and Banks |
Top Model Nikki (one of my two TM Nikki thrift store finds from a couple of years ago) was selected to model the not-so-ugly, ugly Christmas sweater ornaments purchased from Christopherand Banks.com.
Their sweater ornaments include a removable and pliable silver wire hanger, which I knew would come in handy to create doll accessories later.
For playscale dolls, I would prefer these sweaters to have been a little longer and the neck opening a little larger, but they are workable with much less difficulty involved to dress dolls than I experienced with the stiffened ones I tried previously.
Nikki's Pre-Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Photo Shoot
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| Nikki tried on the elf sweater first. It has mittens attached to the sleeves. Dressed in this one, Nikki looks like a perfect helper for Santa. |
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| Close up of the mittens on Nikki's hands illustrates the nice fit. |
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| Each of the sweater ornaments has the year, 2015, embroidered on back. I did not know this prior to purchasing. I suppose the stitching could either be removed or painted over with matching fabric paint. For this year's Ugly Christmas Sweater party that Nikki is attending, she does not mind the year being on back. Next year would be a totally different story, however. |
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| Nikki really liked the blue color against her complexion. The white snowman theme pairs well with her white leggings. This one also has attached mittens that are a perfect fit. |
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| Close up of mittens |
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| Next to try was the gingerbread man sweater which is without attached mittens, but is hooded. |
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| A silver bead is attached to the top of the hood. |
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| Nikki likes wearing this one without the hood, particularly due to the mishap that occurred while pulling the sweater over her neck. |
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| When found at the thrift store, Nikki had only one of her original gold hoop earrings, which she continued to wear. The earring, unfortunately broke when the green hooded sweater was pulled over her head. So word from the now wise is: Before dressing your dolls in these and other narrow necked tops, remove their earrings, particularly if they are fragile. |
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| After regrouping from the earring malfunction, Nikki tried on the white and gray snowflake sweater, which is both hooded and has attached gray mittens. She likes the winter white look and didn't mind wearing the hood. |
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| This one also has a silver bead at the top of the hood as illustrated. |
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| Nikki removed the hood but kept her hair tucked inside. She took a hot chocolate break while new earrings were made using one of the silver wire hangers. (Who knew I would be creating jewelry with the hangers so soon?) |
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| The wire hanger was straightened out, cut to an estimated appropriate length for two earrings, and wrapped around a small ink pen leaving a straight portion at each end. |
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| After removing the now spiraled wire from around the ink pen, it was cut in half. The two halves were stretched to create a nice design. The tip of each curved end was tucked under the spiral above it to prevent fabric snares. To help the earrings stay in place, the center of each straight end was bent downward to create a hook before placing each into Nikki's ears. |
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| Nikki models her new earrings and will always remember to remove them before taking off or putting on any over-the-head blouse or sweater. |
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| Nikki has decided to wear the winter white snowflake sweater. She has graciously given her younger sis, Goddess Emerald, permission to tag along with her to the Ugly Christmas Sweater party. |
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Doll Legacy Award
I am one of four recipients of the Doll Legacy Award presented by Sandy Epps of Sandy's Land Entertainment.
Other award recipients this year were:
Dr. Margaret L. Betts ("facilitator of the first Black doll show in Detroit over 12 years ago")
Tony Scott Grant of Haus of Swag and the Dollhaus Project
Georgette Taylor (formerly of Big Beautiful Dolls), founder of the I Am Beautiful Doll Company
The awards were presented at the 2015 4th Annual Detroit Doll Show, which was held on November 14, 2015, at the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit, Michigan.
The award reads:
Doll Legacy Award
In Honor of Your Work That Inspires Women and Children
to "Love the Skin They're In"
2015 Doll Show
November 14, 2015
Thank you again Sandy for honoring me and congratulations on the the success of this year's show. Wishing you many, many more annual Detroit Doll Shows that each surpass the success of the previous year's show by no less than tenfold.
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Ginger's Eyes
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| Bisque circa 1940s Japan-made black baby and a variety of Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben-type figures |
In April of this year, by text message, my sister sent the above photo of dolls and ceramic figures found at an antiques shop in her southeastern state. I was not interested in any of these Black Americana pieces. Because of the person who made it, one baby doll, photographed separately, did interest me.
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| Baby doll photographed by my sister at an antiques mall in her area. |
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| Tonner doll's price tag. |
Before the doll arrived (months later -- a long story that I will shorten), I conducted online research to determine the doll's identity and found the white version at the Tonner website in his company's archived 1997 catalog. The doll's name is Ginger. Her original retail price was $99.95.
By June of this year, I still had not received Ginger (recall that it was April when the text photo was sent to me and the doll purchased). Prior to that time, I sent my sister a check for the cost of the doll plus estimated shipping (thinking, maybe she needs me to pay her for it). The next time we talked, she said she was trying to find a box for the doll and added, "You know I haven't cashed that check, right? And I'm not." I instructed her to do so (thinking that would get my doll to me sooner). She said, "I'm tearing it up." Oh Lord, "Will I ever get my doll?" I thought.
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| Another Ginger whose eyes remain the original color is shown in an Internet-captured photograph. |
Ginger is a 22-inch baby with vinyl head, arms and legs and cloth body. She wears a gingerbread man themed dress and pinafore, white thigh-length socks, white underpants and cranberry faux suede shoes. Her dark brown wig has loose curls with curly bangs and two top ponytails accented with cranberry ribbons.
My Ginger finally arrived in July of this year at which time I measured her eyes and ordered new hazel eyes to closely match her original eye color.
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| Close-up of Ginger's creepy eyes, her left eye color is more faded than the right. |
The faded original color was either due to sun exposure or the type of material used to make some doll eyes during the 1990s. I have seen strange things happen to artist dolls' eyes that were made during that era.
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| Ginger with pupils that now look "fixed and dilated." |
Before the new eyes arrived, I darkened the hazel area of Ginger's "creepy eyes" with a brown Sharpie. I didn't do a very good job keeping the pupils centered. As a result, I looked forward to the arrival of the replacement eyes. After the replacement eyes arrived, I was in for a big surprise.
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| Ginger and I were all prepared for her eye transplant. Here she holds two cable ties and her new hazel eyes, which are shown in the next photo. |
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| Preparing to remove her original neck tie, which was threaded through the top edge of her cloth body, the end of the neck tie was pulled out of the cloth edge before the tie was snipped with scissors and removed. A close-up of original neck tie, still intact, is shown next. |
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What a bummer.
So Plan B is to inquire with the Tonner folks about the possibility of replacing the eyes in their doll hospital or admitting her to the resident doll doctor's hospital. I know Doc Garrett can perform the necessary procedure to open up the head cavity. He has never replaced eyes and I'm not certain that I want him to test those waters with Ginger.
I might just leave well enough alone and stick with Plan A -- the Sharpie effect that I have tweaked a bit:
Ginger is okay with the way she is and I'm relatively okay with her as is, too.
I'm just glad that after a three-month wait, she's finally here.
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Vanessa, You Were Right About Ginger's Head
In a comment to yesterday's post and my discovery that the bottom of Ginger's head was closed and not open as I had anticipated, Vanessa asked, "Have you checked under her wig? She may have a hole in the top of her head under her wig cap."
With her wig still in place, I felt all around Ginger's head and did feel a "soft spot" in the back of it. An area of that spot would move inward with pressing. I removed Ginger's wig and this is what I discovered:
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| Ginger's head has a grooved circular disk in back that is glued in place. |
The eye sockets were covered with white felt which was glued in place. I peeled the felt away and from the front, applied pressure to Ginger's old eyes to push them inside her head for removal.
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| Ginger's old eyes are being removed. |
The photo above illustrates how the eyes were positioned onto the felt.
I removed the old eyes from the felt and the inner socket remained glued to it. The new eyes did not have an inner socket, so I applied glue around the old socket as well as on the felt. The new eyes were placed onto the old sockets as illustrated next.
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| Ginger's new eyes, glued onto old eye sockets |
Now the hardest part was to properly position the new eyes into the eye cavities.
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| Open head and eye cavities after old eyes were removed |
I had to make several adjustments, but finally centered the new eyes in place.
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| Ginger's new aqua hazel eyes look much better than her cloudy and Sharpie'd ones. |
Grandma's Gingerbread Recipe
While manipulating Ginger during the eye transplant, I noticed a Gingerbread recipe on her dress, which is shown above. Based on the use of Oleo, this must truly be Grandma's recipe. I haven't seen or heard of Oleo margarine in years.
Thanks again Vanessa for the suggestion. I probably would have never known about that removable area at the back of Ginger's head.
~*~*~*~*~*
Addendum (In answer to the question: How do you measure the eye socket to get the correct eye size?)I followed the instructions, diagram, and inches-to-millimeter conversion chart here to accurately measure Ginger's eyes (essentially the eye opening was measured from outer corner to corner).
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Happy Thanksgiving from Two Star and Me
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| Two Star by William Tung |
The doll's original costume is a fringed suede blouse and skirt, braided suede headband, faux turquoise and muted silver necklace, and bead-embellished suede moccasins.
In the above photos, Two Star wears her original poor quality wig, which had a plastic-feeling texture.
I immediately rewigged Two Star and later changed her ethnicity to African American by redressing her and renaming her Celeste.
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| Rewigged and redressed, the doll has been referred to as Celeste for several years. |
~*~*~*~*~*
History of Thanksgiving (One Recorded Version)In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November. [http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving]
Celeste (a.k.a. Two Star) and I wish those of you who celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday peace, happiness and love.
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The Harlem Holiday Doll Show and Sale
Message from
Fern Gillespie
RE: The Harlem Holiday Doll Show and Sale
Unique Black Dolls and Holiday Ornaments at The Harlem Holiday Doll Show and Sale
Saturday, December 5 at Dwyer Cultural Center
New York, NY--(November 13, 2015) – Rare handcrafted black dolls and unique holiday ornaments will be showcased at the Morrisania Doll Society’s Harlem Holiday Doll Show and Sale on Saturday, December 5 at the Dwyer Cultural Center, 258 St. Nicholas Avenue at 123rdStreet. Show hours are 11 AM to 7 PM. Admission is free.
“We invite everyone to visit our ‘Community of Creativity.’ There is no admission and the exquisite dolls and doll accessories are worth the trip,” said Ellen Ferebee, president and founder of the Morrisania Doll Society, based in Harlem. “Visitors are always awed by the outstanding level of craftsmanship evidenced by the doll artists. There will be handcrafted dolls to fit every budget.”
Hundreds of amazing black dolls by acclaimed artists will be available at the Harlem Holiday Doll Show and Sale. On site will be Brooklyn Doll Works by Valerie A. Gladstone, named one of America’s top doll artists. Shaquora Bey will have her sophisticated soft sculpted dolls. Shirley Nigro-Hill will feature her eclectic line of line of miniature to life-size cloth, sculpture and even origami dolls. Joyce Stroman brings her one-of-a-kind dolls with clay sculptured faces and cloth bodies. There’s Rita’s Art Dolls from historic periods and the Angel Doll Company with whimsical silicon sculpted Angel Doll Babies and Angel Doll Kids by artist Vanessa Lee. Hamilo will feature Daddy’s Babies line of clowns, angels and fairies. Custom made Doll Houses by Kellan will be available. Sona Dolls has Venus body fashion dolls. Holiday ornaments by Baskets From Fern with handcrafted Kente Folk wreaths and brooms. Plus, one-of-a-kind Christmas ornaments by Goldie Wilson, who is renowned for her cloth and porcelain dolls.
“We invite you to come, to look, to learn and to purchase,” said Ferebee. “This is our first show at the elegant Dwyer Cultural Center and we are excited to return to the heart of Harlem.”
The Morrisania Doll Society was formed to bring together doll collectors and doll artists and to help preserve the history and culture of African-American doll making. It has produced doll events since 2000.
For more information on The Harlem Holiday Doll Show and Sale, please visit www.morrisaniadollsociety.comor email: morrisaniadollsociety@gmail.com.
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More Ugly Christmas Sweaters
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| Themes of these Christmas sweater ornaments from Michaels are: wreath, noel, reindeer, wrapped package, joy, and two tan bells. |
For a couple of years, I have wanted to get my hands on the Christmas sweater ornaments sold at Michaels. After reading Ms. Leo's Christmas Sweaters post, I asked my daughter to check the store near her the next time she was in the vicinity. It only took a few days for that to happen (the woman is a shopaholic).
At Michaels, she asked me to FaceTime (FT) her so she could show me what they had. I really wanted at least two with fur collars, but none were available. The FT video reception was poor, so I asked her to choose five different ones for me. "Five is an odd number," she said. "Well buy six then, and make sure at least one is blue," I instructed.
At the Michaels where Ms. Leo shopped, the sweater ornaments were 40% off [the regular price of $5.99]. Here they were 50% off. My daughter paid $2.99 for each.
The real miniature wire hangers are stitched to the neck of these excellent quality sweaters. Just a snip with scissors allowed easy removal.
Since she wears "red bottom" shoes, I chose I.T.B.E. Luscious to model one, as shown above. This is when I discovered the perfect arm length but wide waist and hemline. In the above photo the knit fabric is pulled together in the back to minimize the waist.
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| In this sweater, with the front pulled forward, Luscious looks well into a third trimester of pregnancy. |
After removing her wrap, I rediscovered Georgette Taylor's handwritten inscription to me on Dasia's back, which reads:
To Debbie
Love,
Georgette Taylor,
08/2004
(Taylor co-founded the Big Beautiful Doll Company and is reintroducing the dolls under different names through her newly formed, I Am Beautiful Doll Company.)
I was also delighted that the sweater fits Dasia well (the sleeves are a little short, but we won't tell her). Like Luscious (a.k.a. Anika or Boo-Boo Kitty), Dasia is wearing the sweater over her dress.
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| Modeling Christmas sweater ornaments from various sources: (in back, L-R) Nikki's sweater is from Christopherandbanks.com. Dasia and Anika's sweaters are from a local Michaels store, and (seated) Goddess Emerald's sweater is from Jafgifts.com. |
Acting as mother to the other Christmas sweater wearers, Dasia and her daughters took a lovely family portrait before joining the other attendees of the Christmas sweater party.
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Toys R Us-Exclusive Real FriendsTanisha
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| Real Friends Tanisha, box date 1999, Geoffrey, Inc. |
After finding my first Tanisha at a thrift store in late-December 2013 and featuring her here, I received help with her ID from D7ana. Desiring an upgrade, I searched eBay with zero results and saved the search to receive future listing notifications. After nearly two years, the doll shown above was listed in an eBay auction and I was the only bidder.
Tanisha is one of several friends in the Real Friends 11-1/2-inch fashion doll line with a box date of 1999, sold only at Toys R Us. She has brown painted eyes and long black rooted hair.
Tanisha's describes herself as:
I'm Tanisha...
I love playing tennis and dancing. When I start my career I'm going to hold all my meetings at the tennis court.
She must really love tennis!
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ToyiToyi Toys Fashion Dolls From S. Africa
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| Princess Lulu and Princess Linda by ToyiToyi Toys |
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| Princess Lulu's hair is styled in multiple braids. Long thick wavy hair adorns Princess Linda's head. |
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To illustrate the amount of thick hair each doll has, the rubber bands that were holding their hair in place have been removed in this photo and in the next two. |
Princess Lulu was chosen as the doll of focus for this post to illustrate the dolls' shared facial and body characteristics.
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| Princess Lulu strikes a standing pose. |
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| Here she shows off her ability to do a perfect split. |
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| Crossing her legs at the ankles is done with ease. |
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| Princess Lulu is also able to cross her legs at the knees. |
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| The fingers on each hand are separate; therefore, they can wear rings, if desired. |
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| Photographed with So in Style Grace to illustrate their similar complexions, Princess Lulu's head size in comparison to body size is large and quite evident in this photo with Grace. |
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| The foot size is slightly smaller than Grace's, but this does not prevent the ToyiToyi Toys girls from wearing most high-heel shoes made for playscale (11-1/2- to 12-inch) dolls. |
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| In this photo, Princess Lulu wears Barbie separates: top, skirt, and shoes. |
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| Both girls are now dressed in similar Sparkle Girlz fashions and shoes. |
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| They have prepierced ears to which I added coordinating stud earrings. |
Princess Lulu and Princess Linda were made in South Africa by ToyiToyi Toys in answer to the continent's dire need for dolls that represent children of color, which is further explained on their website as follows:
Toyitoyi Toys was born two years ago out of a desperate and urgent need for darker skinned dolls, especially on the African Continent. After reading a newspaper article on a child’s perception of beauty and the value of children playing with dolls that resemble themselves, we started going into toy stores in different countries, and we were horrified at the lack of diversity in dolls skin colours.
A child’s perception of beauty needs to be realistic. Currently, it seems rather warped that black children’s only option is to play with white dolls, and that often their benchmark for beauty is tied to a pale skinned blonde doll. Isn’t it CRAZY that one has to look really hard to find darker skinned dolls in AFRICA? In collaboration with our manufacturers, we have started designing a range of black dolls.The website also explains the meaning of the company's name and why this particular name, ToyiToyi Toys was selected:
We wanted a fun catchy name that people would remember. In Africa to toyitoyi means:
- “to dance and sing in protest about some real or imagined wrong by people in authority.”
- “a dance expressing defiance and protest.”
- “from protests to celebrations, the chants capture the emotions of joy, pain, encouragement, heartbreak and solace. Toyi-toyi is a powerful and infectious statement, by which the oppressed may voice their grievances.”
So hence the name ToyiToyi Toys came about. It is a play on the word toyitoyi and ties in with our brand. This is our protest, standing up against the lack of black toys in Africa. We aim to celebrate our unique skin colours by bringing black and brown toys to Africa, in doing so, we hope to change the way our communities and society define beauty. We aim to be a more positive and realistic role model for our kids.
Princess Lulu and Princess Linda are the first two dolls the company has produced. Their future plan is to include additional dolls and action figures with darker complexions.
The dolls are priced $15 each plus shipping. Visit their website for additional information or their online shop to purchase.
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Today's Girls x2 Are No Longer Homeless
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| Today's Girls, Sophia and Eva are 18-inch American Girl-style dolls |
Being a sucker for a cute face that wants to come live here when the cute face is also being offered at a price I simply cannot refuse must end. I have to develop the ability to just say no to these dolls in all shapes and sizes that tempt me into unnecessary purchases.
I was minding my own business (as I always do) when photos were shared of My London Girls, Sabrina and Olivia (sold only in the UK). The same head sculpt is used for Today's Girl dolls, Sabrina and Eva, which are sold in the US by CP Toys, a division of Constructive Playthings.
Sabrina and Eva had both recently been offered at a reduced price on Zulily.com. At the time of that offering, Sabrina tried to convince me to order her. I could tell as I looked at the ordering page how much she wanted to change her environment to come live with me and the others who have succeeded throughout the past two and a half decades in their pleas to relocate, but I refused her. I was proud of myself that I did not cave in and order and that the doll eventually sold out at Zulily. But then it happened.
A few weeks later, I went to Zulily.com and discovered the doll's availability again. Oh Dear! Her sister, Eva, that I had seen previously was also available. After asking the owner of the London Girls about the sturdiness of the body and learning that it is similar in construct to American Girl dolls, I succumbed. I ordered Sabrina and her sister, Eva, too! Oh my! Where will I put them? I wondered immediately after I clicked the "place the order" button.
Again, my weakness is attributed to their adorable faces and the Zulily price of only $19.99 for dolls comparable in quality (with the exception of their hair) to American Girl dolls. Did I really need another 18-inch doll, or two? No, absolutely not, but "want" trumped my reasoning. No, it's all Sabrina's fault. She needed a home. How could I refuse a well-made, reasonably priced "homeless" doll?
I do plan to do better in controlling these impulse purchases. I will try to ignore the cuteness factor and "good" price in order to maintain my stance that I really can admire dolls from afar without owning them. I will try... I wrote, I will try, okay? Developing a game plan is a good start to gaining control over the inanimates and their excellent pleas and reasons, like "I'm homeless," to come live here. (I'm homeless... Sabrina saw me coming with that one and Eva didn't have to utter one word. She just stared at me through the screen looking cute.)
~*~*~*~*~*
Today's Girl dolls are 18-inches with vinyl heads, full vinyl arms and legs. Their cloth bodies match the color of their complexions. At the Zulily website, Eva's eyes appeared lighter than they actually are. Both dolls have dark brown stationary eyes. Sabrina's complexion has a reddish undertone. Eva has a light caramel complexion. Their clothing is very well made with removal items such as hats, Eva's scarf, and Sabrina's vest attached with plastic fasteners. Their heads are marked Lotus/01G 180/China.
Unlike American Girl dolls, Today's Girl dolls have rooted hair, with strand placement relatively close. These two have two ponytails with a front side part. Sabrina's hair has a curly texture while Eva's is straight. I like the texture of AG Addy's hair over the silkiness of Sabrina's and Eva's.
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Ava DuVernay Barbie to Become Reality for Only a Few
The Ava DuVernay doll sold out in 6 minutes at TheBarbieCollection (.) com website. The retailer from whom I preordered may or may not receive the expected quantities.
Way to go Mattel: Reproduce a one of a kind doll in an ultra limited quantity so that only a few people can purchase, many of whom will probably list the doll on eBay for triple or more its retail. Yes... way to go Mattel! Way to go!
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Check out my eBay listings here.
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Fondest Childhood Christmas Memory by Sharon Rainey
One of my most faithful readers asked me if I would publish a post reminiscing about a favorite Christmas in my childhood. I promised Betty I would do this. I have also asked several others to allow me to share one of their fondest childhood Christmas memories. Their stories will be shared first.
Today's "Fondest Childhood Christmas Memory" is shared by Sharon Rainey:
Thanks for sharing your story with me and the readers of this blog, Sharon. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am very happy for you that your mother went through such great lengths to purchase your beloved Velvet.
Merry Christmas!
To The Readers: If you would like to have your fondest childhood Christmas memory published in the days and weeks before Christmas, please email your story for consideration to blackdolls @ sbcglobal .net (close in the extra spaces inserted in the email address). It does not have to be doll-related, just warm and fuzzy. :-) Thanks in advance!
dbg
Check out my eBay listings here.
Today's "Fondest Childhood Christmas Memory" is shared by Sharon Rainey:
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| Internet-captured photo of 1st Issue Velvet |
When I was about 10, I wanted a Velvet (Crissy family) doll for Christmas. I spoke about her for weeks prior; she was all I could think about.
On Christmas Eve, I saw her on TV, and told my mom, "That's the one!
She's what I want for Christmas!!!" The next day, there she was, and she became my favorite doll.
Years later, my sister told me the "true story" about Velvet. When we saw her on TV, my mom realized she'd bought the Crissydoll. She and my older sister went to several different stores trying to exchange the doll. It was getting late, and stores were closing. No one had the doll. Finally, my mom tried one more store, and they had her! My mom asked if she could exchange Crissy for Velvet. The man said no, because my mom did not buy the doll at their store. My mom pleaded, "Please sir, my little girl wants the Velvet doll. I got the wrong one, and I can't find her anywhere else. It's Christmas Eve, and the stores are closing. Can't I exchange it here?" The man relented, and I got Velvet.
When I heard the story from my sister, the spirit of love and Christmas overwhelmed me, even though it had been decades since. I purchased another Velvet several years later, and gifted my mom Cynthia with one too.
Sharon added:
The man that exchanged the doll for my mom was a white man, and times being what they were in the '60s and '70s, my mom was not sure if he would let her exchange it. My mom said he was so nice and kind about it.
~*~*~*~*~*
Thanks for sharing your story with me and the readers of this blog, Sharon. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am very happy for you that your mother went through such great lengths to purchase your beloved Velvet.
Merry Christmas!
To The Readers: If you would like to have your fondest childhood Christmas memory published in the days and weeks before Christmas, please email your story for consideration to blackdolls @ sbcglobal .net (close in the extra spaces inserted in the email address). It does not have to be doll-related, just warm and fuzzy. :-) Thanks in advance!
dbg
Check out my eBay listings here.
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Rebecca Johnson's Fondest Childhood Christmas Memory
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| The Dayton Christmas Trolley, a seasonal tradition begun by City Transit Company in the 1960s and continued by Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority into the 1980s - photo from Wikipedia.com |
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| Animated Santa's helpers |
I can still remember standing in the bitter Ohio cold, nose pressed against the icy glass, literally trying to take in every single detail of every scene. I later found out it was taken and replicated out of a big NY department store after Charles Dickens'A Christmas Carol. I guess if you looked really hard you could see the strings, but I was so intrigued. It was so magical, I could watch the scenes over and over again. This time my mama, would say, "Come on Becca! We're going to miss the bus; it's cold out here!" I would say, "One more time, Mama, please, just one more time." She would smile and ask, "Girl, what am I going to do with you?" :-)
Later as a teenager, 15 or 16, I got a job working at this department store, and during Christmas time, the hours were extended. I still indulged my holiday tradition. My father would say, "Becca, you bring yourself straight home when you get off." I would say, "Okay, Daddy :-)
~*~*~*~*~*~
Rebecca's story placed me right there on that Christmas bus, witnessing her excitement to get one of Santa's candy canes and take it home to show her siblings what they had missed! Thank you, Rebecca, for sharing your fondest childhood Christmas story. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Share Your Story
Readers, remember, you too can share your fondest childhood Christmas story for publishing consideration here between now and Christmas by emailing it to blackdolls @ sbcglobal . net (close in the spaces) along with your associated images.
Merry Christmas!
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Bonnie Lewis's Fondest Christmas Memories
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| Bonnie is shown with her mom during the Christmas season, early 1960s. |
I guess my best childhood Christmas memories were our Christmas trees. The photo of me and mom must have been in the early '60s. Every year my mother would decorate the fireplace mantel (seen in the above photo) with fruit, nuts and real evergreen garland. We also used real evergreen garland to decorate the steps banister.
I still love decorated Christmas trees. I was able to find photos of trees from my childhood and trees from recent years.
I still love decorated Christmas trees. I was able to find photos of trees from my childhood and trees from recent years.
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This is the same Christmas tree from the 1960s shown above.
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| First tree in first house in Pennsylvania |
The tree on the left was the first Christmas tree in the first house I purchased, 1996. It was already decorated with mouse-themed decorations. My cat, Starr, climbed up the branches of this tree and did knock it over. A few years later I bought a smaller 4-foot tree (no photo available) and used the same ornaments. When I moved to Arizona I gave all those ornaments away (sigh).
This is my Arizona dragonfly tree decorated with purple ball ornaments. I have added more ornaments to it since, which are mostly Annalee mice ornaments.
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| Christmas tree in Arizona home decorated with dragonfly ornaments, purple ball ornaments, and Annalee ornaments |
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| Close-up of Arizona tree |
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| Aluminum pom-pom tree, like one Bonnie's family owned in the 1960s |
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| Pinwheel ornament from Bonnie's childhood |
Lastly, is a photo of the only ornament from my childhood trees, a pinwheel ornament that I still use. The idea was that it would spin from the heat of those large light bulbs we used. My sister had a lot of our childhood ornaments, but I guess she gave them away when she moved.
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Thanks, Bonnie! I love decorated Christmas trees, too. Your story helped me remember that part of my childhood Christmases that I had almost forgotten.
Share Your Story
Readers, remember, you too can share your fondest childhood Christmas story for publishing consideration here between now and Christmas by emailing it to blackdolls @ sbcglobal . net (close in the spaces). Please also send some associated images.
Merry Christmas!
dbg
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A Most Vivid Christmas Memory by Alisa Williams
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| Red skin potato salad |
Christmas, Mom's Red Skin Potato Salad, and the Mumps
One Christmas Day when I was seven I had the worst case of the mumps. We had an outbreak at St. Margaret's Elementary School. The family was unable to take our usual trip down South to visit the relatives, and no visitors dared step foot in our house, but it was still a happy day. My brother and I got lots of gifts, plus Santa bought my special request: a black bob-cut kiddie wig with accessories!
Anyway, I was sick as a dog with swollen cheeks and jowls. Every time I looked in the mirror I would cry.
Every holiday my mom would make my favorite, red skin potato salad with cream cheese; and as we all know, when you're down with the mumps, you can't eat much because if your glands secrete, it's painful. So chicken broth was my diet all week.
Later that day Mom decided to style my new wig and make my face up as a treat. Trust, I looked like a cross between a hippo in the face and Bozo, but I was content until dinnertime.
My brother used this occasion to tease me because I couldn't eat anything, and Mom prepared a feast! There was turkey, dressing, macaroni and cheese, ham, cakes, pies, and yes, my favorite potato salad. I begged her, "Please, can I have a li'l taste. I'm feeling better. Please, please!" To shut me up, she gave me a teaspoonful of my fav... and OH MY GOODNESS, it was sooooooo good! But of course my glands secreted. I fell to the floor grabbing my cheeks in agony. My wig fell off; my brother died laughing, but that potato salad was the best!
Happy Holidays!
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I am so sorry you had to experience such a debilitating illness during Christmas, but happy for you that your mother tried her best to make it better for you.
Share Your Story
Readers, remember, you too can share your fondest childhood Christmas story for publishing consideration here between now and Christmas by emailing it to blackdolls @ sbcglobal . net (close in the spaces). Please also send a few associated images. I usually publish on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but I will post as many stories as possible that are shared between now and Christmas, even if consecutive-day posts are required. Thank you all in advance!
Merry Christmas!
dbg
Check out my eBay listings here.
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Vicky Hoff-Forbes' Fondest Childhood Christmas Memory
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| Vicky (right) and her cousin, Debbie, with their Patti Playpal-type dolls, 1962 |
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Vicky is the President of Charm City Dolling Club of Maryland.
Thank you so much Vicky for sharing this doll-lightful story. You and your cousin were both blessed little girls to own any version of a 1960s Black Patti Playpal-type doll.
Merry Christmas!
dbg
Check out my eBay listings here.
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The Grandmommy's Memorable Christmas
When I was a little girl, about seven my siblings and I walked into the kitchen to see my mom crying and sitting with her head on the table. We were all frightened. Turns out our family was having financial problems that year. My parents were so embarrassed. We all were prepared to have a near empty Christmas and be OK with it.
Christmas morning we awoke to see lots of gifts, clothes, candy and of course a doll for me. We knew most of it was not new. There were tags that said Merry Christmas from the Salvation Army. But for some reason, it felt like the best Christmas ever! I was just so happy we got anything. We never had that problem again, but I never forgot.
Now, I can never pass a Salvation Army kettle/bell ringer without putting some money in it. As a matter of fact,I am now fascinated with them!
This was in San Francisco. Check it out! They take credit cards!
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Thank you so much, The Grandmommy for taking the time to share this Christmas memory. Your parents' love was exhibited in their desire to provide a nice Christmas for you and your siblings at all cost. That's what Christmas is about, everlasting love.
Visit/follow The Grandmommy's blog, Big and Little Creations.
Merry Christmas!
dbg
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A Christmas Memory from Betty
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| A pile of Christmas gifts |
I asked Betty Ativie, the woman who inspired this series of posts on fondest childhood Christmas memories, to share one of her memorable Christmas experiences.
Betty wrote:
I will never forget the Christmas morning of 1984. My youngest son Chad had been born on June 22 of that same year. I held my baby in my arms that Christmas morning and watched as my six-year-old son, Matthew opened his gifts. Perhaps it was the joy and excitement on Matthew's face that alerted Chad he was entitled to the same happiness. When Chad climbed down from my arms and realized there were no presents for him, he fell out backwards on the floor.
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| Betty's handsome sons, Matthew and Chad |
Just because a baby can't talk doesn't mean they can't understand or experience joy. I had made a tragic mistake that morning that a trip to the local toy store the next day would never correct. The memory still haunts me today.
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Betty, you were blessed by your son's willingness to forgive and he was blessed by your willingness to correct an innocent mistake. Thank you so much for sharing this very touching story and for inspiring this blog series.
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Christmas Greeting and Christmas Memories
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| As the greeting card reads, my wishes for all are "A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" |
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As requested by Betty Ativie, I will now share some of my fond Christmas memories, which are not isolated to childhood events.
One thing I looked forward to each Christmas season as a young girl was receiving the Sears catalog, later referred to as their Wish Book. In it I would circle the items I desired with hopes of receiving them for Christmas. Usually everything I asked for was under the tree. To this day, except for God's grace, I don't know how my parents did what they did for all five of us, not only for Christmas, but throughout the entire year.
The brown paper sacks of fruit, nuts, and candy given out at church, probably to assure that every child received something for Christmas, is a fond memory. Christmas programs, either at school or church, whenever I did not have to participate in them, were always pleasant reminders of the true meaning of Christmas.
When I was very young and believed in Santa, on Christmas Eve I would watch the end of the weather forecast when the meteorologist, Dale Milford (I still remember his name), would show a primitive animation of Santa and his reindeers' path from the North Pole to America. Dale would give us an estimate of the time Santa would arrive to our area and urged all children to be in bed before such time. It would always be difficult for me to go to sleep each Christmas Eve. Anticipating the unwrapped toys I would find under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning was a lot for my little brain to handle.
My mother only wrapped clothing and other non-toy items. She waited until we all went to bed before placing the toys under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve or sometimes early on Christmas morning while we were still asleep. We'd awake to find our desired toys and have so much fun exploring each item.
During the days and weeks before Christmas, Daddy (at Mama's request) would take us sightseeing at night to view the neighborhood decorations. Mama never learned to drive, so it was always Daddy at the wheel. This tradition continued when my children were very young.
When I was older and no longer believed in Santa, but was still a doll and board game* lover, my older brother and I would find my mother's toy-hiding places. When our parents were not home, we would invade these locations to discover which toys had already been purchased. One time, after not putting everything back just like she had it, she yelled out, "Who's been in my closet?" Of course neither of us confessed.
*Some of the board games received as Christmas presents that I enjoyed as a child were Monopoly, Mousetrap, Password, and Twister. Our Ouija Board game gave me a huge startle while playing it once with a neighborhood friend, who promised he was not the force behind the movement of the planchette that was underneath our fingers and "moving on its own!" Immediately afterward, my mother, who witnessed this, put that game away.
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| Image from Wikipedia.com of a"vintage straight-leg Skipper with red hair wearing her original swimsuit." |
Watching my mother decorate for Christmas was always enjoyable. There was only so much that I was allowed to do because the decorations had to be exactly the way she wanted them. Everything was color coordinated with no more than two colors of lights on the Christmas tree. Usually only one light color was used. We always had real Christmas trees. Artificial trees would not suffice. In the years we used them, I was allowed to place icicles on the tree. We used glass ornaments initially but eventually went to yarn-wrapped Styrofoam ornaments and other types.
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| Some of my dolls that now live at my mother's house are dressed for Christmas in this 2010 photograph. |
It has been a while since my mother decorated a full-size Christmas tree, but even as a late-octogenarian, she still enjoys other household Christmas decorating. Everything remains color coordinated. She now redresses some of my larger dolls for Christmas that have been at her house since 2010. They have become part of her Christmas decor. (She redresses them in pastel colors after Valentine's Day.)
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| My mother's Holly Hobbie doll Christmas ornaments are now being used by my sister. |
Holly Hobbie ornaments were used by my mother to decorate one of her last full-size Christmas trees. My sister now uses those ornaments on one of her annual Christmas trees that she and my niece decorate together.
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| My sister's Christmas tree from 2009 was decorated with the Holly Hobbie ornaments originally used by our mother. |
As an adult, the tradition continued of my children circling what they wanted in the Sears Wish Book and later in Toys R Us and other toy booklets and ads. My placing unwrapped toys under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve after the children had fallen to sleep also continued (electing only to wrap non-toy items, as my mother had done for us). When they were young, I always delighted in their examination of wrapped boxes during the weeks to days before Christmas. Their waking up on Christmas morning to discover the contents of the packages and finding their unwrapped toys under the tree was always a delight for me to witness and record by taking pictures as each gift was opened.
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| 2010 Toys R Us Big Book |
A Christmas present from my mother in 1995 reunited me with some of my childhood Barbies and was one of the most memorable Christmas presents I have ever received.
Spending time with family, decorating, gift-giving, carrying out traditions, reuniting with long lost friends (real and inanimate) and never forgetting the true meaning of Christmas are among my most fond Christmas memories.
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Thank you again, Betty, for asking me to share my fondest Christmas memory which took me on an enjoyable trip down memory lane.
I would also like to extend a huge thanks to those who willingly shared their delightful or most vivid childhood Christmas memories for me to publish during the past two weeks.
dbg
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