Holiday

[Mominohio]

We had very little, and I don't remember any of our family or friends being much different.

We had a tree with ornaments, and maybe 6 or 10 other pieces for the rest of the house. There was a wreath with a big red candle in the center for the dining table, the classic NOEL candle holders with a sleigh to match, and a handful of other small decor pieces sitting around. There were no outside decorations.

And most of our friends and family had about the same amount of things (this was 1960's and 1970's). I think this phenomenon of so much holiday decor (any holiday) is a relatively new concept for many people, happening in the last couple of decades, especially.

How did your childhood decor (and the amount of it) compare to what you do in your own home now?

[MalteseMomma]

1940's... I think we just had a large tree with lots of red and green lights and ornaments,the Christmas Angel on top, probably a wreath on the door,although I am not sure of that.Nativity set under the tree. I can't remember anything else. Maybe a few treasured ornaments handed down over the years.Family togetherness, was the big thing for us.Though  not overly religous a lot of our Christmas was spent at church gatherings.  I always had a special pretty Christmas dress.

I  do remember sticking cotton balls on our windows with glue one year for snow. I must say my mom was a Saint.I don't remember her being mad at me for it.She worked all day,so I did it when she was not at home.

She made all my beautiful dolls clothes and I played with all of them weeks before Christmas because she was at work and didn't know I knew where she hid them.

[qualitygal]

You know, the thing I remember the most, was the nativity set we (3 kids) took great pains in setting up on a tray. It became covered with straw and it had a manger, the three wise men, a camel, a mule, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. There were lambs and the shepherd had a baby lamb around his neck he was holding. There was a star on top of the manger.

I know we had a tree, but the manger and all was special to us. That's the main thing I remember. I know at church we had the music and caroles. It was all wonderful. Nothing like being a kid at that season. I even enjoy it as an adult. What's not to like?! I have (we) a beautiful nativity set too, but it doesn't compare with the one we had as kids.

[millieshops]

As living proof of my feeling that Christmas has become as much cultural as religious, I can tell you I grew up in a kosher home, but we had a Christmas tree!  Nothing else though, and that tree was a tiny fake which I bet my mother bought in some thrift shop.  I never thought to ask. It was a sad-looking affair compared to those in my friend's homes.  I have no artistic talent, but I bet I could still reproduce that tree on paper today and it's been well over 60 years since I've seen it.

I do think as @Mominohiosaid that holiday decorating is vastly different today than it was as I grew up in the 40's and 50's. I don't remember ever seeing outdoor displays in my little town, just beautiful trees I could stare at through the neighbors' windows.

[Maltichonmom17]

When I was a child in the 60's, our family really didn't decorate as it is done today. We had a tree full of glass ornaments and shiny icicles, a wreath on the door, a Christmas tablecloth on the table and that was about it. I remember the brass angel candle carousel that spun around from the heat of the candles. We had a few wax candle figurines, Santas, Angels, etc. Our tree skirt was a white sheet arranged the base of the tree. Decorations were nothing fancy, just kind of "Christmas Story" style. 

As I write this, I'm thinking I kind of miss those days. No pressure to "theme" decorate or buy more, do more. Feeling kind of nostalgic at the moment. 😊 Thanks @Mominohio, for bringing back some great memories. 

[onliner]

Growing up we did not have much in the way of decorations.  Outside, we had multicolored lights.  Inside, we had a  live Christmas tree that had to be watered.  I remember having to crawl under the branches to water carefully. On the tree we placed ornaments and lights and those silver icicles that my mom insisted we put on one at a time and not clumped.  

As the years passed, we switched to artificial trees and more decorations were added around the house. 

[traveler]

I don't remember much.  Being the only girl I spent most of my holidays in the kitchen, serving or cleaning.

[phoenixbrd]

My childhood tree is fondly remembered as a big event every year.  The tree was always fresh and the lights were large (not tiny or twinkling) and they were multicolored. It was strung with popcorn and "icicles". The tree would look very simple compared to the monotone elegant decorating that we tend to create today.

[Buck-i-Nana]

We made ornaments every year.  Never had a lot of money to buy ornaments, but we made beautiful ornaments out of wood, twigs, ribbon, plaster, paper mache and anything else we thought of.  My Dad was an artist and made a beautiful nativity scene on some kind of clear material cut to fit our front picture window.  It was gorgeous and I kept it for many years battling the deterioration, but the materials used back then weren't really for long term.

We always had a basket near the fireplace filled with acorns and pinecones that we'd collect on our walks in the fall.

I remember the c9 bulbs on the tree with tin reflectors, my Mom's insistence that tinsel had to be placed on the tree 1 strand at a time ARGHHH!  We always were one of the first to the Christmas tree lot when it opened.  You could always find them because they had huge spotlights waving up into the sky to lead you to them.  We would buy our tree and a wreath.  The wreath would immediately go on the front door.  The tree would be stowed up against the house, under the eaves where it would stay out in the cold until Christmas eve.  Oh how we paced in anticipation of that tree!

We hung stockings on wrought iron hooks that were imbedded in the mortar over the fireplace (our fireplace didn't have a mantel).  Our stockings were NEVER filled with toys, they were filled with nuts and candy canes and oranges and some chocolate candies.

[Buck-i-Nana]

Funny thing in looking back.  Even as a kid I was obsessed with decorating. I remember making all sorts of construction paper decorations and drawing pictures and decorating my bedroom.  I didn't just do it for Christmas either....I have vivid memories of decorating for fall and halloween that always make me smile.