Flashback Friday - Christmas in the 1950's

Welcome to Flashback Friday, 1950's edition! The war was long over and the fifties was a time of Baby Boomers and consumerism, the Cold War, Red Scare and bomb shelter building. Teenagers became recognized as a legitimate part of society and with that, teen idols, rock and roll and a whole lotta shakin' was goin' on. The Civil Rights Movement moved to the forefront and our country was growing older and wiser. The fifties was a time of family values and traveling in the family automobile and pop culture followed suit.

The fifties saw the invention of the oral contraceptive, the polio vaccine by Jonas Salk, the atomic clock, hovercraft, the credit card, lunar probe, nuclear power and video recorder.

Harry S. Truman was President  until 1952 and Dwight D. Eisenhower served as President from 1953 until 1961. Alaska and Hawaii became the forty-ninth and fiftieth states. America was booming!

American style on the fifties was blue jeans, poodle skirts, pony tails, flat tops, saddle shoes and sweater sets.

Television started to change society and our lives forever. TV brought a new way to market with the shows and toys to go with them. TV also fed consumerism with commercials influencing our purchasing behavior.  Popular shows of the fifties were I Love Lucy, the Twilight Zone, the Honeymooners, Micky Mouse Club, Lassie and Howdy Doody.

Rock and roll music was shaking the country. Teens and adults alike tuned-in to Dick Clark's American Bandstand and a new, controversial young man was making girls swoon with his crazy dance moves. Oh, Elvis.

Famous stars of the fifties included Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, Robert Wagner and teen idols like: Frankie Avalon, Bobby Darin, Fabian, Bobby Rydell, Ricky Nelson ( for you mom!), Paul Anka, Troy Donahue and Elvis. The ladies with their cinched waists were Doris Day, Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Mitzi Gaynor, Connie Francis, Sandra Dee and Annette Funicello.

1950's Facts

$100 in 1950 is the equivalent of $835.41 today.

Average new house in 1950 - $8450  and in 1959 - $12,400
Average income in 1950 - $3210 and in 1950 - $5010
Average new car in 1950 - $1510 and in 1959 - $2200
Gallon of gas in 1950 - $.18 and in 1959 - $.25

1950's Toys

This is my dad with Santa circa 1956

1952 - Mr. Potato Head - originally parts to be used on a real potato
1955 - Play Doh and Pez candy dispensers debuted
1958 - skateboards
1959 - Barbie

This is my mom with her new Radio Flyer circa 1952.

 Love the tree and of course, their pride and joy, the television!

Also from the fifties: Tonka Trucks, Matchbox cars, Yahtzee, Hula Hoops, kitchen sets and farm sets.

My mom again, a few years later and her new doll!

Christmas traditions of the fifties included bubble lights, electric color wheels to highlight your tree, aluminum trees, tinsel and lovely plastic candy containers.

Happy Friday!

Krissy

All photos, other than my own found here and Pinterest.http://pinterest.com

Flashback Friday - 1940's Christmas

I have a passion for all things "retro" and "vintage." I often feel as though I was born in the wrong era. I love the innocence of the society of yesteryear. Yes, I would not mind being "stuck" at home all day because my husband drove our one family car to work, tending to my household duties. I could always walk to the market, but the milk would be delivered to my door! Wednesdays were wash days and there would always be Little Timmy and Sally's clothes to make and mend and dinner to put on the table each evening. In the forties, I would tend to my Victory Garden or follow in the footsteps of my grandmother, Pearl, and work as a Rosie the Riveter in a factory for the war effort.

The 1940's was an era of great optimism and one of great struggle. The country was coming-out of the Great Depression of the 30's and life for the average American family was on the upswing once again. The rest of the world was at war and all was quiet for the US until December 7, 1941, and Pearl Harbor changed everything. The US was now at war, but with Hollywood keeping everyone's spirits up while the boys were away to win the war, some pretty exciting things happened.

I will refrain from giving you a World War 2 history lesson and focus instead on the lighter side of life in the 1940's. Big Band music was all the rage on the radio. Rosemary Clooney, the Andrew's Sisters, Count Basie, Artie Shaw and Dizzy Gillespie were popular songsters. On the silver screen, that was oh so glamorous in the forties, Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart and Bing Crosby were the male leads. For the females, Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner, Betty Grable, Jane Russell, Lauren Bacall and Ava Gardner became legendary icons.

The 1940's saw the first computer invented. Colossus was it's name. The first transistor and the nuclear bomb were invented. Chuck Yeager was the first to break the sound barrier and Supersonic flight was born.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was President for the first half of the forties, until his death in 1945. FDR was followed by Harry Truman until 1949.

1940's Facts

Minimum wage - $.43 an hour
New house in 1940 - $3920.00   and in 1949 - $7450.00
Average income in 1940 - $1725.00 and in 1949 - $2950.00
Gallon of gas in 1940 - $.11 and in 1949 - $.17
New car in 1940 - $850.00 and in 1949 - $1420.00
$100.00 in 1940 would be the equivalent of $1433.77 today

 

Now for 1940's Christmas toy fun!

1941 - FAO Schwartz Toy Store opens in New York City

1942 - Little Golden Books are printed
1943 - Chutes and Ladders is the new game
1945 - Slinky is first sold
1948 - year Scrabble was invented
1949 - Silly Putty and Candy Land were popular Christmas toys

The most popular toys for the forties were also the Red Ryder BB rifle, Erector sets, electric train sets, enameled metal trucks and cars, metal pedal cars, WWII model airplane sets, farmyard sets, Parcheesi, Tiddlywinks and Radio Flyer wagons.

Happy Friday!

Krissy

Photos from Vintage Ad Browser, Antiques Navigator and Pinterest

Flashback Friday - 1980's U2

Bono and the gang

Since tomorrow is St. Patty's day and a day to honor all things Irish, I thought I would honor one of my favorite Irish exports...U2. Yes, I am a fan and have been for a long time. Like since before the War album longtime. (Like how I used "like" in my sentence? The whole 80's thing just brought it out, like totally.) Anywho, I have seen U2 in concert, twice. The second time I saw them, one of my friends made it onto the stage! Bono asked him if he wanted to play the guitar with the band. (We were so freaking out!) My friend could not play and that made Bono mad and he kicked him off the stage! We were so proud! Bono kicked my friend off the stage at a U2 concert!

This is me circa The Unforgettable Fire in Jams and a Polo with two of my BFF's at a dance!

This is me (far right) with some friends headed to a concert. Yes, we were trying to look like this. We thought it was cool. And yes, we put eyeliner on the guys.

Happy Friday!

Krissy

U2 photos via Google

Flashback Friday - "Crying" to See Santa

I originally posted this last year, but it's worth repeating. We did not see Santa this year, alas, that chapter is completely closed. However, I have some beautifully written lists. The minis made sure that there is no question as to what their wishes are. Merry! Merry!

Mr. Pearl circa 1971

Fisherman circa 1999

Sweet Pea circa 2002

Sport Cort circa 2004

The crying table display

Please don't call CPS on me. I can't help it. I think the pictures of my terrified, bawling babies on Santa's lap are precious! They are in cute frames and displayed on their own table in the living room. There is a bonus, too! I have a picture of Mr. Pearl looking the same way when he was a babe. It's priceless! Now, some of you may be wondering where the pictures of me are. I had abusive parents, as well. We did the Santa torture thing, but I can't find the pics! My mom didn't force it too much, as Santa looks a lot like a clown to a small child and well, I am terrified of clowns, but we did go once or twice! I don't blame children for being afraid!

We are constantly warning our children of "stranger danger" and then forcing them to cheerfully sit in the lap of a strange man with a long, itchy beard and weird red suit who is going to sneak in their house while they are sleeping is just wrong. It's confusing! It's scary! No wonder they cry! This year was the first year in thirteen years that the minis didn't want to see Santa. The oldest two are feeling too cool, yet still want to receive presents from the old boy, mind you. Sport Cort didn't want to appear uncool, so he went along with the older two. He informed me when I asked him to make me a list of what he wanted Santa to bring him that Santa can read minds, so a list isn't necessary. Ok. I let him know that Santa is not God and list is a good idea. A list has yet to materialize.

So, are you abusing your children this holiday season? It's worth it! (wink wink, nudge nudge) Have a wonderful weekend!

This picture is from four years ago. There doesn't seem to be any lasting damage.

The minis are all smiles!

Ho-Ho-H0,

Krissy

Flashback Friday - Pioneer Days

Pioneer Sport - notice the Pioneer coffee in the background

How cute is this? This was at the Blacksmith shop and those boys were itchin' to get in there and play in the fire

Yesterday, I went to Log Cabin Village with Sport and his second grade class. This is a right of passage for elementary school students here in our town. I got a little sad though when I realized that this is my last Log Cabin Village adventure, unless we go on our own. I have been with all three mini-pearls - check pioneer experience off the list!

Candle making

The children all wear their best "pioneer" clothing. Normally, that means calico skirts, aprons and bonnets for the girls; jeans, flannel shirts and boots for the boys. However, a cold front blew in the night before and everyone had to wear ski coats and sweaters with their "pioneer" get-ups. They made quite a motley crew!

The Motley Crew

The village includes a working blacksmith shop, a grist mill , a school house and various cabins, one of which belonged to Cynthia Ann Parker's uncle. Cynthia Ann lived in the cabin after the Texas Rangers abducted her from her home with the Comanche Indians. Cynthia Ann was the mother of Quanah Parker. If this means nothing to you, Google it. It is quite interesting. I also recommend the book Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson about Cynthia Ann's life. (I am a huge history buff)

The Parker's dog trot cabin

The children loved the tour as much as the adults. They got to dip candles and learn how they were made. They watched a blacksmithing demonstration. This led to lots of "oohs and aahs" from Sport and his buddies. They also left with seeds to plant their own Indian corn. Sport has big plans for this. He has visions of us having our own corn maze in the backyard. I hope he isn't too disappointed when I tell him it will take more than two or three seeds and our tiny plot of land. Oh well, I will let him dream for a while.

I am thankful that I don't have to make my own cloth to clothe my family and grind the corn that I picked into meal to make bread. I am really thankful that I don't have to share a fifteen by fifteen foot cabin with my husband and ten kids! (really? How did they have ten kids living like that? I'm just saying.) I am glad that my ancestors paved the way for me. I'm not sure that I would have what it takes survive.

Cabin that was home to a family of twelve

On that note, enjoy the creature comforts and have a wonderful weekend.

Krissy

Flashback Friday - The olden days

The mini-pearls are always asking me what life was like in the olden days when I was little. Ah yes, the olden days. Well, we didn't have cartoons 24-7 on the television. We watched them after school and on Saturday mornings. In order to research a paper for school, we either consulted our trusty set of Encyclopedias that took up two shelves of the living room bookcases or we went to the library and looked-up books - by hand with a card catalogue. (never mind) We had to roll-up our car windows by hand crank. All of our food was cooked on the stove, until we got our first microwave that was bigger than our regular oven! We played records for entertainment on our disco studio record player - oh yes we did. It had colored lights that blinked to the beat; so cool.

So, they want to know what some of my favorite things were. Well, I loved my real Cabbage Patch doll. A doll made out of panty hose with a hand-painted face, butt-cheeks and a silly name. What was my doll's name? Bonnie Blue. No plastic doll for me and paying the several hundred dollar price tag for the Xavier Roberts signed original was not in the cards for my family, so my mom made mine. Bonnie Blue really was cute and you could not tell the difference between her and the real ones. My mom is good. I think she (the doll, not my mom) is still in a closet somewhere at my mom and dad's.

I also had a thing for the Muppets. Kermit, Rolf and Miss Piggy were my furry friends! I even had the Miss Piggy paper doll set. Yes, I did. My name is Krissy and I had a Miss Piggy paper doll set. I loved it. I miss it. Things were much simpler then.

One thing that I cannot get the mini-pearls to understand is car travel in the olden days of my childhood. We only had a radio, our voices (we were a Griswold-esque singing bunch), car bingo and our imaginations. This seems to go way over their little heads. "But Mom, what did you do in the car?" My kids are under the impression that one must be doing something all the time. Doing something means watching or playing something that involves a screen and a computer chip. I really showed them! Last December when I purchased a new car, I intentionally chose one without a tv. You know what? It hasn't been all that bad! They know not to complain anymore and have accepted the fact that they will have to have actual conversations when they are in the car with me or sing. We have a lot of conversations. Thanks to the black hole that is Pinterest, I found a picture of the little handheld water ring toss game that my brother and I used to entertain ourselves in the car back in the olden days. Yes, those were the days.

Happy Friday dear ones!

Krissy