NOT George Jessel Playing Cards, but...

I should be keeping this image for next Christmas season, but I just love it so much I have to show it now. This is an image given to me by my best friend for Christmas.


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A time-traveling-celebrity for sure if you remember George Jessel. If you don't remember George, well...I'm sorry. George was old school vaudeville who became famous for being a toastmaster at all sorts of events.



And for those who think of radios as something the size of their iPhone or smaller, take a look at the behemoth in the background. That's a radio that would be full of beautifully glowing tubes. When you turned it on it came alive after warming up.

The CHRISTMAS VILLAGE

Oh to be able to step back in time to visit this tree with the village below. No houses, just little animals.

CHRISTMAS: A sled UNDER THE TREE

Did you get what you want? Did you get what you need?

On the back of this vernacular photograph it says "Christmas 1951."

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CHRISTMAS: A COLORFUL day

Wishing all a colorful vernacular photography Christmas!

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Happy holidays to all at Sepia Saturday.

CHRISTMAS: Laden with TINSEL

Christmas trees without people around them look often forlorn though they're trying hard to look majestic. They know they're dead and will end up in the trash heap. But they try darn ya, they try!

This poor thing has the problem of a sheep dog. So much tinsel it can't see.

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CHRISTMAS: CAUGHT!

Ever open a gift before Christmas without letting anyone know? You know, you peel back the paper ever so carefully and then rewrap it, placing it EXACTLY where it had been. I did it once.

I knew there was a record album under the tree. I wanted Rubber Soul so badly that I was willing to break the tape seal to find out. What if my folks had given me something else? What if it was a Paul Revere and the Raiders album because my mother thought their outfits were cute? It had to be Rubber Soul. It just had to be. And it was. Phew! I ruined my Christmas surprise and had to walk around the tree for a week knowing John, Paul, George, and Ringo were waiting to regale me with historic tunes on Christmas. It was torture.

So did this little babe open her packages on Christmas or was she caught in the act?

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The joy of vernacular photography. Never really knowing the story, but being able to come up with many plausible alternatives.

CHRISTMAS: ROCKIN' AROUND the Christmas Tree

I'm guessing this was taken in a basement rumpus room. No idea who these jolly folks are, but I see a record player for 45s on top of the tv so I'm hoping that they did a bit of rockin' around the Christmas tree with Brenda Lee.

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CHRISTMAS: Charlie the STANDING MAN in boxers

I featured Charlie, the Standing/Sitting Man, back in September. I said to stay tuned because there was a holiday shot from Charlie. Even in holiday boxers Charlie looks better than most of us. So what will be next to your tree?

Previous Charlie posts: Sept. 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30

CHRISTMAS: TWO KEWPIES under the tree

A continuation of the scene from yesterday. Kewpie dolls, popcorn, and an older bored sister. A happy family gathering somewhere in Nebraska.

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CHRISTMAS: Watch out for HANGING POPCORN

I know of the tradition of putting popcorn strands around a Christmas tree, but I've never seen a display like this. I'm imagining a little mouse would find it quite enticing. Come into the room late at night and wee mice might be swinging from the ceiling with full bellies. It looks like they already tried eating the photo.

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Christmas: MOM?

This weeks Sepia Saturday features a portrait of a mother and child. I'm on theme, really, I am.

Pinocchio, eyeing the logs, said, "Mom, is that you?"

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More Christmas snapshots to come the next two weeks.

CHRISTMAS JOY with Christmas Toys

This lovely little girl was found in the bottom of a box at an antique store. Who knows how long she had been there, smiling, waiting to be acknowledged. Who could resist her for only $1.00?

I'd say she dates back to the early 1940s, possibly late 30s. Leaded tinsel. Raise your hand if you remember it. Raise your hand if you have a box of it. Okay, my hand is raised. I'm looking around for the rest of you.

To see another image of a leaded tinsel Christmas tree check out this older post called "LEADED, not unleaded." You'll understand why I have a thing for the toxic leaded stuff.

And now the challenge I pass along to you. Can you name the four dolls this little angel has next to her? If you can let me know what you think.

And to see some past Christmas posts:

DECK THE HALLS with howls of Molly

ASSEMBLY LINE Santa

SERIOUS about tinsel

MERRY CHRISTMAS grandma and grandpa

PATIENCE is a virtue

All of this brought to you for another wonderful Sepia Saturday.

PATIENCE is a virtue

Patience is a virtue, but try telling that to kids as they wait for Christmas day. Not going to work.

This is sort of a strange place when you get into the details. The tv seems to be up on something like cinder blocks. And I'm enjoying the star studded sky backdrop between the tv and the window. Fun and interesting. I'm hoping somewhere beneath that tree are clothes for the dolls. Hate seeing "nekid" dolls being dragged around.

Click on image to see it larger. I swear that should be back up and working again.

Well it was their Christmas and let's hope it was a happy one.

MERRY CHRISTMAS grandma and grandpa

Usually in old found photos with children there's at least one child that is blurred. Blurred forever through time. Everyone else is posed stiffly, either smiling or looking somber. And then there's that one child who just wouldn't stand still. Here on the other hand it appears the photographer was a little tipsy with Christmas cheer and moved just enough to make the whole scene become a bit ghostly, even a little like a seance. Sweet little girls posed with their fun toys, their message to grandma and grandpa neatly printed on their chalkboard, and then ol' dad just couldn't keep it together. Let's hope he took a second that was in focus. I hate to think of the disappointment they all felt when the photo came back from being processed. Perhaps this is why this one was thrown away. Somewhere, somebody has one in focus.

SERIOUS about tinsel

Now this is a woman who is SERIOUS about tinsel! Saddleshoes on the chair, tinsel hanging like delicate silver chains in her hand, caught in the act. Was she home alone, hanging each strand, humming White Christmas? In her own little world, the zen of the tinsel. And then somebody comes in with flash blazing and documents the moment like a tabloid photographer. It is an odd picture. Not too odd. Just odd enough.

And about that painting hanging in the frame...no nudging necessary, though it seems a bit high on the wall. I'll leave it alone

DECK THE BALLS with howls of Molly

Hmmmmmmm...the picture is crooked on the wall. This is going to bug me. I want to straighten it. I'm one of those people. Nudging picture frames until they're just right. I need to forget about it. Focus on something else. Nice tree, hits the ceiling...but that frame...excuse me for a minute. And I'll try to not trip on the dog.

LEADED, not unleaded

A few years ago I found a box in the attic that contained the old fashioned leaded tinsel. Tinsel used on Christmas trees when I was a child. Another box contained the type of tinsel that followed in the 60s. The leaded was heavy and when it fell through the branches of the tree it made a noise. You knew tinsel had fallen. The later tinsel would move when you walked by the tree creating a breeze, but would rarely fall from its branches. The leaded just hung there. The Christmas tree in this found photo has leaded tinsel. It's heavy and lovely, each piece hung separately. You couldn't throw a wad of leaded onto a tree because it would usually fall through the branches, plus if it stuck it looked like a shiny birds nest. 

Do people still put tinsel on a tree? I haven't seen any in years. I don't think we have the time for tinsel anymore and that's a shame. Strand by strand, it takes time. I don't have the time.

Thank you to whoever took this photo because it brings back memories.

ASSEMBLY LINE Santa

Now this is how to handle a meet-and-greet with Santa in the 1940s. Keep it moving, keep it organized, everybody goes home happy. I'm not sure what the fellow might be doing with the microphone. Announcing the names of the wee tots as they pass by? Singing Christmas carols ala Sinatra? Perhaps doing a stand-up bit popular with the under 7 crowd. I do believe it's the first time I've ever seen the elves dressing quite so corporate.