Do you keep your old Christmas magazines?
I do if the issue is particularly special or beautiful, and it is a practise I learned from my mother who kept all of hers.
I have many of them still and I got them out this morning to take a gander:
My mother (and my sister and I) always had great intentions to
Mostly, we never got around to do anything except some Christmas cookies. I remember once I made my brother an edible Christmas tree of Kraft toffees, attached to a Styrofoam cone, after seeing the instructions in a magazine.
My mother made excellent fudge and shared it with the neighbours.
I believe that my sister and I once undertook to make felt finger puppets of The Twelve Days of Christmas, but gave up after Two Turtle Doves...
That was the extent of the craftiness, although we used to love to pore over the magazines for hours, admiring the beautiful crafts and homes and the wonderful advertisements...
I don't know - I can kind of see Dani rocking this...
And how about "Flameless Electric Heat", allowing you to have an all-white living room!
Who knew that horror movie star Vincent Price was a 'noted design expert'? Not me!
I can assure you that I never wanted to inherit my mother's vacuum cleaner....
...but her hairdryer was another matter altogether. I coveted that thing!
My father would have grimaced opening up his Hai Karate, because it would have competed with his Old Spice...
And who wouldn't have wanted to gather round this paean to 1960s Christmas, sipping your mimosa, hoping you'd find a fondue pot under the table...
Those were the heady days of big hair when you'd be sent round the corner by your mother to buy her cigarettes...
I wonder if 40 years from now my children and grandchildren will mock my treasured issues of Victoria and Mary Englebreit's Home Companion from their cushy places in space....
How about you? Holding on to some treasures, do tell?
I do if the issue is particularly special or beautiful, and it is a practise I learned from my mother who kept all of hers.
I have many of them still and I got them out this morning to take a gander:
- make that Christmas craft or decoration
- make that Christmas recipe
- make that Christmas gift
Mostly, we never got around to do anything except some Christmas cookies. I remember once I made my brother an edible Christmas tree of Kraft toffees, attached to a Styrofoam cone, after seeing the instructions in a magazine.
My mother made excellent fudge and shared it with the neighbours.
I believe that my sister and I once undertook to make felt finger puppets of The Twelve Days of Christmas, but gave up after Two Turtle Doves...
That was the extent of the craftiness, although we used to love to pore over the magazines for hours, admiring the beautiful crafts and homes and the wonderful advertisements...
I don't know - I can kind of see Dani rocking this...
Who knew that horror movie star Vincent Price was a 'noted design expert'? Not me!
I can assure you that I never wanted to inherit my mother's vacuum cleaner....
...but her hairdryer was another matter altogether. I coveted that thing!
My father would have grimaced opening up his Hai Karate, because it would have competed with his Old Spice...
And who wouldn't have wanted to gather round this paean to 1960s Christmas, sipping your mimosa, hoping you'd find a fondue pot under the table...
Those were the heady days of big hair when you'd be sent round the corner by your mother to buy her cigarettes...
I wonder if 40 years from now my children and grandchildren will mock my treasured issues of Victoria and Mary Englebreit's Home Companion from their cushy places in space....
How about you? Holding on to some treasures, do tell?
I don't have any Christmas Mags, but I am wondering what to do with my American Elle Decor mags, I have too many now, I will never pick them up again, I have become digitalised but the pile has been by the front door ready for the bins for two weeks now.
ReplyDeleteOH I hate that, too! I do a big purge now and then but I always feel guilty, even if they are recycled. Is there a nursing home for retired decorators in the neighbourhood?
DeleteThat paean to the 1960's tree was hideous! Blah!
ReplyDeleteYep, I hold on to my Xmas mags; and like you, I've been fortunate enough to come across some old 60's and 70's copies. And yes, like you, I bring them out at Xmas (in the bathroom) so I can see all the things I should have made and/or laugh at what they thought was chic "back in the day".
Isn't it so funny? I was laughing my head off at some of the ads!
DeleteOh the magazines would drive me crazy. Once read they are tossed. Any good recipes, crafts, etc. you can now just PIN them. Hunter and I watched Love Actually last night. He has been a bit of a grump lately. Told him every time he pisses me off we are watching a chick flick. He remembers nothing of the movie and teared up at the Colin Firth's marriage proposal. Was fun to watch...thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteAww - Hunter is a softie...... I love that! You are so disciplined! I salute you!
DeleteI love the 60s mod look--except for the tree, I'm fake all the way but still like the green one. My grandmother had a white tinsel tabletop tree though and one of my favorite things was pulling presents out from under the tablecloth. My decorating inspiration for Christmas is Who-ville (the cartoon movie version). We don't decorate much besides the tree and mantel but what we do, we do big!
ReplyDeleteI want to live in Who Ville for the month of December, I'll even get the nose job.
DeleteI always wanted to live in Whoville, but I always sort of suspected I lived in Charlie Brown's world.... that endless dark sky and snow and twinkly lights - kind of depressing, actually!
DeleteThis post is amazing, I love all things 50s and 60s, from the fashion to the cars, to the hilariously chauvinistic advertising. Thanks for sharing these photos!
ReplyDeleteI just save J.Crew catalogs. Maybe I will start saving a few great mag issues, because I love looking back on styles from the past.
Love that hair dryer. In a perfect world. I would totally get my hair washed and set/styled at the salon weekly, preferably in some awesome 1950s style. Those were the days! People just don't do that anymore... but it would be a huge improvement over my daily wet hair in a ponytail look :D
It is so funny you say that, because I want to add an extra 30 minutes on to my cut and colour next week and have my hair done like Irene Dunne or someone from the 40s!
DeleteDO IT!!!! That sounds fantastic.
DeleteHilarious stuff in there Wendy. The magazines are real Christmas treasures. I have some old ornaments and a few decorations I made as a child but nothing much else from Christmas past, unless you count traditions.
ReplyDeleteWell traditions are pretty wonderful!!!!
DeleteI don't have anything like that, but those are a fun look back! "Male-order catalog" made me laugh, which male shall we order first? :D
ReplyDeleteI have already asked santa for the newly single George...
DeleteI assume there are no pop-backs in the male-order catalog. Or, maybe, unless you decide George is too much trouble, and he is not Final Sale...
DeleteThanks for finding a Christmas Hostess Dress for me, hilarious! These magazines are all new to me, I don't think my mother liked Christmas at all, it was all tears and stress around my house growing up. That needed turning around this generation which is why I embrace Christmas. Though I've stopped buying magazines generally you have given me an idea, buy some Christmas magazines and store them with my decorations... I'm sure they'd be fun to look at every year.
ReplyDeleteOh my mother loved at least one run from the room on Christmas Day - it was the soap opera era after all... Yes - I always get Xmas magazines from England in my stocking!
DeleteI did have some old Victoria magazines which I turfed a few years back. I came to realize everything I need to know is probably somewhere on the internet, so no need to hold on to dusty magazines. (I am allergic to dust mites hence clutter in my house is not an option. It's the same reason I don't have carpets either).
ReplyDeleteOh Dani could so rock that Christmas dress!
ReplyDeleteI used to have a whole load of Vogues from the 70's, but they are long gone after one of our many moves to a different country... wish I could have kept them.
I love looking at old magazines, but rarely buy them these days. J buys housing and interior porn, but that's about it.
These are great! I have a couple of issues of Martha Stewart from years back that I keep for the Thanksgiving recipes. I always want to make the crafts - never do. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for thi! I stopped buying magazines a long time ago, but have held on to a box of Christmas issues. I love eyeing how styles and expectations change... When I was in 8th grade, I found directions for flying pink and white tissue paper angels - little brass paperclip halos and all - they were hung from the ceiling at different heights. Got carried away and when parents came home from work they were speechless.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how in some years the crafts and recipes were seriously dumbed down.
I pretty much stopped buying magazines several years ago. It seemed like I could find everything online. I am only guilty of saving knitting magazines. I also watched Love Actually last night and bawled like a baby through out the whole thing. Of course when I used to take my children to see movies about animals, they had to put me between them so they could comfort me!! I'm a serious sap. Only rented it because you did a post on it. Thanks!:-)
ReplyDelete