Christmas 1957

1957 was the last Christmas we had in the old barn-house on Spring Valley.

It was the first Christmas that Dad had an 8mm film camera. He was excited about making a movie of Christmas morning. Usually Joe B. and I got up and ran right in to see what goodies were waiting for us. Not this Christmas! Dad made us wait outside in the dining room while he went in and set up his camera and special bright lights. I could hardly stand it!

He even took pictures of the room before we came in. You can just picture us jiggling up and down outside the door with impatience.

Then you see us come jumping in. Joe B. only has eyes for that wonderful train, his own train set, with the locomotive chugging round and round the track.

I am sorry to say that I was not as excited about my new blue bike as Joe B. was about his train set. It was a wonderful shiny bike and my Mother and Dad were really pleased that they could get me a brand-new full size bike - but you know, we lived on the side of a hill and there really wasn't anywhere to actually ride a bike like that. I was more interested in the "Ginny" dolls (more about them later) and the microscope set.

Do be sure to notice the famous boat sitting in the middle of the train set up

Our neighbors came over to see what we got for Christmas. The little girl is Nancy Ivers and I will tell you more about her in another post.

Wasn't that a tiny living room? I don't think you ever could see the whole tree - and the stockings were hung on a chest that I think you have in your house so you can tell how big that wall was. The bicycle really fills one whole side of the room, doesn't it?

I'll bet you laugh at my polka-dot dress. I didn't have many brand-new clothes - my cousin Mary E. passed her clothes on to me and my Mother hemmed and stitched them to fit me. So it was a big deal to get something new.

We got so many things - this was the biggest Christmas we had ever had!