Our First Christmas Tree

It was 1956. President Eisenhower was re-elected to his second term. Elvis Presley appeared for the first time on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Movie star Grace Kelly became Princess Grace. And, somewhere in Syracuse, a first Christmas together was celebrated.

 

The newlyweds were no doubt young, maybe high school sweethearts. In those years, Syracuse was booming and manufacturing jobs were plentiful. He might have been working on the line at General Electric, making televisions, or at Syracuse China, turning out plates and mugs for restaurants and airlines. She was probably a homemaker but thought about going to college some day.

Their first Christmas was simple. They had a small tree, maybe one that they found at one of the seasonal tree lots that used to dot West Genesee Street, still the site of Syracuse's "automobile row." They probably decorated it with a few ornaments and a strand of lights from Woolworth's or Kresge's. In that era, both were on Salina Street along with several department stores in Syracuse's bustling downtown.

In time, they moved from that cramped first apartment, the one she always romanticized about purely for sentimental reasons, and into a split level in the suburbs. They had children, and then, welcomed several grandchildren.

And every year, when they put up the Christmas tree, she reached for the box labeled "From Our First Christmas Tree - 1956."

 

And that's where it seems that the story ends. Or at least my version of it. I wish I knew more. I wish I had a clue about who these people were and why something so precious to them ended up on top of a pile of junk at the thrift store, but, sadly, I don't. And maybe the story is better left to my imagination.

I suspect that the ornaments inside the box -- two Dresden-trimmed drummers -- might know, having seen and heard everything that was shared over more than 50 Christmases, but they aren't talking.

 

But maybe, silent observers that they are, they're listening. And if they are, I would tell them to somehow send a message to those newlyweds, wherever they might be now, and let them know that their first Christmas will be a part of my Christmas.

Comments

[Sue]

nice.

[Betty]

You saved them! That's how I feel sometimes when I find something that should have been kept by a family member. Of course, maybe there wasn't any family. My mother's childhood friend back in NJ was moved to assisted living and she really has no one. There must have been an estate sale and since I always keep a search going in eBay for the town I grew up in I was notified when her Girl Scout diary was listed. She even wrote about going places with my mother. Needless to say, I was the high bidder. I don't remember what my highest bid was, but I'm pretty certain no one else would have gone that high. Now that diary is safe in Texas.

[Mary at Very Merry Vintage Style]

Oh what a beautiful post... and that is the beauty of antiques... finding a new home where they are loved again! Come on over and link up to my vintage holiday party with this lovely story! Here's the link http://verymerryvintagestyle.blogspot.com/2010/12/very-merry-holiday-home-new-link-party.html

[Mary]

I have tears in my eyes reading this post. Those first Christmas ornaments couldn't have gone to a better home.

[Delia hornbook]

ahhhhh what a beautiful story and one that brought tears to my eyes. They would be so very happy that their beloved decorations would end up with a vintage loving lady to be adored every year to. I just popped by and im so glad i did, you have a beautiful blog. And wow i have never seen the amount of snow you have had thats amazing. Have a lovely weekend, keep warm and enjoy putting the rest of your decorations up. Dee ;-)

[Secret Pepper Person]

Love this post. I'm sending it to friends.