• Saturday-What'sUP December 18 - 09:04 am

As Christmas is approaching quickly, folks are getting their homes decorated and lit up for the celebration. One of the brightest trees I've seen, belongs to Chad Johnson, who decorated all in white, from the lights to the hand crocheted ornaments made by his Grandma Johnson. The whole setting seems to come right out of the past and looks so inviting and peaceful.

The second set of photos, come from Dan Reilly and take you back in time, also, with vintage ornaments and candles in place of lights, as was done before there was electricity to power the strings and strings we now use. You don't find modern ornaments with the character that these older ones have. They hold many memories from years of hanging on the family trees.

With these trees all decorated, it's time to put on some Christmas music, sit back and enjoy!

Happy 30th Birthday to Becky (Hopper) Howard, the former Pasty Girl who processed your orders many years ago when her hubby Bryan was finishing his undergraduate degree at Michigan Tech. Becky and brother Jonathan appeared on the Pasty Cam on this day back in '99:

Becky and Jon, about 1985

Kira and Kit

Beautiful! I think Christmas Trees are certainly part of what makes Christmas such a wonderful time of the year.

I love vintage Christmas ornaments, have them decorating my aluminum tree. Now I need the color wheel to top it off!

Very nice look,but.....candles on pine trees? It is a wonder anyone survived from that era!

Happy Birthday, Becky!
Mary, these pictures are a beautiful sight to behold, thank you!
Janie, I didn't know those aluminum trees still existed....is yours a holdover from the past? I remember (there I go with the age thing again) when they were so popular. I didn't want one 'cause they didn't 'smell' like Christmas.:)

Shirley, it is of vintage age but I bought it a few years back for the heck of it. We have an artificial flocked tree which are almost as hard to find these days.

Good Morning! Those trees with their old-fashioned decorations, both the handmade ones by Grandma Johnson and the vintage ornaments are gorgeous. I love them! I have some of both kinds of decorations that can go on our tree, leftover from my parents' tree. They're part of the spirit of Christmas from my childhood. Janie, I remember those old aluminum trees with the color wheels. My parents had one when I was very little. The only one in the family who liked it was my Mom; it was her all red ball ornament aluminum tree. The rest of us wanted our green tree back, with its character, and we were thankful to see that tree aluminum one go! Happy 30th Birthday, Becky! I love your muffler and your hat.

While we use a number of modern ornaments, we also use ornaments made well over 100 years ago in our tree, handed down from generation to generation. We also use candles in our pine tree instead of electric lights because it just seems more traditional that way; guess that makes us a bit "old-fashioned" it would appear...

Oh, what a beautiful way to start my Saturday!! I so love Christmas and Christmas trees!!!! Those ornaments are great. I have a few that were from my parent's 1st Christmas tree that I just cherish! My dad's sister used to take one off of her tree and send it to me before she passed, also. Cherish those too. And I have so many of my own favorites.

Happy Birthday Becky and are those girls ever getting big already. I'm sure grandma and grandpa aren't proud or anything:) Giving us grandchildren is the single best gift our kids can give us!!

I didn't realize they still made candle holders for Xmas trees. That was what we had when I was a kid--candles. they were lit when everyone was present but weren't allowed to burn very long. Had to keep water handy.
Not too long ago I was visiting relatives in Finland
at Xmas time and they use candles. It is a tradition they keep. they also melt lead at New Years and pour it in the snow or on something cool. You looked at what it might resemble to tell your future for the coming year. And, among people we got to know, presents made by the giver were more accepted than store bought.

Tom, were you born in Finland? Your relatives and traditions they keep are interesting, thanks for sharing.

All the Christmas trees are beautiful! Does anyone else still hang tinsel on their tree?

Happy birthday to Becky! That dear daughter has two sweet babies of her own ... what a blessing it is to be a grandparent! And yes, Deb S, I agree with you about grandchildren being precious gifts. :)

Beautiful Christmas pictures...all of them. By the way, Shirley, aluminum trees are highly sought after again. People snatch them up at rummage sales immediately. They are making a big comeback!

my mom has several of the "bubble lights"; she's had
them when she was younger, & was able to purchase
more a few years ago!

I'm not surprised that those trees have become collectors' items, Helen, you know what 'they' say about "one man's trash is another man's treasure".
Diana, we stopped using tinsel when, after saving it from year to year, couldn't get it apart anymore.:] Seriously, during WWII they quit making it because they needed the material from which it was made then they came out with some plastic-type tinsel. Don't know what it's made of now....but looks like the original.

I don't think of my aluminum Christmas tree as trash, but unique. It's ok to wander off the beaten path from others. Blaze your own trails, being a leader not follower.

Now Janie, you know what I meant. Honestly, I think when things like that come back in style or become collector's items, I'm impressed that there are still folks out there who care about objects 'd arte from the past. I like your motto, too.:)

Awww.... Janie, I just checked your 'profile' again, and that's the cutest picture of your Scotties in front of your tree!

Brimley the Scottie having surgery next friday to restore his vision is on the right.

In Germany, it is rare to put electric lights on one's tree so one can still buy candle holders. I might live in the States now, but I can't part with the tradition. I still look forward to turning off all the lights, lighting the candles, and singing Christmas songs with my family.

I was wondering, as I looked at the photo, which one is Brimley. Hope all goes well, Janie, will send up prayers for him. Our daughter and s-i-l had a German Shorthair that wound up losing sight in both eyes, one at a time (not cataracts)....my heart ached for him, knowing what all he was missing. Unfortunately he passed away a week after my husband. But don't worry, he had heart problems, had nothing to do with his eyes.

We would love to be able to buy the bubble lights like the ones people had years ago. If anyone knows where we can get them, please let me know. They were soooo beautiful. Rick loves tinsel but I don't rally like it. Everytime you go near the tree you get that da-n tinsel on you!!!! Know what I mean???!!!! Another memory: When I was young (a while ago!!) us kids would go to bed on Christmas Eve & there was nothing in the living roomjust the furniture. BUT on Christmas Morning when we opened the parlor door, & there in the corner was this BEAUTIFUL decorated big Christmas tree all lit up. And with all of everyone's presents under it. Now I didn't realize til much later in life just how much work my grandparents & parents went through to get that tree, decorate it & get everything done is just a few hours. I really don't think there is anyone who does that anymore!!! It's so great to have these childhood memories to hold deep in heart & head. Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!

Cheryl,
I know down here in Texas you can get the bubble lights at Lowe's and Target. If you can't find them up north at those stores, let me know and I'll see what I can do for you. Otherwise, I'm sure you could goto Amazon and find them as well.

Cheryl, I believe you can find them at Menard's. You don't get many in a box, but they do sell them. What nice memories you have. No, I don't believe anybody does that anymore either.

Cotton---Just a thought. Tinsel was made from lead, which was neeeded for the war. I think it is now made of plastic which is why it sticks to your clothing. Static electricity I think.

www.digitaljournal.com/article/316256

I forgot to say, you have to see the video. ;O) It is cute, cute, cute.

Tinsel was found poisoning to cats and dogs after digesting it.

I hang "tinsel", the "newer" plastic type ... and yes, we do have to be careful not to walk too close to it as it loves to "cling" ... but to me it gives the appearance of the metal tinsel my parents put on the beautiful Christmas trees of my childhood memories. We carefully saved that metal tinsel from year to year in the 50's ... we also saved the wrapping paper as we opened our Christmas gifts. Now we know that lead isn't good for pets or children or anyone ... as a boy, my dad used to make "tin soldiers" using heated metal which contained lead ... it's always something! :-)

Cheryl, it was a family tradition to put the tree up Christmas Eve when the kids went to bed. It stopped in our home when the smartest man in the world caught my parents decorating. The Hubbell family along with the Lake Linden family would meet at St. Cecilias for midnight mass. Even your grandpa would attend. Then we went to our house for pork pie and get one gift. The elders would sit in the kitchen and drink my dad's homemade wine. At that time my dad was the only one who had kids, mainly me and my sister. When we woke up in the morning the enclosed front porch was decorated and the gifts were all there. The season was celebrated at our house since Granda DuLong lived with us, and the family came to be with her. I remember the Christmas when Uncle Chick and your dad came home from the war. Uncle Chick was found under the Christmas tree in an inebreated state. What a grand surprise for us. Hubbell would be lit up from one end of town to the other. Lights hung across main street. In a snow storm they were just beautiful.

Such memories, Mikie. Thanks for sharing them.