Hi everyone, i hope some one can help me with this. I am putting together a story of my early life when i lived in Arthur terrace Hay Mills for my Grandchildren as a comparison to what life was like then compared to life today.I am suplementing it with pictures of the things we used and played with.I have searched the internet (without any luck) for a picture of our first artificial Christmas tree in the 40's, it was the type that had 8 or 9 thick bushy branches that had a berry on the end. If anyone as a picture of one of these i would be very grateful.
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Christmas’s past
- Thread starter podgery
- Start date
brenda barr
master brummie
Podgery, l know exactly what your talking about...forgotten all about them untill i read your thread, the x'mas tree was about 3ft tall...l had one for our first married x'mas in 1956 but sorry don'nt have a picture of it.......Brenda
paul stacey
master brummie
we had one from the 30's exactly as described, I knew it for all my 15 christmas's I lived at home, till I went in the army.
paul
paul
I Am Nico
master brummie
We were asked to bring in Christmas decs at school in the 60's. A girl brought a Christmas Tree in. She said it was an old one. Someone upset her as they said it looked like a bog brush. It had about 9 green loo brush type branches very stiff and bristly coming out of a broom handle type pole stuck in a slice of a log. It looked home made to me but maybe not now reading your article. I brought in some bakelite icycles and stars that fitted together. They were very dull but mum said they glowed in the dark.?? I still have my fairy. Partner wants me to chuck her out. Have some old baubles too shaped like christmas trees in pink with snow on.
Was it like this?
And here are a few ornaments and lights. Loved those lights with characters on them. Viv.
And here are a few ornaments and lights. Loved those lights with characters on them. Viv.
paul stacey
master brummie
Well done Viv, that is the very tree on the left, we also had a "few", of the glass baubbles in box's from Woolworths I think, and the little glass lights with painted figures on them, also little lanterns and real candles on like tin plates with clips.
paul
paul
This really takes me back Paul. Your real candles were perhaps like this? These now sell for around £15 - £20.
And we would drench our tree with tinsel. But maybe not quite to this extent ...... !
Viv.
And we would drench our tree with tinsel. But maybe not quite to this extent ...... !
Viv.
Thanks all what memories hey? Stan i can't see the tree for the trimmings but it looks close to what im after, but Vivienne that is the one I will use that photo. Yes paul we also had candles on our tree, my birthday is on Christmas day and when i was five Christmas 1949 my father lifted me up to blow out the candles and i set the tree on fire. The next thing i knew the tree was up the chimney no harm done, but the next year we had our first set of tree lights.
Agree Podgery great memories. The trees are, I think, called bottle brush trees. Well that makes sense! Viv.
I Am Nico
master brummie
Sounds nicer than bog brush. Can you still get bottle brushes and tea pot brushes? The real candle holders are like my mate described to me. Now they have baubles that flash spin make noises. Disco tree lights. I think less is more. I enjoyed making crepe paper crackers with mum, we pinned them up. And the tinsel which was like twirley crimped tinfoil. We still have some. And a star made out of one piece of tinsel. We had a flat colourd cardboard santa and sleigh with reindeer. I loved that.
Podgery I think they were strips of paper which were shiny and coloured on the one side and you bent them over to form a circle and stick it. I cant remember whether you just wet them together as the glue was already on, or you actually had to paste them (with flour and water) or glue.
paul stacey
master brummie
Yes Viv, same candles.!!!
paul
paul
I Am Nico
master brummie
My friends house positively heaves decorations at Christmas. A month before is gets put on the front of the house, back garden, inside is like a grotto, a tree in everyroom, merry go round in the hall, even the kitchen, and the dolls' house.Sawgs up the stairs with lights nd baubles on. Their tree fills the bay window and is laden with dangly things that turn and twinkle.All artificial. Each to their own I say but what will make their children wonder or be amazed at. Plus to me, that is not the spirit of Christmas.
hi there ;
I Could never forget the artifical christmas tree ; because we had one decades because we was so poor ;
whilst every body had a proper tree with the pins and needles
mom could never keep the chocolate figures on the tree for long because we would climb up on the side board and pinch the chocolates father
christmass and the dates around it and in the process we would break the bauballs on it she would go barby at us all and we blamed each other
there was ten of us in that little one up and down at 5/92 lichfield rd and the living room backing on to thompsons slaughter wall ;
but eventualy i think it was around 1957 when we actualy got a real tree and we was still using a little black and white tele 12 inch
Whilst every body had a colour one eventualy years later the old man went down to Boyeds tv shop and rented one and then we never went out to play
as we was fasciated by colour and it p[acked up and then he went to old mr MATTY Radio and tv at the bottom of our terace
so thats why i can never ever buy an artifical tree again for my kids ; nor for the wife ;
best wishes Astonian;;
I Could never forget the artifical christmas tree ; because we had one decades because we was so poor ;
whilst every body had a proper tree with the pins and needles
mom could never keep the chocolate figures on the tree for long because we would climb up on the side board and pinch the chocolates father
christmass and the dates around it and in the process we would break the bauballs on it she would go barby at us all and we blamed each other
there was ten of us in that little one up and down at 5/92 lichfield rd and the living room backing on to thompsons slaughter wall ;
but eventualy i think it was around 1957 when we actualy got a real tree and we was still using a little black and white tele 12 inch
Whilst every body had a colour one eventualy years later the old man went down to Boyeds tv shop and rented one and then we never went out to play
as we was fasciated by colour and it p[acked up and then he went to old mr MATTY Radio and tv at the bottom of our terace
so thats why i can never ever buy an artifical tree again for my kids ; nor for the wife ;
best wishes Astonian;;
Anne Watton
master brummie
Hello Astonian, I'm there with you. We were very poor but for me, now, it is a real tree everytime! Hope you are well. Haven't spoken for some time as my hubby has been very poorly but is now improving. Take car, Anne
HI ANN
How are you fine i hope as it leaves me fine ; [ touch wood ]
sorry to hear about your hubby and i hope he is getting very well soon ;yes as you know we come from the sameneck of the woods
If you geyt my meaning ?, as we ws not far from each other and my grand parents shops was across the road from you
and i recall your shop many years ago as i was growing up we was just along the lichfield rd
if i remember correctly did you change your shop into a cafe after my grand father sold his shop to an asian family
as you would recall him they had the other shops as well acros from yours and the catureing bussiness and crockery hire ;
Ann thanks for replying to my thread and i wish you and your hubby a great healthy and speedy recovery ;
do please keep in touch best wishes alan;; astonian;;
How are you fine i hope as it leaves me fine ; [ touch wood ]
sorry to hear about your hubby and i hope he is getting very well soon ;yes as you know we come from the sameneck of the woods
If you geyt my meaning ?, as we ws not far from each other and my grand parents shops was across the road from you
and i recall your shop many years ago as i was growing up we was just along the lichfield rd
if i remember correctly did you change your shop into a cafe after my grand father sold his shop to an asian family
as you would recall him they had the other shops as well acros from yours and the catureing bussiness and crockery hire ;
Ann thanks for replying to my thread and i wish you and your hubby a great healthy and speedy recovery ;
do please keep in touch best wishes alan;; astonian;;
Anne Watton
master brummie
Hi Astonian, Think you are getting me mixed up with someoneelse but my Dad was from Lord Street Aston so we could be related. My husband was diagnosed with lung cancer, had two thirds of his lung removed at Heartlands, the surgeon was fantastic and now Ray has started digging his garden and getting his veggie plot ready. Never thought we would be in this position but, thank youi so much for your kind thoughts. Take care and best wishes, Anne
HI ANN ;
Thats great news to hear your husband is out digging the veg patch after his seroius health problem
my nan lived around the corner ; but i wouldlike to mention we did have another member with the whatton name whom had a little shop around on park lane whom told us along time ago so i thought you may be the same family ;
he said the person said he was a child and it was his parents whom had the shop just around the corner from the ATV studios years ago ;
as you say it may be an extension of your family one never knows [ still no harm done as they say ann]
but please keep in touch with us and the forum ; take care and bet wishes to you and your husband ; alan ; astonian;;
Thats great news to hear your husband is out digging the veg patch after his seroius health problem
my nan lived around the corner ; but i wouldlike to mention we did have another member with the whatton name whom had a little shop around on park lane whom told us along time ago so i thought you may be the same family ;
he said the person said he was a child and it was his parents whom had the shop just around the corner from the ATV studios years ago ;
as you say it may be an extension of your family one never knows [ still no harm done as they say ann]
but please keep in touch with us and the forum ; take care and bet wishes to you and your husband ; alan ; astonian;;
Hi Podgery. Maybe these were your lights:
We had various sets over the years. The ones I really loved were those with picture transfers on them. I remember we had a set shaped liked lanterns with various scenes of carol singers on them. We also once had a set that included this one, a bit uninspiring really, but once lit up who cared?
And we always had one of these to finish off the tree:
Viv.
We had various sets over the years. The ones I really loved were those with picture transfers on them. I remember we had a set shaped liked lanterns with various scenes of carol singers on them. We also once had a set that included this one, a bit uninspiring really, but once lit up who cared?
And we always had one of these to finish off the tree:
Viv.
I Am Nico
master brummie
I remember small plain conical lights like a pear drop shape. We had 12 which was considered enough. My uncle whom some considered well off had carriage shaped ones and lantern shaped ones. They always had a huge tree. Mum said they had nice things but no food in the cupboard. Our spikes dangled. We always had a fairy on the top. We always treid to have the white light under her. Considering baubles shattered very easily we managed to keep a lot for years in the box they came in. My mum kept the decorations that were on her Christmas crackers from her childhood. She had them pressed in a book but I don't know where they have gone. They were childrens faces holding horseshoes around their heads. Does that jog anyone's memories?
My partner wedges her tree in to an old cider jar with soaked earth in then covers it with ancient shiny Christmas paper and it looks like a big fancy pot.
My partner wedges her tree in to an old cider jar with soaked earth in then covers it with ancient shiny Christmas paper and it looks like a big fancy pot.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
Our artificial Christmas tree was bought in 1968 from Henry's store in Union St Birmingham. The few branches on it were rather sparse but my son liked it in 1972.
In the 1940's my late wife's parents bought an artificial Christmas tree and every year decorated it with a fairy on top, glass baubles, tinsel, and fairy lights until the late 1980s when Christmases in their house ended and the tree disappeared in the house clearance. The somewhat worn and fragile decorations were then used on our Christmas trees for a further fifteen years.
The old decorations have spent the last 3 years in a cardboard box in my loft. I looked at them recently and thought maybe I should throw them out, but with memories of Christmases past I've kept them, perhaps some day in the future they might decorate another tree.
In the 1940's my late wife's parents bought an artificial Christmas tree and every year decorated it with a fairy on top, glass baubles, tinsel, and fairy lights until the late 1980s when Christmases in their house ended and the tree disappeared in the house clearance. The somewhat worn and fragile decorations were then used on our Christmas trees for a further fifteen years.
The old decorations have spent the last 3 years in a cardboard box in my loft. I looked at them recently and thought maybe I should throw them out, but with memories of Christmases past I've kept them, perhaps some day in the future they might decorate another tree.
Lovely photo Phil - just as Christmas should be. Don't we all love to see the lights on a tree? I never grow tired of getting the tree ready for Christmas. Is this a female thing? Or do men find it as exciting? Viv.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
Hi Viv - I must admit I don't put my own Christmas tree up these days, maybe because after Christmas all the trinkets and lights have to taken off and put away !!
The tree I see these days is shown below - I don't have to put the tree up, and don't have to put it away. I just enjoy it.
Phil
The tree I see these days is shown below - I don't have to put the tree up, and don't have to put it away. I just enjoy it.
Phil
'Vintage' Podgery! These things sell for a nice sum of money today.
Phil - no male in our house dare even think of 'doing' the tree. Definitely a closely guarded female domain. And we love it!
When you think back there were few options when it came to artificial trees. Last Christmas I had a browse in Homebase and was amazed at the variety available, even down to the type of spruce it was supposed to be. Gone are the days of the stick-type tree or the bottle brush (some were even made of feathers too). We have an artificial but always buy a real tree. Oh horrors, that's not very environmentally friendly is it? But I make up for my one Christmas tree p.a. by planting at least one new tree or shrub in the garden every year. So my conscience is clear. Viv.
Phil - no male in our house dare even think of 'doing' the tree. Definitely a closely guarded female domain. And we love it!
When you think back there were few options when it came to artificial trees. Last Christmas I had a browse in Homebase and was amazed at the variety available, even down to the type of spruce it was supposed to be. Gone are the days of the stick-type tree or the bottle brush (some were even made of feathers too). We have an artificial but always buy a real tree. Oh horrors, that's not very environmentally friendly is it? But I make up for my one Christmas tree p.a. by planting at least one new tree or shrub in the garden every year. So my conscience is clear. Viv.
