Innocence of Christmases Past

I wrote today’s post before the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School last Friday. As I upload the post now, I recognize in sorrow that many families in Newton, CT, will not be able to pose their children under the Christmas tree this year, nor in future years. All the children at Sandy Hook Elementary last Friday, and indeed children everywhere, had their innocence stolen in violence.

We all mourn these losses.

* * * * *

There were standard poses for the pictures my father took as I was growing up. Here’s a Christmas series, with a pose that many families have used since the invention of the flashbulb.

First, my brother and me as pre-schoolers:

72360158-SLD-001-0018T&M1sttree

Then, a little older:

72360158-SLD-002-0007 T&M&tree

And older still, and in a new home:

72360158-SLD-002-0023 T&M&TreeSierra

The younger children in our family were not photographed as often, but they had their chance to join the celebration:

72360158-SLD-004-0044 4kids&tree

Notice how scrawny our Christmas trees were, even though we lived in the Pacific Northwest.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Find something to smile about through the holidays.

72360158-SLD-001-0015 T&M&Santa

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Jill Weatherholt
12 years ago

Wow, a couple of your photos are almost identical to pictures my parents took of me and my sister at Christmas time. Even the pajamas with feet ~ these photos made me smile!

Theresa Hupp
12 years ago

As I said, “standard poses”! Can’t you still feel those pajama feet on your toes?
Theresa

Darrell Dryer
Darrell Dryer
12 years ago

Theresa,

I enjoy your posts. These pictures are wonderful.

You reference that your trees were scrawny. Hardly, I should show you pictures of the trees we had as kids. I joke today that they looked like a Charlie Brown trees.

Your pictures have caused me to wonder about the philosophy in your family (because I know it is debated everywhere). What is the appropriate method for putting tinsel (icicles) on the tree? Is it one strand at a time or to throw a handful on at a single time? Cheri and I even debated this when we first got married because we grew up with different traditions.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Darrell

Theresa Hupp
12 years ago
Reply to  Darrell Dryer

Darrell, good to hear from you! The matter of tinsel was actually a serious topic as I was growing up. My mother was firmly of the opinion that tinsel could only be placed on the tree one strand at a time. My brother and I did not have that much patience. As a result, Mother did the tinsel.
Al and I have resolved the problem by not using tinsel. I never liked the stuff anyway.
Theresa

carolekatsantoness
12 years ago

Many of us posess similar photos. Thank you for sharing yours, Theresa. May God be with he parents, loved ones and all involved in Newtown, CT.

sallyjadlow
12 years ago

I wonder where tinsel icicles went?

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