What was Christmas like, in the 50's? Back to Golden Days

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Whenever I hear the song, Silver Bells, it reminds me of how it was Christmas shopping when I was young. But the most fun we had was going from one department store to the next and seeing toyland. Some of the stores really outdid themselves in making it fun for us kids. Later, I loved looking at the window displays at the major stores in New York but in recent years you cannot get near them. The tourists line up for blocks and you would have to wait your turn. Today, we shop on line.
 
As a senior in high school I got a seasonal job for Christmas in the largest department store in the area at the time. My job was to take a cart on the freight elevator to all the floors and pick up Christmas gifts to be wrapped then take them down to the basement where the wrapping was done. The work environment was all about Christmas with decorations and constant Christmas music and the hustle and bustle of shoppers and everyone in a good mood. We ate at the in-store restaurant and got an elevated view of it all. Best job I ever had.
 
Christmas Homecoming - Norman Rockwell

"With the barest of clues that this is Christmas, Rockwell brings his readers a festive holiday scene purely through the smiles on everyone's faces and a few touches of bright red paint. Son Peter (with eyeglasses) is in the left corner; son Tom is in the plaid shirt; Mary is hugging son Jarvis who has just arrived from school and Norman is to the right of them. In the upper left corner good friend and fellow Post illustrator Mead Schaeffer looks on, as does Grandma Moses."
Saturday Evening Post December 25, 1948

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The painting is Magical!
 
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We'd get the Montgomery Ward's Christmas catalog in September. I'd circle what I wanted in it and my parents would order, then go to the store in Menands, NY and pick up. Of course there was Frear's Departent store in Troy, NY and the Latham Circle Mall - all defunct now. :cry: The Montgomery Wards and Frear's buildings are still there, but repurposed.
 


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