Merry Christmas 2011 ....the last Christmas post for this year.

This is one of my most favourite photos ever posted by our friends at Shorpy.com .....The peace and serenety of the scene after a fresh snowfall reminded me of my childhood days.

  

 The following picture was posted once before but it is one of my favourite family photos ever.  Who could ask for better times at about 15 years old(one year before I could drive).  This of course is my family taken in December of 1959.  My mother Noreen, not with us anymore, my little sister Daryle, my baby brother Corey, my Dad, Jon(yes..that is how it was spelled, and still doing well at 92 years) with his perpetual cigarette and of course myself with my white and red ski sweater on(if it was in colour).  We were out getting our annual Christmas Tree, somewhere near Oliver Lake here in Fort William.  I couldn't have asked for a better childhood than what I had....things were a bit tough at times, but  I was truly a lucky kid.  Click twice on both photos to enlarge.

Thanks to all who have donated pictures throughout the year and all those who faithfully watch HR&J....We will continue to try to bring you something new and different as time permits.
Merry Christmas to all......D.

A Few More Memories.........before Christmas 2011......

Here is the first of two Saturday Evening Post covers from December 17, 1949 and a few ads taken from that particular issue.  It is interesting to see some of the changes in the past 62 years.  The late 1940's and 1950's were much simpler times than what we share today....and it is nice to go back sometimes, not that you want the world of that time back, but just to reminisce a bit.  My dad always said that he felt the richest in those days.....not money wise but family wise. 

"Gifts that say Merry Christmas with every puff"...OK....Santa says that he wants to give you throat cancer for Christmas.........And WOW...that 1950 Ford ready for early release...."It has the LOOK.....It has the ROOM....It has the FEEL.....It's the '50 FORD".  Be sure to click once then twice on these pictures to view them FULL SIZE.

It only costs you .40 cents a quart to make your car think it's Summer......A great Quaker State/Snowman oil ad from this 1949 Post Magazine.

Do you remember the New Pixie Flash CAMERA ...notice that it is mounted on her wrist and is not much larger than a big wrist watch except for the flash unit.  Mom could now work for the C.I.A. with this little spy camera.

Here is the December 24, 1949 issue...the following week from the one above.  Poor Dad and Mom are totally exhausted and actually falling asleep while decorating the tree.....they will be glad when Christmas is all over......Everything is finally done and its Christmas Eve 62 years ago....This feeling is something that has never changed much over the last 62 years.

How dare those Americans call Canada Dry's Ginger Ale the American Ginger-Upper......It called CANADA DRY....get it!!  LOL ....It also says it has the Purest Jamaican Ginger......Hope that's all the ingredients from Jamaica....LOL again!!  The next ad here is kind of bizarre....I had never heard of "Fatima" cigarettes.  I thought only "Turkish Delights" were imported from Turkey.  Very unusual.  Once more...click once or twice to enlarge to full screen.

This cute little guy in this ad says that his daddy was a good boy too and he wants a new Plymouth.  Here is what Daddy's new Plymouth might look like back in 1949.  I might have been that little kid because I was about 5 years old then but would have had to ask for a Chevrolet..... don't forget that my dad was the body shop manager for Kam Motors, a local Chev-Olds-Cadillac dealer.  Click here to read more about Kam Motors, then come back.  http://hotrodsandjalopies.blogspot.com/2009/09/kam-motors-limited-and-oldsmobile.html

This ad was taken from a Fort William Ontario commemorative newspaper from 1952 showing the progress of the region.  This is The R. S. Piper and Sons store in Fort William(actually West Fort William).   This tray from my own collection was given by the R. S. Piper Co. store to very loyal customers for Christmas in 1911.

This is what the R. S. Piper store in West Fort William looks like today, sporting the old advertising from another era on both ends of the building.  Hardware stores back then did sell toys at Christmas such as this Slinky or maybe an Etch-a-Sketch.

I could never do Etch-A-Sketch very well.  The final little tidbit here is a lid from a KFC bucket.  How many mom`s and dad`s burned the turkey and sent out for Kentucky Fried Chicken.....Just think about it an you can smell the wonderful aroma........YUMM

There will be one more small Christmas Post this week...be sure to check back and as I keep on saying...be sure to click once, then twice on most pictures to make them large.

A few more of "My Favourite Things"......Christmas 2011

It was amazing what was available during the dirty 30's. These ads from the 1934/35 Canadian Eaton's Catalog show us what was available even during the depression. Toys and Christmas decor such as these were likely not affordable to the average person, however were all still available for sale in this Eaton's mail order catalog of that era and at incredibly cheap prices in today's standards.  Be sure to click on these ads twice to enlarge them to full screen size.

Tires and Batteries were also quite reasonable, but many of the early car owners drove their cars until the tire cords were showing through before they would buy a new tire. These also tell you that some people were still driving their cars during those tough years. The Eaton's stores here were on the corner of Arthur Street(Red River Road) and Court Street in Port Arthur, and on 130 S. Syndicate Ave directly across from the Income Tax building in Fort William, long before the Victoriaville Parkade was built.

Who can forget the .29 cent package of blown glass tree ornaments from Woolworth's and the incredible Santa Claus art of Haddon Sunblom. Haddon and Coca Cola created this Santa and still stands today as a childs vision of the true Santa Claus.......but with those rosy cheeks there may have been a little rum in that Coca Cola. :-)

A favourite on many kids Christmas wish list was a Radio Flyer wagon(click on this and all pictures to view clearer)...a toy which is still available to this day.......and if you want to know anything about "Batman", you can ask my brother. He is an expert on this subject and has an incredible collection, not just of Batman but many other subjects in the toy world.....and baseball too!!

If you want to get on the bad side of your wife....be sure to buy her a "Hoover" vacuum cleaner to put under the tree this Christmas, or maybe a washing machine, or and new kitchen range.

The next ad here is a little tongue in cheek as I think Santa is peeking in the upward direction to catch a glimpse of those wonderful legs in "Mojud" nylons....LOL

I am ending this Christmas time post(More to come) with a couple of good cartoons I recently received in an email, and couldn't resist posting them here!!!

Be sure to click on all the pictures(some will enlarge bigger than others) especially the old ads above.