Sunday, December 6, 2009

Vintage Christmas Monday: Circa 1953

I am participating in "Vintage Christmas Mondays" hosted by Joan over at "Anything Goes Here" and she has many who have asked to be included...so skip on over to her place and in the right hand side bar she's got a long list of participants. You never know what Christmas memory you may revisit by looking at all the vintage Christmas goodies there.

What I am sharing today is a sweet little book, copyrighted 1953 that is the "Night Before Christmas". illustrated so adorably by Zillah Lesko. It is part of my vintage children's book collection, this a Whitman Tell-a-Tales....remember those?

This is particularly delightful because of Christmas and of course the illustrations. I swear, they're cuter 'n a bug's ear!

You'll see what I mean as you see each page of the book. It's not in pristine condition, after all, it's survived 56 years! But it's sweet as can be....come along, it's STORY TIME!

(CLICK on any photo to enlarge)



Cute as can be...the puppy and the kitty make the house cozy and are waiting for Santa, too!


Some little pudgy fingers with perhaps chocolate chip cookie smeared on these pages, and the crayon someone got carried away with, but still it's too precious, isn't it?


Isn't mama cute in her nightcap? And I like that quilt, I wonder if she'd sell it to me....
my goodness, aren't those windows frosty!



Oooh.....I want to visit that farmhouse, red with white gingerbread trim in the eaves and green shutters....perfect for CHRISTmas! And. The little rooster weather vane blowin' in the wind.



Now that's a JOLLY Santa Claus!




And how cute is that....the puppy and kitty helping Santa!


A sweet little paper chain, gingerbread, and that Jolly Old Elf!


I'm lovin' the honeycomb bells hung in the window from a paper chain, the falling snow on the church steeple just outside the window. And that fat lil' Christmas tree...with popcorn strung from the branches and shiny brites in every color!



And the end....a sweet spiral staircase, with two little cuties peeking over between the spindles...curious to see if anything was left under the tree! From their expressions, I'd say they've been two very good little kids!

13 comments:

Joan@anthinggoeshere said...

I have added you to the Vintage Christmas Monday blog party list. What a cute christmas book. It seems like a sweeter, more innocent time, doesn't it? xo Joan, your hostess

Donna said...

Adorable!

Boxwood Cottage said...

Such a gorgeous book! Thanks for sharing!
Sending you warmest Vintage Christmas Monday wishes from Boxwood Cottage in Germany
Carola

Julie Marie said...

What a darling book and in such nice condition still... Bisous... Julie Marie

Yarni Gras! said...

what a sweet vintage book!

Kathleen H said...

I have all my story books from childhood. This is one of them. I love to read them, it brings back wonderful memories. Life seemed so simple in the 1950's. I am glad I grew up during this magical time.
Kathleen in Indiana

mary your sis said...

I was a child of the 60's and have often wished I grew up in the 50's! Could we just start a new country, with our original Constitution and declare that we'll all live like they did in the 50's? I'll bet it would be a very happy place to live! Love the book- thanks for sharing it with us.

Unknown said...

What a wonderful little book! I remember these from childhood, always so colorful and fun!

Elenka said...

When I was little, those were the kind of book illustrations I would just stare and stare at. How nice.

Postcardy said...

I never get tired of that story.

★Carol★ said...

I have to find this book! The illustrations are just the sweetest! I've recently started collecting the Little Golden Books from my childhood, and I think that this book is a must have too!
Happy Vintage Christmas Monday!
Carol

~from my front porch in the mountains~ said...

My husband is the "Golden Books" collector but has not found any Christmas ones yet!

We finally had snow. I love it. It brings back so many memories of living in northern Ohio. I guess I was really thinking back about all those great times..skiing, snow-mobiling, skating, sleding. I called my Dad today crying!

The snow we had made me wish for my childhood, just one more time. Your blog reminds me of that, Joni!

Blessings, Misha
p.s. I so agree with your sista!!

Simple Home said...

I had this book too. I remember the pictures being the same. I don't know what happened to this one, but I included a few others that I did hang on to for Vintage Christmas Mondays on my blog. Maybe you remember them.
Blessings,
Marcia