Holiday Tradition: Family Pictures “Under” the Tree

 I know that many families have the tradition of taking pictures by the Christmas tree.

My Mamo Wilson was the queen of taking pictures. I was never at her house as a young child up until her last couple of years (she was 95 when she passed) that she didn’t say, “Before you go, let me make your picture.” And she not only took the pictures, but she had them printed, and ordered reprints for us as well (and mailed them to us—that’s right, hard mail).

In my family, it was Christmas at my Mamo and Grandad Wilson’s where the holiday tradition of taking family pictures was ingrained into me, burned into my heart and soul, as it were.

In our case, it really was “under the tree.” We sat down under the tree for the picture of our family group.

I’ll share a couple of those early pictures here.

At Mamo and Grandad Wilson’s, this was Christmas 1948. I was about 19 months, and my sister Janene was about 4 months. Notice how Mother and Daddy dressed up for Christmas at Mamo’s. Mother looked so pretty with her nails polished (bright red, you can be sure). Mother was 20, and Daddy was 22.

At Mamo and Grandad’s again (Helena, Arkansas), Christmas 1953.

Early 60’s, now there are 5 of us kids, still taking pictures under the tree at Mamo and Grandad’s (they had moved from Helena, Arkansas, to Crane, Missouri). My turtleneck sweater was my Christmas present from my boyfriend, Russell Ford (now my husband). I was a freshman in high school.

Now we have our own little “home” (8’x29’ trailer) in Bolivar, Missouri, and this is our second Christmas together (1966). This is our own little “picture by the Christmas tree.”

Christmas 1971, now we’re having Christmas pictures “by” the tree  at my parents’. Our son was 18 months, our daughter two weeks.

 

Christmas 1972 at my parents’.

Christmas 1974 at my parents’.

Fast forward. Now our children are grown and have their own children, who are grown, and our son’s son has his own children as well.

Still, family pictures by the Christmas Tree.

Russell and I with our daughter’s family, at our home in Troy, Missouri, Christmas 2019.

Here we are with our son’s family (their daughter was on mission field in Mexico)-their son, his wife and two little ones (now they have another little girl)—at our home in Ridgefield, Washington, Christmas 2021.


Unlike many folks these days, I actually print (and scrapbook) all the photos.

I’m 76 years old. So, 75 years or so of  “family pictures ‘under’ the tree.”

So, yeah, it’s kind of a big deal to me.

#ChristmasFamilyPictures #PassingofTime #Blessings #ChristmasPicturesUndertheTree