COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Published Weekly By Joel Sater Publications www.antiquesandauctionnews.net
VOL. 42, NO. 51 FRIDAY DECEMBER 23, 2011
Deck The Halls - A Do-It-Yourself ‘50s Christmas by Donald-Brian Johnson
Dancing Santa portion, you can fashion sequined felt beautifully original, newwall hanging, each-season trims. 22 inches long, You’ll find $15 to $20. Christmas y o u r s e l f decorating tips were for those growing more con- whose full-time jobs still remained fident with each design developed. Friends will notice and admire as they drop by! Better Homes &
* “Brighten that bare t’s smart to decoexterior rate the whole wall with a house with a gigantic plas‘happy holidays’ tic foam snowtheme!” man head! Better Homes & ‘Frosty’s’ nose Gardens Christmas is a half-ball of Ideas, 1957 fiery red plastic foam. His eyes, Glue. Glitter. eyebrows, and Glory mouth are cut from That, at any foam scraps, and rate, was the idea. painted black.” Fabric stocking with Forget “store* “Do you have a applied poinsettias, 16 bought” seasonal inches long, $10 to $15. well-equipped workdécor. Sure, it’s easshop? A good knowlier popping open a edge of how to work Gardens Christmas Hallmark honeycomb with wire? Why not Ideas, 1959 Santa centerpiece than try reindeer, sleigh, There’s a rarity: a laboriously creating one out and Santa made of Dad-themed yuletide of felt and cotton. And, in the wire mesh, and coated hint. Make no mistake time it takes to cover just one with luminous paint?” about it, those “how-to” Styrofoam ball with sequined With Dad safely out of pushpins, you can fill an entire holiday magazines were aimed primarily at the lady of the house. the way, (and, judging by the tree with Shiny Brite ornaments. sound of that wire mesh project, But then, where would the chal- Better Homes & Gardens, House out of the way for quite some lenge be? And, if those festive & Garden, House Beautiful, time), Mom could get to work “Holiday Ideas” magazines of the Good Housekeeping, and all the 1950s and 1960s are to be rest, knew their prospective audi- Cover, Better Homes & Gardens Christmas on everything else. And, Ideas, 1957. $7 to $10. “everything else” was no believed, there was nothing mid- ence well. The majority of the century American homewithin the home. Dad, makers welcomed more than meanwhile, had to be cona Christmas challenge. tent with just the occasionThe results were someal cookie crumb tossed his times innovative, sometimes way, Most Dad-hints were silly, but always entertainof the home-handyman ing. What eye-catching holivariety: how to make exteday miracles were accomrior of the house seasonplished with simple squares ably appealing. Some of colored felt...empty paper assignments for Dad, courtowel rolls...Q-tips, tinfoil, tesy of the 1954 Better glitter, Elmer’s Glue...and, Homes & Gardens of course, plenty of time and Christmas Ideas: patience. These homemade * “Wind ropes of balChristmas creations continue sam around your lamppost, to evoke nostalgic memotie on chains of cranberries, ries, long after the felt has and cubes of dry bread. faded, and the glitter has The birds will carol their gone with the wind. thanks!” “Up On The Housetop” * “Another lamppost “Hey, Dad! Make the idea, guaranteed to make outside of your home a gloripassers-by curious. Tie ous setting as lively and gaily wrapped Christmas cheerful as old St. Nick himpackages to the post, for self! With deft hand, and an Cover, Better Homes & Gardens Christmas seasonal street-side cheer.” Cover, Better Homes & Gardens Christmas Ideas, 1959. $7 to $10. Ideas, 1958. $7 to $10. eye for color, line and pro-
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(Above) “Judy & Jeff Companion,” spokeskids for Woman’s Home Companion, give “Do-It-Yourself Holiday Decorating” a try, in the December, 1954 issue. (Left) Three chalk carolers nestled next to a handmade Christmas tree, fashioned of gilded pinecones. Tree, 12 inches high, $3 to $5. (Right) “Musical Mice” holiday music box, crafted from varied components. The music box base plays “Silent Night”. 10-1/2 inches high, $10 to $15.
Felt reindeer stocking, net ruff, 27 inches long, $10 to $15.
exaggeration! “It’s The Holiday Season!” “Holiday decorations often belie their simple beginnings. It’s exciting to see what imagination can do with some of the prized household possessions that you find waiting for adornment. Start with things you have. Work magic with your ingenuity!” Better Homes & Gardens Christmas Ideas, 1958 When it came to Christmas creativity, no doit-yourself projects were too daunting for the magazine writers who dreamed them up, or for homemakers eager to give those projects a try. A few of the more unlikely (and time-consuming) from Better Homes & Gardens in the late ‘50s: * Regal Reindeer Wall Decorations. “Cut reindeer shapes out of scrap plywood, pad with cotton from baby’s changing table, then cover with glittery foil wrapping paper. Antlers are Manzanita branches, with tiny tree lights taped to the tip of each antler point.” * Klassy Kitchen DoorKnocker. “Gild an ordinary skillet and spoon, and transform them into a festive kitchen doorknocker. A shower of red tree ornaments, red satin ribbon, and holiday greens make for effective trimming.” * Klever Kitchen Counter Light. “Place votive candle in a brownie pan. Cover with a cheese grater. Fill pan with pine cones. Light candle for a gleaming kitchen accent!” * Perky Potato Ricer. “Silverspray mullen and aurelia leaves, combine with chartreuse and blue ornaments, and arrange in potato (Continued on page 2)