December 22, 2012

Saturday Snapshots: Christmas 2012 edition






{Oh what I - and a great many of you - wouldn't give to have this fabulous prop for use in our own family portrait Christmas cards.}




{The stockings were hung by the silverware chest with care, in the hopes that St. Nicolas soon would be there.}




{It's matching holiday outfits all around for this trio of sisters, with little brother coordinating quite nicely, too, in his festive red plaid shirt.}




{A family eagerly awaits their festive feast in this super easy to relate to image from December 1949.}




{The weather outside might be a touch frightful, but that isn't stopping this group of 1950s youngsters from belting out Christmas carols with all their might.}




{Three generations, spanning junior through grandpa, pitch in to help trim the tree in this classic slice-of-life shot from 1954.}




{The holidays can sure take a lot out of you at times, no matter how cute and - normally - rambunctious a cowboy you are.}




{In this heartwarming photo titled "Mom and Kat", a mother dressed in pale blue gazes down lovingly at her her baby, creating an image that cannot help but make one think of the classic nativity scene.}


{Group shots are a standard must when the family gathers for the holidays, and this black and white portrait 1959 embodies the spirit of so many like it that have been taken over the years: a range of ages, expressions, and excitement levels captured forever on film.}




{With wide-eyed wonderment a darling little girl looks up at the towering Christmas tree, a doll - perhaps a new present - cradled in her arms, as all the innocence and wonder of youth radiates from her sweet face.}


{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}


 


Good years do not necessarily come often or easy. Like bumper harvests, blue moons and spirit bears, they sometimes elude for a very long time. This year however, when all (minus the nine remaining days) was said and done, was a very good one. It ushered in much needed change, brought increased happiness, moved thousands of miles, set up a new home, spend countless hours with beloved relatives, made new friends, thrifted and yard saled, baked, photographed and poised, blogged, created, dreamed, cried tears of joy, laughed, and celebrated.

For there was - and still is - much to be grateful for, and never has this year, or the approaching holiday season, looked more beautiful than it does right now, the twinkling gleam of holiday lights waltzing in the background, the smell of gingerbread cookies and hot cocoa wafting through the air.

Christmas has indeed waved its magic wand over this place, this grand and glorious world of ours, but this year, for Tony and I, it didn't have to work as hard or wave as vigorously as it often has. The universe had already sprinkled its own generous dose of wonder over us and set our hearts ablaze with smiles and gratitude.

As 2012 winds down and Christmas looms just three sleeps away, I am acutely aware that years like this are a rarity. The tough ones always return. Yet swept up in the merriment of the season, tummy full of festive eats, Bing crooning us with carols from the record player, I can't help but look at life through Christmas rose coloured glasses and view the world as a very lovely place these days.

It is my sincerest hope that, no matter the year you've had up until this point, the holidays and these last tinsel covered days of December will leave you each feeling as though all is merry and bright, and more than a little bit beautiful, too.

19 comments:

  1. Just to give you a heads up I have mentioned your previous post in my latest one!

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  2. Oh, I love the little cowboy who appears asleep next to his Mr. Machine!!

    I hope that this Christmas is warm and wonderful for you both!

    xoxo
    -Janey

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  3. 2012 has not been so kind to me but since Armageddon did not happen on December 21st I'm hopeful 2013 will be better. Compliments of the Season to you and Tony and your family.

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  4. Very festive:) I love seeing these colorful photographs and it's so nice to see families in a festive mood:))

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  5. oh my god how adorable are this vintage christmas photos! so dreamy and beautiful!
    darling i wish you great holidays!!!
    kiss,mary

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  6. 2012 has been a heck of a year. But I have to keep thinking about how blessed I am. I have family in my life that at one time was estranged. Not all of 2012 was bad.

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    1. You've had such an immensely challenging year, Sean. I admire your strength and fortitude immensely. From the bottom of my heart, I truly hope that 2013 is infinitely better for you and your family.

      ♥ Jessica

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  7. These pictures are amazing! I love your thoughts at the end. Definitely looking back on the past year and reflecting on all the good things :-)

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  8. These images are wonderful!
    I wish you a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
    http://balearaitzart.blogspot.com.au/

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  9. Oh such beauty and warmth I felt from those photos! My fave is of the cowboy napping hehe My first son did that last christmas. I found him sleeping on a kitchen rug with a gingerbread man in his hand haha omg too cute! xox

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  10. What fun photos, Jessica. My favorite is the one of the kids playing outside...the boy in the front looking at the vapor from his breath!

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  11. Lovely, warm and candid photos. I thank God everyday that we are healthy, together and that my husband has a job. We are doing a lot better this year and I am extremely grateful for it.

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  12. Lovely photos - the first one is my favourite. I'm glad that you have had such a good year to look back on, you're right about there being plenty of the other sort so it's great when the good ones come along.

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  13. Lovely photos, thank you for sharing. I always love vintage photos from real life, instead of all those glamour photos and pinups. Wishing you a Merry Christmas, dear. :)

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  14. Priceless photos, and each in its own right special. May your Christmas be filled with joy and wonder and your New Year bring abundant good health and happiness!

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  15. What beautiful thoughts, nicely expressed. I admire your wise attitude toward life, with its joys and hardships.

    Old photos like these amuse me greatly; I have a box full of my own from a childhood in the Fifties and Sixties. There is so much we can see in them and they have a poignance beyond measure.

    I'm glad you had a good year. Best wishes for the next one.

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  16. Dearest Jessica, as with most years there have been ups and downs but this indeed was one filled with many more ups and I am ever so grateful for them. I know the downs will return but I have made some new friends along the blog land path and they fill my heart with joy that might otherwise have been missed. Those friendships will sustain me and make me stronger over the years to come... thanks for being one of those new and dear friends my sweet!
    Happiest of Holidays and wishes for a bright shiny start to the new year!
    Hugs,
    Beth P

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  17. Totally had a great time looking at these great photos Jessica :) Hope u have a happy and healthy 2013...love your blog!

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