Restoring Christmas Memories
Secret Santa Blog Hop
Return to the main blog hop page and directions here.
On Thanksgiving this year, my sister brought me a very special gift, a
restored Christmas toy. Patty Playpal was a three-foot tall doll who could
actually stand up all on her own (if you posed her just right.) The Christmas I
got her, my grandmother even made me a dress to match Patty’s. She was my
companion whenever I played house. I have a picture of the two of us playing together (I'm on the right, in case you can't tell us apart).
Patty, however, had two defects related to her construction.
Her head and arms were connected together by some very strong rubber bands.
Because of her size, I first tried to drag her around by wrapping an arm around her neck
and pulling. Her neck extended and then retracted, pinching my arm. I learned
quickly to avoid doing that. Her arms also had tendency of disconnecting from the rubber
band.
My sister and a friend also decided that Patty needed a
haircut, and they obliged her. The first picture is obviously prior to the "trim."
When we found her in the attic after my mother passed,
Patty wasn’t in good shape—slightly bald, armless, and with about forty years
of neglect.
The restoration was phenomenal. Patty’s head and arms were
reconnected, her face repainted with just the right amount of blush, given some
new clothes, and her hair trimmed and styled (such an "in" feather cut). She’s now resplendent, as you can
see here. My sister gave me more than just a restored doll. She also presented
me with some restored memories of Christmas past.
Secret Santa Blog Hoppers:
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though.
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Send info all in one email.
Return to the main blog hop page and directions here.
28 comments:
For me it's huge dollhouses and those life size dolls lol
GFC: Cassandra Hicks
Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
cassandrahicks1989@yahoo.com
Growing up, there was a decoration that was a freestanding white reindeer with an elf riding it (plastic head, red felt suit). That always signified the start of the Christmas season when that came out of the attic and into the living room. Today, it still gets put out (now as a 'classic' decoration).
rowanworth (at) comcast.net
Cassandra:
I never had a dollhouse. How cool that would've been!
Rowan:
If you'd like to post a picture of your elf, check out my Virtual Holiday Party Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/VirtualOutrageousSweaterParty
My Barbie Dreamhouse brings back good memories. Followed. Happy Holidays,
Lasha
mslasha at gmail dot com
Lasha:
I ALWAYS wanted a Barbie Dreamhouse! One Christmas I got a college campus set instead (complete with dorm room and malt shop). Interesting, now that I think about it, no classrooms!
My Barbie Dreamhouse brings back good memories
parisfan_ca@yahoo.com
My favorite doll was Baby Go Bye-Bye. She was a blonde haired baby who had a car she drove in. (battery operated.) I loved that doll. I named her Shannon and pierced her ears. lol
kmnbooks at yahoo dot com
I'm following the blog, too.
i still have my wind up music box stuffed dog i got when i was a baby and it still plays
gfc kimberly
kaholgate at ymail dot com
Kimberly, what a great keepsake. Karen, a car-driving doll, I love it! And Laurie, I'm with you on a Barbie dreamhouse!
Jem Dolls and cabbage patch dolls.
angelheart618@gmail.com
I still have my Teddy Ruxspin...I absolutely loved him as a kid.
GFC: Crissy M
morris.crissy@gmail.com
What a precious gift,,have to wonder what you got her....it is sweet when you can still be so close and caring.We were poor which meant lots of hand me downs, so I was so thrilled when Christmas moring I got brand new coloring books and abig box of Crayola crayons. To this day I remember that morning every time I smell crayons or feel the smoothness of a new book
following you will be fun
peach_hugs@yahoo.com
Mydurango618, I'm too old for the cabbage patch dolls, but both my boys had them (we were very progressive parents). Chrissy, I hadn't thought of Teddy Ruxpin in years. How fun! Leena7, it's amazing how a scent can be associated with a memory, isn't it?
Liese
The Cabbage Patch I received when I was ten!
Thanks for the Awesome Hop!
grapeapril75(AT)gmail.com
Wow, that's a huge doll. I still keep my dead wristwatch because it was a gift from my parents.
bituin76 at hotmail dot com
Mine also is barbies. I loved Barbie and the Rockers and especially the male doll named Derek. I got all of the dolls.
Thanks for the great hop.
I follow on gfc-magic5905
magic5905 at embarqmail dot com
Hello, thanks for the giveaway! I never got one of those, but I always wanted one.
skizzles_22_hju@yahoo.com
Every Christmas my mom digs out our special blankets or stuffed animals we had as children. Mine is the ugliest thing ever, but it was all mine. It is a stuffed skunk my mom bought at a yard sale for 5 cents when I was just a little girl.
My special Christmas memory is a gaudy sparkly ring - just glass - but I must have been 3 or 4 and have a memory of waking up early on Christmas day and my folks and I sitting in the lounge and watching it catch the light and cast sparkles on the walls. My parents marriage wasn't the happiest, so this is a very precious memory for me :)
I have a bear that is packed away with my stuff somewhere, I used to cut it's fur because I swore it grew and one day it got burnt when I left it on the radiator and my gamma patched Teddy up for me.
GFC follower
z
Seawitchreviews at yahoo dot com
I love the winter holidays and don't care if the stuff starts coming out in Sept. It's fun in July when Hallmark and Lifetime play Christmass movies :-)
I can't think of a specific item that we have that says the holidays have started. You story was wonderful. What a great sister you have!
What an awesome hop!! And a fantastic giveaway! Thank you!! My dad got my sister and me a barbie house once for christmas. It was awesome! We played with it for years, destroyed it a bit and then packed it away. This was about 10+ years ago. My dad was cleaning and found the house. We cleaned and fixed it up and gave it to my dads niece. She loves it! Happy holidays to you all! Best wishes and many blessings!
GFC: shadow_kohler
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
a snowman that sits on the stairwell. Love that little guy
gfc Elie
zenfoxflowerATyahooDOTcom
Wow! I've been busy at work, but have enjoyed reading everyone's holiday memories. And isn't so interesting it can be as simple as a glass ring? There's a lesson in there somewhere.
Liese
Nice Pictures. Thanks for sharing the great post
Happy Holidays
BeckeyWhiteATgmailDOTcom
Following
Can't recall a specif toy. *pouts*
Hope you have a merry Christmas!! Enjoyed you memories/story.
I follow via GFC -brbalways and twitter @watijo3
Nice memories.
No special item that brings back memories.
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Just this week, my great niece found the Light Brite set that I remember getting the Christmas I was 8 & my sister was 5. Wow, did that bring back memories.
drainbamaged.gyzmo at gmail.com
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