Happy Pink Saturday! I found these vintage ornaments in a little shop earlier in the week. I always try to add some vintage ornaments to my collection every year. Confession: I haven’t even begun to decorate yet. I don’t like to start until the second week of December. One of the ornaments is in my favorite color combination of aqua and pink.
Beverly has asked us to share one of our favorite memories of Christmas. Mine involves the magical world of Muirhead’s, our local department store in my hometown of Dearborn, Michigan. There were four children in our family, but for several years it was just my brother and me. Every Christmas, we would go there to see Santa. Muirhead’s designed this wonderful icy wonderland, rather like a giant igloo, with a train and all sorts of wonderful treats. You can see us on the train in the photo. My mother passed these on to me several years ago and they are very dear to me, especially since I lost my brother to cancer in 1991. Last year, I had them framed. My sisters came along later and their visits to Santa took place at other stores – I don’t know why. Maybe Muirhead’s stopped doing the Santaland? Eventually, Muirhead’s closed and went out of business. Luckily, I have these photos as a wonderful souvenir of those Christmas visits.
Please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound to see a list of everyone participating. We’ve got our first snow coming today and I am helping out at my friend’s shop but I promise I will visit all of you.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Love your vintage pink and aqua Christmas tree ball. I have started to decorate…this weekend will be full steam ahead for me. Happy weekend to you!
You can’t still be up, sugar!! I’m surfing and found you had posted already…unless you pre-scheduled. Lovely memory.
xoxo,
Connie
Oh Claudia…
Happy Pink Saturday sweetie. I so love this post. It is so precious. I love the memory pictures of you and your brother, and after losing him to cancer it allows you to pull from that book on the shelf in your brain, and read a memory. I love it sweetie. I just love it. Thank you for sharing. Have a beautiful Saturday.
Please pop over and let me share my pink post with you. You will so love it.
Country hugs and much love…Sherry
I love your aqua and pink also! So pretty sitting displayed in the bowl like that. Thanks for sharing your Christmas memory. Have a wonderful weekend!
Hugs, Patti
I have a confession too – I haven’t started putting up the Christmas decorations either.
The ornaments in the top pic ar e lovely. Thank you for sharing your story about Santa at Muirhead’s.
Happy pink satuday Claudia – have a wonderful week.
ciao for now,
Elena :)
PS: I have a Christmas giveaway on my blog :)
Great Christmas memory and picture of your family. Love your ornaments. I’m late decorating this year, so my ornaments are still packed….maybe I’ll have them next week…til then I’ve got SNOW on CollectInTexas Gal…see ya there…Sue
Beautiful vintage ornaments you’ve found. Thanks for sharing this beautiful childhood memory.
Have a wonderful weekend!
I absolutely love the photo, Claudia! And your vintage ornaments are beautiful! I look forward to seeing more of your decorations!
Have a wonderful Pink Saturday!
Hugs,
Marsha
Marcia, this is absolutely adorable! You are just as sweet and happy in that picture as you are now. What a treasure to have that shot and those memories of the Santaland Express. I lost my favorite cousin to cancer when I was 15, and he was like a brother to me. Every Christmas (except when we were sick) were spent together with our cousins who were like brothers to us. (Mama had girls, and my aunt had boys!)
Love your vintage ornies you found. I like that same color combo you like. So glad you found these!
Happy Pink Saturday!
XO,
Sheila :-)
Happy Pink Saturday, Claudia!! I love your post…what wonderful memories…The picture is priceless! I love aqua and pink, too!!! Add a little chocolate brown, and you’re playing my song!!! I haven’t started decorating either. Next weekend will be THE weekend. I’m still making a few ornaments for the tree. Happy PINK Saturday!!!
Hugs,
Marilyn
Happy Pink Saturday!! It’s so fun to read everyone’s memories!! I loved that Beverly had us do this!!
On this first Saturday of December ♥Jappy Pink Saturday♥. I was away for a while and sure missed running around the blogs arnd seeing all of the goodies everyone was sharing.
Thanks for the memory…
It was a blessing for you to make my morning so much fun. Hoping that you and those you care about spend a wonderful weekend making memories that will last a lifetime☺
Claudia,
There is just something so lovely about vintage balls, even if they are a little tarnished or in perfect condition, makes no difference to me. I love collecting them in the colors of pinks and greens. I love your with the aqua touch. I also like the pottery bowl that you have used to display them.
Your memory of the department store is great. I remember having my picture made with Santa and riding home in a taxicab with loads
of shopping bags.
Thanks for sharing and Happy Pink Saturday.
What a wonderful picture and memory, I am glad you have that one to think of when you think of your brother. It really seems holiday perfect. Happy PS, love your aqua and pink!
Marie @ Lemondrop ViNtAge
Charmed giveaway!
Hi Claudia and I’m glad you still have the picture and the sweet memories of you and your brother enjoying the magic of Christmas as a family. Hugs, Mollye
I love your Christmas story and your vintage ornaments are gorgeous – a real treasure. You are fortunate to have the photos to go with the memories. Have a wonderful pink Saturday and a great holiday season.
Sam
What a wonderful story of Christmas’s past. The photo is a real treasure. Love the vintage ornaments. I too have decorated the tree yet. But we did get the outside lights up yesterday.
Happy Pink Saturday.
:)
Hi Claudia!
I love your vintage ornaments and photograph – so many precious memories come rushing back this time of year, and each one makes the season that much more wonderful.
I haven’t started decorating yet either. I don’t want to cut a tree until closer to Christmas because I don’t want the tree to dry out. But I might open up the Christmas trunk today and put a few favorites out. You’ve inspired me!
Have a beautiful weekend!
Zuzu
What a wonderful memory. It is so sad that most of the great old independent department stores are long gone.
Christi @ A Southern Life
Oh, Claudia, I love your aqua and pink ornament! As you know, those are my favourite colour combinations too. What a wonderful Christmas memory you ‘ve shared, especially with your dear brother. Christmas can be bitter sweet sometimes, but what lovely memories to pull off your memory shelf, eh? Thank you for sharing and please stop by and see my pink and aqua tree. Happy Pink Saturday to you.
Blessings,
Sandi
The ornaments are really special – I love vintage things and thinking about the family they used to “belong” to. And I appreciated your picture of you and your family at Muirhead’s. Sorry to hear about your loss of your brother.
I haven’t started decorating yet, either, but maybe today?! DH still has to bring the stuff down from the attic. We are enjoying our first dusting of snow here.
Happy Pink Saturday!
Claudia, this photo is priceless. I so enjoyed reading your childhood memory. I remember when department stores had special Santa areas set up on a specific floor. We would visit Santa and the entire area was like a fantasy land. Now the malls have a Santa out in the main areas. It’s just not the same! LOL
Your ornaments are wonderful! ~ Sarah
Oh Claudia!!! I just love your dear Christmas memory at the Muirhead’s department store and the black and white photo of your “then” family is precious! Thank you for sharing this priceless post and your lovely vintage ornaments on Pink Saturday! Hugs, Coralie
Thank you for sharing your sweet memory, it made me remember my visits to santa, and how magical it was when we were young, Its just not the same anymore. AND LOVE LOVE your vintage bulbs, I have an eye out all the time for them, I have some that have been passed down to me, but would love a tree full of them. Happy Pink Saturday
Oh what a sweet memory! I was thinking as I read your post that they just don’t decorate like they used to! Such a shame!
Hugs,
Jacalyn
Wonderful ornaments – I remember having those on our tree when I was little (wish I had them now).
Such a wonderful picture and sweet memories. Cute coat you had on for the picture – love it!
I love that expression on your face – you look so excited! What a sweet holiday memory – thanks for sharing it. -amy
Love that picture of you with your family. I bet it looks wonderful framed. Pretty vintage ornaments, one more week til you decorate? Have fun! Pink Blessings!
Gwen
Oh what a sweet picture. You all look like movie stars! How precious that you have this to remember your brother by. Enjoy your memories Claudia and have a wonderfully pink holiday season!
Loved your sweet photo and story and I love those gorgeous vintage ornaments. Happy Pinks and have a lovely weekend.
Hi, Claudia,
Your vintage ornaments are so pretty and bring back memories when I look at them! I have not begun decorating either but will soon get started. That picture of your family is so precious, and I loved hearing your memories of the department store where you were photographed. Happy Pink Saturday to you! Vicki
Claudia,
I’m getting a late start today. I went antiquing with friends. You would not believe the McCoy and Roseville I saw and the vintage ornaments.
Your ornaments are beautiful. Happy Pink Saturday!
Carol
Hi Claudia,
Such a cute photo of you and your brother and mom and dad. Love those old ones that bring back great memories.
I love those vintage ornies too!!
Have a great week and fun decorating too!
Very pretty ornaments. I loved hearing about your Christmas memories. Very nicely done.
Muirheads sounds fabulous! I’d love to go to an old-fashioned store that one someday. Love those ornaments – I daren’t have anything glass or vintage (wish I could) but I’m so clumsy I’m the Kiss Of Death to them.
Happy Pink Saturday!
Happy Pink Saturday! Very nice post! My favorite colors are pink & aqua too! You have great taste! ;-)
Claudia, what an awesome photgraph. WHat a great looking family! Your brother was a cutie pie and so were you! What fun! Happy Pink Saturday! What a great childhood memory…BEcs
Beautiful ornaments Claudia! I would have scooped them up too. Your photo is precious. You surely look like your Mom! Your Dad was VERY handsome too! Happy Pink Saturday and have a great weekend, maybe you’ll get inspired to get some decorating done?!
Claudia, I love your vintage bulbs! They look so pretty sitting in the bowl . . . I’d say you’re off to a good decorating start!
I love that photo of your family . . . you look so much like your mother. What a wonderful memory!
Thanks so much for sharing and Happy Pink Saturday!
Hugs,
Teresa
Hello Claudia,
It’s been a while :-) . . .
Vintage Christmas ornaments – – – they do look so pretty in the bowl. And each are different. But definitely belong together.
And oooohh you are so adorable Claudia! :-) I love the family picture and the story that goes with it. This is such a sweet remembrance.
It’s all like in the movies where I can see little children with their parents in line to get a chance to sit with santa :-) It’s not much of a practice here.
BUt what I love most is that the four of you went there and spend the time together.Look! I can see very much in your face you were very very happy :-)
Mizpah,
Li
what a fantastic memory to share and how lucky to have the photographs
Happy Pinks, Claudia! Your vintage ornaments are so pretty! Great finds!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful and sweet holiday memory with us today. The photos are so precious.
xoxo
Tina
What a lovely memory, Claudia. How wonderful you have the photo to help you remember it. I hope you are having a wonderful day and are looking forward to the holiday ahead.
What a sweet picture Claudia!….How wonderful to have that special picture with your brother. I’m so sorry you lost him to cancer. What a horrible disease it is.
I had no idea you grew up in Dearborn! My parents are from Redford, so not too far away. How fortunate for you to be able to visit Greenfield Village so easily. I was able to visit many years ago and was totally enamored. What a fabulous museum. I hope to be able to go back someday.
Ohhhhhh……..your Christmas balls in that bowl…..Would you like to pop that bowl into the mail for me? You have the BEST pottery….and I love seeing it.
Hugs,
Spencer
Oh Claudia
What a treasured photo and memories! I love them, it could be a postcard. And those ornaments, well it goes without saying how much I love them.
Enjoy you memories, old and new.
Leann
Hi Claudia, wonderful memory! Wow I started thinking of all the stores that used to be in business that are no longer..so happy you have these wonderful pictures. Thats one thing I don’t have are a lot of pictures, mom has those I suppose..we have all moved so much theya re deeply hidden and that would be a good project this winter.
Thanks for visiting my memory. I always like to say we did not have Norman Rockwell holiday. ever. But they were OUR holidays and still fond memories!
Have a great week!
Claudia, I have never liked change and there seems to be lots of it happening now. I think your family looks beautiful on the train and getting ready for santa. I am sorry you lost your brother, but I bet photos like this helps. So much love and warmth, Happy PInk Saturday, Char
What a great picture of your family and such a great memory too! It seems like the perfect place to go visit as a child! Happy late PS! Suzie
Claudia-
Thank you so much for visiting my blog and leaving such a lovely message. I love your blog and will be a frequent visitor.
Claudia, This was such a lovely and sweet memory. I love that we keep our memories in such a precious place in our hearts. Happy very belated pink Saturday.
♥, Susan
Great picture and memory..Claudia!!! What an adorable picture!!!
Smiles,
Joy~
Happy Pink Saturday, Claudia. I see you got your snow, and it is beautiful.
I love this picture of your family. You and your brother were beautiful children. I believe I had a similar coat when I was about the same age.
Your ornaments are gorgeous. I can’t wait to see your decorations.
It reminds me of A Christmas Story, which reminds me of my little girl Christmas. The ornaments, the sleigh, the clothing.
Such a pleasure to visit, Claudia.
I read many posts, as usual, and now am wondering if there is moss on our roof??? Oh, my. Converted southerners living back up north in the sticks have much to learn. I did have to clean the mold off the white paint on the front railings before putting up the Christmas decorations. Oh, part of them, we are so not decorated yet. Glad to hear y’all are still waiting a bit, too.
Thanks for my aqua/pink fix!!! :-)
I love old family photos. How special that you have these. And your vintage ornaments remind me of some that I had as a child.
Love your vintage ornaments! I never got to go to Muirheads :(
It sounds wonderful and a great memory to have! (We only live about 20 minutes from Dearborn)
What a wonderful old photo to have, Claudia. I know how special that must be to you. Your ornaments are beautiful. They remind me of the ornaments my mom used to have on our tree.. Alas, so many were broken over the years… Donna
Thank you for sharing your special memories of your family. You and your brother and parents look so adorable in that photo. Love your vintage ornaments too. just lovely.