December 2, 2011

Have an Aluminum Christmas This Year!

It's the return of Grandma's Regal Sapphire aluminum tree, with the tinsel mechanically attached for that perfect hi-tech look!

Ahhh, all those Christmas seasons that I remember helping Grandma set-up and decorate this very tree. And what a spectacle it was, displayed in the corner of the living room near the kitchen entryway. The color wheel light endlessly casting reflections of red, blue and green, dance on the silvery needles. Soon it would be sheltering a colorful horde of presents, professionally wrapped ones by the retailers too!

When the first aluminum trees burst upon the scene in the 1950's, many people scoffed at the idea, and only treated as a fad by others. But not my Grandma. Unlike the nay-sayers and scoffers who never understood, Grandma "got it." And fortunately for later-comers like me, she still got it well into the 1970's so that I too could honestly claim that I had "gotten it" as well.

Today the Tree made of aluminum tinsel is enjoying renewed acceptance, not so much as a kitschy fad but more and more as trendy stylin'. In fact the trend has been gaining enough momentum that retails have taken notice and have been offering brand new renditions of the metallic icon in a whole host of color variations. What was old is new again!

So here's to you, Grandma and your forward-thinkingness... and thank you for all those memories you made that still keep me going forward today!

3 comments:

Mick said...

How very lucky you are to have your Grandmothers tree! When My Grandmother passed away in 1999 my 9 year old self picked out a few thigns from her estate. A sunburst clock, the Aluminum Christmas tree, and Some platic cups that had burlap in them - AND MOM PROMPTLY THREW THAT "TACKY CRAP" AWAY... It was just 2 years ago I snagged my 4ft pine on Ebay, and I love it. Infact if you can see it in pictures from our Thanksmass here! http://egtmicks.blogspot.com/2011/12/thanksmass-1957.html

Amber Von Felts said...

Wow, to not only have an original alum. tree but to have your grandmas! That is a priceless family heirloom in my book :-)

Space Commander said...

Grandma was the best! She lived through the Depression, so she was more prone to keep anything she ever owned. So like Mick I have my Grandparents' old sunburst clock too. But her set of burlap plastic cups, she used those forever until they all eventually broke or fell apart. I can live with that ;)

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