Christmas Stories Throughout The Years | What Christmas Looked Like Growing Up in the 1970s

Growing up in the 1970s, Christmas was filled with simple traditions, big family gatherings, and the kind of magic you only realize later in life. Real trees, handmade ornaments, tinsel everywhere and time spent together, shaped some of my favorite childhood memories.

Every year, my family would drive up into the Santa Cruz Mountains to cut down a real Christmas tree. Once we brought it home, my dad would throw a rope over the rafters in the garage and hang the tree upside down for a few days so the sap could drip out. That moment always felt like Christmas officially beginning.

When it was time to decorate, my dad carried the boxes into the house, but the decorating itself was always just my mom and me. Most of our ornaments were handmade. Sadly, I do not have any of those ornaments today. My mom lost them years ago, and I still wish I had them.

I remember my mom carefully hanging strands of tinsel one at a time, slowly and thoughtfully. And then there was me. I was the girl who threw the tinsel on in clumps so I could get it done fast. Somehow, it always looked perfect anyway.

I’ll be sharing more Christmas stories from growing up tomorrow.