Holiday Nostalgia...

Quicken Anja · December 2

Happy December, and with it we bring you some—✨ Holiday Nostalgia Icebreaker ✨

Every year, the holidays bring out memories I didn’t even realize were still tucked away in my brain. Especially when it comes to decorations. Growing up, our Christmas tree always had tinsel—not the classy, evenly placed kind, but the “grab a handful and toss it at the tree” method. We also had those old-school multicolored lights and the infamous bubble lights that fascinated me as a kid. I remember staring at them like they were tiny lava lamps. Now, as an adult—I’m convinced they are one of the most questionable décor choices ever made… but I still smile when I think about them.

Here's a photo of the bubble lights, courtesy of Google:

What’s one holiday décor item, tradition, or memory from your childhood that instantly takes you back?
Was it charming, strange, chaotic, or something you didn’t realize was weird until you grew up? Share your nostalgia below—bonus points for pictures, if you have them! 🎄✨

Quicken Kristina · December 2

For me, it would be Stan and Doug Yust go Nuts at Christmas. It was Dad's go to Christmas music album on Christmas day.

Quicken Alyssa · December 2

I love your posts, they definitely bring back some memories!

I have so many nostalgic holiday memories, but one childhood tradition was making those construction-paper chains at school. We’d glue them together in class, proudly carry them home, and then hang them up so we could tear off one link each day until Christmas. Honestly, half the time the chain fell apart before we even made it to December 10th, but we never complained about putting it back together.

And don’t even get me started on Advent calendars. I always promised myself I’d open just one little chocolate a day… and yet somehow the entire left side of the calendar would mysteriously “disappear” within the first week. 😅

Funny how those tiny traditions end up sticking with us the most.

Palace · December 2

Well, I guess it would be Christmas lights and "Rabbit Poop"? 🙊 Nice little town I live in (most of the time). What irks me though for the last 25 or 30 years the predominate, official Christmas decorations this little town uses are Large, White Blub lit snowflake lights. On the main drag, from one end of town to the other. It's getting OLD, at least to me, but I guess majority like it? I remember 60 - 70 years ago this town strung Multi-Colored Large Bulb Christmas Lights zig-zagging all down the main street. They looked Great to me, very festive 🎁🌃 Reminiscent of the Season. Now, on to rabbit poop. In small park occasionally the town had a Living manger scene. You know, the Baby Jesus, Joseph and Mary, the Shephard's, 3 Wise Men. Also of course, don't forget the animals. The manger scene here (best I remember since I was only about 3 years old) had a donkey, cow, chickens, and for some reason a rabbit. Did they keep rabbits around the houses back then. Anyway, had rabbit here. I noticed the rabbit had little round acorn like things around his little area. I ask Dad, "What are those little round things around the rabbit?", Reply was, "Son, that is rabbit poop." " Wow, I replied, I sure didn't know they did it that way?" So there you have it, Old timey, festive Christmas lights, Manger Scenes and Rabbit Poop, they instantly take me back to those Christmas Days of Yore 😉🤣

John_in_NC · December 2

Interesting. I guess my memories were typical, and in my case helping the family go down the crawlspace hatch to fetch the typical Christmas decorations of that era. Nothing fancy, outside of all the personalized ornaments my mother had made/were given to us. Being in the midwest then, it was usually chilly out. It was fun as a kid.

I also had childhood friends with welcoming families, so I was lucky I could go to their homes as they lit the candles on their Chanukia. I felt I felt honored and showed respect to be invited to their various religious events.

As I aged, the whole assembly/disassembly of holiday decorations got old real fast :-) Putting up is fun, but taking down is a drag. So, I toned it down. My basement is devoid of stored decorations now. . .except for one I chose to keep:

This was your typical ceramic tree seniors made in the 70s, and it is easy to put up/take down. It reminds me of her/home, and I now keep it in my kitchen each year.

NotACPA · December 3

For many years (mid-1970's - early 1990's) our tree was a live Norfolk Island Pine, about 3 feet tall.

For the holidays, we'd decorate it with small white ribbons and tiny ornaments. The rest of the year it was a plant in our living room.

Made set-up and take-down quite easy … and no dead needles to deal with!

Pedro504 · December 8

Our small tree with Bubble Lights. One of our favorite memories resurrected when we found bubble lights at a local store.

skeleton567 · December 10

I grew up in a beautiful old two-story farmhouse where we had our Christmas tree in the large front room. We for years had the bubble lights from the time they were first available. My Lionel electric train, circa 1948 vintage, was usually moved from my upstairs bedroom to run around its circular track under the tree. That same Lionel now 77 years old runs around my son's tree each year.

We did always have the original old tinsel on our tree, and usually it was carefully removed and stored away for the next year. Our trees in those days were always live, usually the long-needle pine variety.

Frankx · December 12

My favorite Christmas "tradition" as a child was the visit we received from good old Saint Nick on Christmas eve.

The Jolly old soul would come to our home and the six of us would each climb up on Santa's lap and tell him what we wanted for Christmas. The strange thing was that Santa would always have laryngitis every year, and he could not talk out loud. Santa would whisper in our Dad's ear and he would "ask" questions for Santa, like - have you been good, or what presents do you want, and do you say your nighttime every night?

As we grew up, we eventually realized what was happening, but made sure to "play along" for the younger kids. Looking back, I kind of miss those visits, but the memories always make me feel happy.

Frankx

Quicken Anja · December 12

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20527318#Comment_20527318

Haha, I love the “laryngitis Santa” twist! 😆 Your dad must have been the best Santa translator ever. Those kinds of quirky family traditions are the best—they make the holidays feel extra special. Thanks for sharing that—it gave me a good laugh and a warm fuzzy feeling at the same time!

Palace · December 22

Gee, thought more members would post on this topic. Anyway, just saw commercial about Christmas decorations for this 2025 generation. In it's own way, I could see why it could be somewhat popular now, with the short attention span of some. You might have seen it, but commercial goes like this. Just take the Christmas Tree you bought out of box, extend it to full height, then pull material down that's packed in bundle at Top of Tree. Then, "VOILA'", a green cloth instantly covers Tree from top to bottom, with all Christmas lights, decorations already installed. You then just plug it in, and instantly Christmas light are a'blinking', and your Christmas Tree is one and done! 🎀🎁😯

Quicken Kristina · December 22

Decorating the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve has always been a tradition in my family, so a pre-decorated tree wouldn't go over well at my house. I can see how it could be a time saver for those who want to make things look festive, but don't have the time to decorate though.

Holiday Nostalgia...

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