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Christmas during the 1960s. Where do we even begin? Such a special time of the year, but I don’t know if it ever felt more magical than it did back then. The video below reminded me of some things I’d forgotten about, and it took me right back to the holiday season as a youngster. 🙂
The start of the Christmas season began the day that the Christmas catalogs arrived in the mail. Remember these? The Sears catalog would show up, and us kids would go through circling everything we wanted Santa to bring us! There was always so much to see — things like an Etch-A-Sketch, G.I. Joe doll, and Easy-Bake Oven — and it brought so much joy.
Some of the best Christmas specials came about during this decade. You had to plan ahead to watch them as they were only broadcast once during the season. Nothing got you into the spirit of the holiday like watching variety shows hosted by the likes of Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and Andy Williams where we could hear the most cherished Christmas songs of all time being sung.
The 1960s were also the beginning of animated shows that would soon become traditions of the season. The holiday specials schedule would be announced on the television, and the month of December was suddenly all planned out! Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was an instant classic and is still a favorite today. And no Christmas is complete without a viewing of A Charlie Brown Christmas!
Let’s not forget about the sounds of the time. The Christmas carols and music heard over the radio or in department stores bring me back like nothing else! From Andy Williams and Brenda Lee to Elvis Presley, so many albums were released with artists putting their own spins on some old favorites.
The holiday traditions made for some of the most cherished time with family leading up to the big day. Decorating the house and tree, taking family photos, sending out Christmas cards, and baking cookies were all part of the fun. And it made the wait that much easier!
What do you remember most about Christmas during the 60s? I think the video says it best: It’s when the magic of Christmas really was magical. 🙂
