.
..is a good old fashioned department store and the Santa Claus to go
with it. There is nothing like Christmas to send us back in time. More
and more, I long for the excitement of the annual drive to downtown
Birmingham, Alabama. My mother would make sure that my two older sisters
and I were warmly dressed for the great ooohhhh and aaaah stroll outside Loveman's and Pizitz's
enchanted windows. What we beheld were the most detailed interiors with
busy kitchens, Christmas trees, dining tables all populated with
moving figures dressed in intiricately designed Victorian costumes. Then
there were exteriors of villages with horses and carriages or early
automobiles and trains. Some years there were ballet dancers and
nutcrackers. I wish I could find a book about these displays.
Hum....Google start your engines!My last trip there was probably in the
mid seventies when my older son was about four years old. The malls were
on the prowl all over the surrounding suburbs, gobbling up one great
tradition after another. The mall versions were never like the downtown
namesakes. They never had the charm and personality, never had the
Christmas windows, toy departments, or Santa Clauses. Once those
flagships sank, a very special Christmas magic disappeared from the
Magic City. Fortunately, my mother was one to embrace the experience
which has been so endearingly celebrated in the classic film A CHRISTMAS
STORY, and I have these pictures to spark some wondrous winter memories.Sisters Sue (left) & Anita (top)
and Marnie on Santa's lap.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
..is a good old fashioned department store and the Santa Claus to go
with it. There is nothing like Christmas to send us back in time. More
and more, I long for the excitement of the annual drive to downtown
Birmingham, Alabama. My mother would make sure that my two older sisters
and I were warmly dressed for the great 
7 comments:
Bless you, Darling.
How right you are, FireLight! I still like to see the large department store windows in London whenever the chance arises; Liberty and Selfridges, even if they are no longer quite the same. Sadly, Santa too can no longer be as he was. {Big sigh}!
Have a wonderful Christmas.
What lovely memories. Did you eat at the department store automat? I thought the little individual servings in the locked windows were just too special. Wonderful photos.
Tom, and bless you and your troublesome knee!
Derrick, one of my dream trips is to be in England & Scotland during the Christmas holidays. I know that New York and London still have tradtional department stores, but what about Edinburgh? Maybe one year in the near future I will get my chance. I can say that this year would have been a bad one judging from the weather reports out of England!
Tess, these two stores had full restaurants on their mezzanines. One could look out on the first floor shoppers while enjoying lunch or a dessert with tea or coffee. The Colonel still longs for the lemon pie served at Pizitz's.
You're so right, much of the magic and wonder has been lost. Beautiful photos - the expressions on the faces say it all. I also absolutely love the painting on your header!
If you'd like a virtual tour of London's christmas windows, I've just posted some photos taken the day before yesterday (in an attempt to recover some christmas spirit after our holiday plans for Vienna were ruined by the pathetic chaos at UK airports).
Meanwhile I wish you and yours a peaceful and happy Christmas. All best wishes,
Karen.
I hope you have the most wonderful Christmas! I'm so glad you are my bloggy friend!
Enjoy your family!
~Betsy
xxoo
Merry Christmas, Firelight ~ from my house to yours. Hope it fills your heart with gladness. xo
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