Savoring the Season ~ The Joys of Toys

Yesterday I did some Christmas shopping for grandson, Jaxson.

It went something like this.

Grandma comfortable in her bathrobe (coffee at hand).

Links being sent via text from Jaxson's parents.

Grandma marveling at the toy's that appeal to 3 year old boys in 2016.

Grandma clicking a few buttons to order gifts which will arrive on her doorstep in a matter of days.

No need for getting dressed, fighting traffic or standing in long lines.

Grandma is reminded (once again) how the times they are a changin'.

So, while I'm making attempts at changing along with the times (would you believe I sent my first text just last week on the smart phone we finally caved in and bought), my sentimental side still surfaces now and then.  Perhaps especially at Christmastime.

During the big attic cleanout last month, a collection of my own childhood toys was unearthed.

Hello Barbie dolls and Raggedy Ann & Andy collection.

The collection was culled.

The pony tail Barbies had to go.

Was I the only little girl who just had to comb that long hair?

The resulting bald on top head was a bit disturbing and impossible to return them to their former beauty.

The bubble cuts, on the other hand, were still looking pretty good after all these years.

While I enjoyed the hair grooming aspect, I'm not sure the bathing ever happened.  After 45 years or so, it seemed like the right idea.

A spa night was in order.

While the gals enjoyed their spa time I did up their laundry.

Most of my Barbie clothes were handmade by the neighborhood moms for the Christmas bazaar (circa 1960 something).

Most of them went.

The few real authentic Barbie clothes were kept.

The sunglasses are missing one side, the shoes were a hodge podge and the rest was a wrinkled mess.

What can I say, we used to drag those Barbie cases all over the neighborhood and play with them all day long.

Well-loved, you might say.

My Raggedy & Andy collection extended well past my childhood.

That collection was greatly edited too.

These little ones aren't going anywhere.

Made by the Amish in Shipshewana, IN, they appeal to me as much now as they did the day I bought them.

Not only are they handmade, but they are tiny and nicely painted.

But, even better than that is the surprise they contain.

Tiny treasures for boys and girls.

For the girls:

A wee little blue house (swoon).

A teddy, a dolly with a bottle, a hobby horse and a teddy bear.

For the boys:

A truck

An airplane

Baseball and bat

Football

Cowboy boot and pistol.

Like everything else, the toys have changed through the years.

Jaxson would, no doubt, be bored with Raggedy Andy and his hidden treasures in no time flat.

That Winnie the Pooh above was a Christmas gift given to me in elementary school.  He almost didn't make the cut.  But then I looked at him again and was transported to my own childhood and the hours and hours of fun I had playing with him.  He slept with me and was the finishing touch to my bed after I made it in the morning.  A trusted friend.  Nope, no way could I ditch him.

So there he sits under the tree all these years later.

A gentle reminder of the joy and excitement toys provide for children on Christmas morning.

This year my greatest joy of the season has been the FaceTime sessions with Jaxson walking from room to room showing us his Christmas decorations.  He then asks to see ours.  His wide-eyed wonder at each little ornament and decoration is a moment in time which I could pause and savor over and over again.

What joys are you savoring this season?