Monday, December 20, 2010

Beyond Shopping

Pretty much it was a given. If it was the week leading up to the 25th or Christmas Eve my brother, sisters and I were busy making paper chains for the tree. Why my parents never hid the colored construction paper or just didn't say 'cut the crap' or 'enough already', I'll never know. I don't think it would have worked anyway. Building those chains was addictive. Ya, we did the strings of popcorn too, but it was these paper jobs that we had the most fun with back then. And as I remember, one of us kept eating the flour paste Mom made. I think it was my brother. To this day, each time I see these hanging or groups of kids putting them together, I think back to Stevens and Coyle and smile a bit. But art? These white ones fill one of the front windows at MCA (Maine College of Art) on Congress Street.

20 comments:

  1. Thanks for the memory! Haven't seen a paper chain for ages; too bad, because they were such fun to make, as you pointed out!

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  2. Oooh, I loved to make paper chains too! Good Christmas memory.

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  3. So beautiful story!And also very creative minds!
    Léia :D

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  4. I think it is a great time decorating for Christmas with the family.
    God bless you and your family...

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  5. .............so what was wrong about eating flour and paste? I turned out o tay.

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  6. We made paper chains, too. As usual, you and your brothers found a way to make it a mischievous endeavor (the paste eating). . .!

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  7. I had forgotten about paper chains until I saw your post, then I remembered making them in school to decorate the classroom. I suddenly feel very old! Haha!
    ☼ Sunny

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  8. I can't remember ever making paper chains like this. I do remember stringing cranberries one year, but no paper chains. The ones in your photo have an elegant look to them.

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  9. I made kilometres of these! I actually like this window.

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  10. Such a simple thing and quite beautiful in this window.

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  11. You just brought back memories for me! That brought a smile. I remember making these. You give me ideas now. That picture is pretty.

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  12. nice i like it and it is my birth day

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  13. I agree they do make for a nice window display. Nice memory too.

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  14. I loved doing that when I was a kid too! These look very festive.

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  15. Beautiful story and beautiful photo.

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  16. I really like your shot...and your story. We, my brother and I, made paper chains too, but never that many. And I'm pretty sure we used elmer's glue : )

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  17. Gee, I NEVER thought of adding homemade paste to my list of gift ideas!! It certainly would be economical - not to mention tasty!!

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  18. It's the picture that gets taken out and put on the piano at Christmas time. Was that really us? My, how we have grown!
    As one who was really there, sometimes these homemade ornaments are the sweetest. It's not the paper, it's the simple pleasures of a simpler time indeed! It's our differences that string us together; forever on the piano at Christmas time.

    Florida Checkes In!

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