Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. The best part about a December visit to Amling's is the sheep. (I'm wearing those Mickey Mouse mittens.)
Showing posts with label Nativity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nativity. Show all posts
December 1, 2014
The Nativity display opens.
Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. The best part about a December visit to Amling's is the sheep. (I'm wearing those Mickey Mouse mittens.)
December 22, 2013
A Holiday Spot
Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. It's time again to visit the Nativity at Amling's Flowerland.
December 19, 2012
Related by Marriage: Christmas Past
Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, December 1958. A Nativity sits under the Christmas tree at the home of Mr. Irene's maternal Grandparents, Anna and Stanley.
December 12, 2012
The Annual Visit to the Nativity Display
Suburban Chicago, December 1961. Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1961. We're at Amling's again to visit the life-size Nativity display.
December 19, 2011
A Crèche without Controversy
We visited the life-size Nativity display at Amling's Flowerland every December. Looking back at those photos now, I realize what a big impression the little Bethlehem made on me.
Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1965. It's a good thing I brought my Brownie camera.
Melrose Park, December 1965. This is my favorite place to be at Christmas time.
Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1965. I seem to have a sense of the meaning of Christmas.
Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1965. It's a good thing I brought my Brownie camera.
Melrose Park, December 1965. This is my favorite place to be at Christmas time.
Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1965. I seem to have a sense of the meaning of Christmas.
December 5, 2011
Amling's Flowerland
Amling's Flowerland, an historical establishment on North Avenue in Melrose Park, Illinois, used to be a key holiday shopping stop. A newer housing development popped up near Amling's in the late 1950s. The Amling's property took up several acres in Melrose Park's commercial zone.
(Melrose Park's motto was "Corporate King of the Suburbs.")
Amling's, like Kiddieland, played a part in building my early memory bank. I think it had a role in other people's recollections, too. Today, for example, when I searched for additional historical information about Amling's, I encountered an interesting detail. Many families mentioned in a decedent's obituary that the loved one had worked at Amling's.
When prom season arrived, the cool teenagers visited Amling's to buy expensive corsages and boutonnières. I remember following a relative to the back of the store, where the artists arranged the corsages. The smell of the ripe orchids, mixed with the humid, florist's air, made me queasy.
During the summer months, parents took children to the Amling's pond, which had a small raft of ducks. We fed Wonder Bread to the fat, white ducks. They were friendly ducks, and they never snapped at us.
In October, we visited the elaborate—and awesomely scary—Amling's Haunted House. After the fear of the haunted visit had caused us to "crawl out of our pelts," as Lithuanians say, we stepped outside and rode the Ferris Wheel on the Amling's property.
At Christmas time, Amling's sold "flocked" natural Christmas trees. One rarely sees flocked, real trees any longer.
The most fascinating Christmas tradition that Amling's maintained was its life-size Bethlehem village. The display consisted of (a 1960s understanding of) a Bethlehem replica, complete with statutes of all the players in the Christmas story. To a toddler, it was an impressive site.
"Amling's for … 'Every Bloomin' Thing'."
Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. Amling's erected the Christmas stable near its pond.
Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. The display featured life-size statutes of the Wise Men.
Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. A camel followed the Wise Men to the stable.
(Melrose Park's motto was "Corporate King of the Suburbs.")
Amling's, like Kiddieland, played a part in building my early memory bank. I think it had a role in other people's recollections, too. Today, for example, when I searched for additional historical information about Amling's, I encountered an interesting detail. Many families mentioned in a decedent's obituary that the loved one had worked at Amling's.
When prom season arrived, the cool teenagers visited Amling's to buy expensive corsages and boutonnières. I remember following a relative to the back of the store, where the artists arranged the corsages. The smell of the ripe orchids, mixed with the humid, florist's air, made me queasy.
During the summer months, parents took children to the Amling's pond, which had a small raft of ducks. We fed Wonder Bread to the fat, white ducks. They were friendly ducks, and they never snapped at us.
In October, we visited the elaborate—and awesomely scary—Amling's Haunted House. After the fear of the haunted visit had caused us to "crawl out of our pelts," as Lithuanians say, we stepped outside and rode the Ferris Wheel on the Amling's property.
At Christmas time, Amling's sold "flocked" natural Christmas trees. One rarely sees flocked, real trees any longer.
The most fascinating Christmas tradition that Amling's maintained was its life-size Bethlehem village. The display consisted of (a 1960s understanding of) a Bethlehem replica, complete with statutes of all the players in the Christmas story. To a toddler, it was an impressive site.
"Amling's for … 'Every Bloomin' Thing'."
Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. Amling's erected the Christmas stable near its pond.
Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. The display featured life-size statutes of the Wise Men.
Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. A camel followed the Wise Men to the stable.
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