More than a pin (a Kathi post)

Here is a very pretty, vintage Christmas tree pin. But it's way more than that.

When I look at this pin, I think of when I bought it (in the mid- to late-1960's).

My Grandma Lovey used to take my sisters and my cousin downtown every Christmas to see the sights and go shopping. We would take the bus 'cause Grandma never bought a car or got a driver's license. She drove when she and my Grandpa had a farm, but once they moved to Denver, she never bothered with the car or license since she could walk up a few blocks and catch a bus to anywhere.

Grandma Lovey would herd us onto the bus, and tell us when to pull the cord to let the bus driver know when we wanted out. Of course, we fought over who would get to pull the cord. What made us think that particular task was so desirable?! Once we were off the bus, we'd start our downtown-day and do a lot of things.

We looked at the decorated windows at the May D&F store. They had several large display windows, and they decorated each one with a beautiful winter scene. It was even better when they had animated figurines in the windows! I remember one that had an ice skating pond and we'd stand and watch, fascinated, as the dolls made their rounds on the "ice."

We'd watch the real ice skaters at Zeckendorf Plaza. (Click on this link to see a picture of the May D&F store from the 1960's.) The Plaza was right next to the store, and they make ice in the plaza in winter and they'd have skates you could rent. We would stand there forever, leaning over the edge to see.

Woolworth's was a mandatory stop. That's where we'd usually end up buying the presents that we would give to our parents. We usually bought our mom some Desert Flower perfume, a Christmas pin, or some bath oil beads. For our dad, it was aftershave or a cheap tool of some sort.

Then we'd go down to the basement to the Woolworth's cafeteria, where we would have a lunch of a hamburger or some of their delicious cheese pizza. That was probably the first place I had

a hamburger served in a little red latticed plastic basket lined with tissue paper. That made it so special somehow.

We'd all cram into a booth or, sometimes if it was really busy, Grandma would just seat us at a table with some unsuspecting person who was taking a whole table to themselves. They usually didn't stick around long after we arrived, leaving the entire table to us.

At the end of the day, she'd herd us back onto the bus, and we'd fight again at who would get to pull the bus cord when we got to the stop by her home. 

Grandma Lovey! What a trooper. She took us every year. EVERY year.

Last year, my mom handed me a little May D&F box and wondered if it was something I'd like to have. Inside was one of the Christmas pins I had given her when I was a kid. It is just as sparkly and beautiful as I remember. I am such a sucker for sparkly things, especially emerald green ones. I'm a big sucker for green. So, this pin is perfect for me. Of course I wanted it!

I am so happy to have been able to wear it this year. Isn't it nice when old things are still around? (People included.)

I wish my Grandma Lovey was still here.