Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Christmas 1965

 In December of 1965 we went on a family vacation to see my Dad's relatives; our Aunt Anna, Uncle Stanley and their children Clark and Leann in Ontario California. 

 My parents took turns driving straight through to Utah.  My other baby brother napped on a blanket in the floor boards of the front seat, my baby brother and I slept in the back seat.

I recall being impressed with Salt Lake City and the Provo Utah area where we stayed in a Motel...the first Motel I had ever stayed in. Our Mom had packed food to eat along the way...we did not eat in restaurants.  At the California border we sat at some picnic tables and ate what fruit we had because it was not allowed into California.


Leann, Carey ( my baby brother), Jody ( my other baby brother), Clark and me

We had lutefisk at Sylvia and Gusty home ( Uncle Stanley's parents), luckily there was also roast pork, potatoes and gravy!  

We went to a Candlelight Church Service on Christmas Eve.  The day after Christmas we went to Disneyland. After we left California we headed toward Houston Texas and stopped at Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and someplace that had reptile gardens (I was scared nearly to death). 

Leann and Aunt Anna.

It was a good trip, the only family vacation that I can recall. 

Far Side 


21 comments:

  1. What fun memories! Andcjustbthinknyourvmom and dad didcall that driving before GPS and probably before some of the interstates...I cant remember when they were built.

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  2. Sounds like the trip of a lifetime! My mom also packed food for us and kept it in a cooler. Our one time cross country trip was pretty cool. I slept in the front seat, sister in the back seat, my brother on top of the station wagon, and my parents in the back of it.
    We loved it. We did it in 1965 also!
    Not for Christmas though, just an adventure.

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  3. What a tale to remember! I do not recall going anywhere for Christmas. I suppose with 7 children, it would have been quite the journey. I do remember going to Des Moines from St.Paul for Thanksgiving a few times, we had to take two vehicles.

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  4. That was quite a vacation in 1965 that covered many states. Memories you will always cherish. I have never been to the western coast. RHill, TX

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  5. I love visiting your memory pictures. I guess that tree was just put up, and is still waiting to be decorated.

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  6. You had me up until the part about lutefisk. I tried it a few times during my stint in the frozen north but never could develop a liking for it.

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  7. That was quite a trip! A real adventure! I remember 2 actual vacations as a kid that were not spent visiting dad's family in Kansas. One was a trip from southern Minnesota to Wisconsin Dells and the other was to Itasca State Park.

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  8. We did a similar trip to LA in 1980 with our trailer but it was Easter.

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  9. I've not eaten lutefisk and will go the rest of my life not regretting it!! When I started reading this, my brain immediately thought Canada. I couldn't understand why you were heading west. Then I saw California. 😄 It pays to read. These are nice memories.

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  10. Wonderful memories. What a special time.

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  11. My folks loved to travel so we took many vacations pulling a tent trailer with a cooler of food and drinks in the trunk. A restaurant was a treat, for sure. From Yellowstone to Washington DC to Florida...I have memories. And memories of sleeping bags on rocky ground--lol! I love your old pictures!! :)

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  12. Love the photos! My Mom packed food too (sandwiches wrapped in wax paper or the wax paper sandwich bags and soft Archway cookies) I don’t think there were many restaurants/diners on our route to see relatives in South Dakota.

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  13. Goodness, that was quite the trip to take, especially in winter. We drove to my aunt and uncles one Christmas shortly after my nephew was born. But that was only an 8 hour drive. I don't recall what or where we ate, though I was a teenager at the time.

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  14. How special this trip was. Next year…60 years ago. Your parents made it a total pkg. yo got to do and see many special things.

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  15. I can see why that trip would have stayed in your memory. It was quite an adventure, esp. with going to Disneyland., Wasn't that something, those days with no seat belts and kids sleeping on the back seat ( or the floor)! GM

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  16. It sounds like a wonderful vacation. I smiled when I read about the kids sleeping on the floor and seat. No seatbelts! How did we survive? I don't remember ever taking a family vacation. I don't think it was done as much back then. If Dad was off work from one job, he just worked more hours at his second job. We never felt deprived though. We have relatives now that if they don't get their three cruises a year, life isn't fair. They're in their 20' & 30's! My Mother never traveled more than 200 miles from where she was born until the month before she died when they took a bus tour to Yellowstone. It's funny how things have changed.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  17. What a fun trip for your family. I'm glad you can still remember so much of it.

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  18. It is funny how things change and evolve!

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  19. LD....That did have to be a good memory with the trip west. Cousins and younger brothers in the photo is so great.

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Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate your comments! If you have a question I will try to answer it here. I no longer accept anonymous comments. All comments will be approved before posting...due to spammers...may the fleas of a thousand camels infest every hair on his body. Connie