This:
A picture of my sister! It is the first time she's given her permission to me showing a photo on my blog with her on it. I am really glad she allowed me to use this one, as it gives such a good impression of how I used to feel about Christmas when I was a kid (and still do!).
On that Christmas Eve in 1973, I was five years old with three months to go until I'd be six, and my sister was six, almost seven.
Our parents really didn't have much money to spend on presents that year, but we were never made to realise that and were truly happy about the dolls (and, undoubtedly, many other things we got).
There's a funny story connected with those dolls:
We had moved to this place only about a year before, and at our former home, my sister and I had been attending kindergarten together. We had made friends there, and, as children are intrigued by anything out of the ordinary, were particularly fond of two girls who were identical twins. For us, it had been for the first time in our lives to come across twins, and we were deeply impressed.
The names of the two sisters were Marion and Martina, and that were the names we gave our dolls. Mine was the blonde one, Martina, and my sister's the brunette one, Marion.
Here is a picture of the group of children we were friends with back then (this was taken in 1971 or 1972, I guess), with the twins on it.
(Before anyone wonders: no, I did not ask for permission to show this picture from any of those on it, but since I don't know who some of them are, not even their names, and none of them will be recognisable more than 40 years later, I assume nobody is going to cause any trouble over it.)
That is not the end of the story, though:
Some months ago, completely out of the blue I received an email from - Marion!!!
She had stumbled across my blog while searching for information about her home village, which is mentioned here in one of my mum's guest posts. Marion was by no means sure she was writing to the right person, but she was! Many emails have gone back and forth since then, and I am glad my blog served to get such old friends from long ago back in touch again :-)
I am, in fact, going to send an email to Marion now, wishing her and her family
Merry Christmas!
And the same to you, dear readers!
A very happy Christmas to you and your family Meike. I love the picture of you and your sister with your dolls. My sister and had similar dolls at the same ages. :-) I'm glad you found your old school-friend.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and your loved ones, too!
DeleteShe found me, not the other way round, and we never went to school together, since our family moved away before we were old enough :-)
Have a very happy Christmas. What a lovely story about those twins! x
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful picture of you and your sister with your Marion and Martina! Thank her for letting you post it. I always wanted a sister, but never had one. I invented some imaginary sisters when I was little, but it's not the same. I am always happy that my daughters had each other. And I feel a bit sad that my son Andy has no brother! I wonder if he was not meant to have one because my grandmother (when she was older and a little confused) always used to think he had one, named Anthony. (It gave me a rather strange feeling, as if I had misplaced a child, but enough of that!)
ReplyDeleteMay you have a blessed and joyful Christmas, Meike, you and all of your loved ones!
Thank you, Kristi, and the same to you and yours!
DeleteHaving a sister is great - although I must admit we did a lot of fighting when we were younger (I guess that's normal among siblings). My Mum often said she doesn't know what is worse, when we do get along (and behave in the most silly way) or when we don't.
Lovely picture and story, Merry Christmas dear Meike!
ReplyDeletexx
julie
Thank you, Julie, and Merry Christmas to you, too!
DeleteMerry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it wonderful sometimes how the internet can put people in touch.
It is! John (Scriptor Senex) has mentioned several times on his blog how relatives who had been out of touch for decades have contacted him through his blog.
DeleteMerry Christmas to you, too!
And to you, Meike! Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carol, you too!
DeleteLovely photos, and great story too :o) My sister and I had dolls like that, but I can't find any old pictures to prove it!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Christmas and New Year x
Same to you, Karen!
DeleteA photo would be great, but I believe you anyway :-)
That's a lovely Christmas story Meike. I hope that you have an enjoyable time - I'm sure that you will.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Graham. We did have a lovely Christmas Eve together at my parents', and in a minute, I am going to open my presents from England.
DeleteDOn't you find it strange to look at those little children and realise they were your friends? I often do. It reminds me that I have actually grown up since those people are no longer my contemporaries :) Have a lovely Christmas and a great 2013.
ReplyDeleteThe same to you, Jenny, thank you!
DeleteWell, I lived in the same village as these children only for about one year and was too young to remember much, but I do remember the twins :-)
Merry Christmas! I had the tartan skirt and woolly tights combo too! AND used to have my outfits coordinated to my sister's..
ReplyDeleteAnd my doll was called Mitzi, because it was the most glamorous name I could think of
Meike - you're bringing so many of these memories back!
Macy, Merry Christmas to you, too! What a lovely surprise to see you here after (I think) a relatively long silence; I hope you are well.
DeleteYes, I suppose we are more or less the same age, and our outfits would have been quite similar back then :-) I am just trying to imagine my sister and I coordinating our outfits nowadays :-D
I too think that you are pretty safe with a kids pic from way back. Its a funny old world that we have become. I love seeing old pictures of kids just playing, perhaps just playing out in the street. Here in the UK that kind of candid photography has almost gone now.
ReplyDeleteHave a Very Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, too, Paul!
DeleteI do respect the wish of others not wanting to see any current picture of themselves anywhere on the internet, although I have posted so many of my own and have never had any bad experience because of it.
Unexpected meetings sometimes in the "online world"...! :)
ReplyDeleteYes, a nice side-effect of blogging :-)
Deletethanks for your nice comment and appreciate my style baby
ReplyDeletei hope you can follow me
and if you want you can follow me on facebook or twitter
facebook: showroomdegarde
twitter: @showroomdegarde
You are welcome, Fran!
DeleteSorry, I am neither on facebook nor on twitter (nor do I plan to be).
OH, I LOVE that she got in touch with you. And I love the photo of you and your sister, both so cute! And I also love the photo of the twin girls, notice how they are pulling their hair back in exactly the same manner? Great photo!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kay! I bet the twins still have such gestures in common now, 40 years later - possibly without even being conscious of it :-)
Delete