Category: Queensland State Archives’ Photostream About Fortitude Valley

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Christmas Stocking

All children love Christmas stockings, but they are usually expensive, so why not make up your own Christmas gifts. Use an old sock for a pattern and cut the stocking out of coarse net. Dye the net red and sew up. Then you can fill it with sweets, nuts, fruit, story books, toy ships and cars, handkerchiefs – anything you think you friends might like. By making the stockings up yourself you will be sure to give your friends the gift they need.

Description source: Warwick Daily News, 3 December 1951

Image source: Queensland State Archives Item ID 1640296

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Homemade Christmas Gifts

Three broomsticks and a chopping board, a little time and a gay shade – and you have that most attractive addition to the lighting in any room, a standard lamp. The flex runs up the hollow left between the broomsticks when joined together, and a batten fitting to hold the sticks completes the framework. The shade can be made from buckram, tinted to suit your room and fixed to the wire frame with wool. With the woodwork painted or varnished to your liking there could be no more finished lampshade for a lonely corner.

Description source: Warwick Daily News, 22 December 1947

Image source: Queensland State Archives Item ID 1640286

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

A Novel Christmas Decoration.

You can save expense on your decorations for the festive season, and give them an individual touch at the same time, making your own holly berries. Take as many dried peas as you require, melt a little red sealing wax, and dip the peas in, coating them smoothly; while they are still warm pierce each pea with a piece of fine wire, when dry form into sprays to be used with foliage.

Description source: Queensland Times, 4 November 1946

Image source: Queensland State Archives Item ID 1640284

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

My Christmas.

When I was asking all my friends
To tea on Christmas Day,
I though p’r’aps Santa Claus would like
To come along and play.
And so I sent a little note
To ask him any way.

He never wrote to say he’d come,
But when we were at tea
He tip-toed down the chimney place
As quiet as could be,
And brought a lot of splendid toys
For all my friends and me.

Description source: The Telegraph, 20 December 1919

Image source: Queensland State Archives Item ID 1640282; Item ID 1640281

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Christmas Greeting Cards

We have received the latest in Christmas cards and stationary; in order that you will not be disappointed we advise you to call in and choose your sample from the large range at one, as only a limited supply of these will be avilable. So call in today, pick what you want, and they will be delivered to you with whatever reading you may require on them in ample time for Christmas.

Description source: The Charleville Times, 16 October 1952

Image source: Queensland State Archives Item ID 1640281

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Christmas Menu

Here are suggestions for two types of meals for the Christmas party.

Menu No. 1 For Sit-down Meal
Iced chicken broth.
Roast fowl or duck (hot or cold).
Potato salad, peas, carrots.
Christmas pudding.
Fruit salad with ice cream.
Cheese straws, nuts, raisins.
Black coffee.

Menu No. 2 For Buffet Meal
Prawns in white sauce.
Creamed cold chicken.
Potato salad, lettuce, tomatoes.
Jellied peas and beetroot.
Fruit salad, cream.
Christmas pudding fingers.
Black coffee.

Description source: The Courier-Mail, 24 December 1946

Image source: Queensland State Archives Item ID 1640281

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Christmas

Dainty little stockings
Hanging in a row,
Blue and grey and scarlet,
In the firelight’s glow.

Curly-headed sleepers
Safely tucked in bed,
Dreams of the toy-shops
Dancing through their head.

Funny little stockings
Hanging in a row,
Filled with sweet surprises
Down from top to toe.

Skates and balls and trumpets,
Dishes, tops and drums
Books and dolls and candles,
Nuts and sugar-plums.

Little waking sleepers,
Bless me, what a noise!
Wish you Merry Christmas-
Happy girls and boys.

(Sent in by “Sea Rover,” Calen.)

Description source: Daily Mercury, 15 January 1949

Image source: Queensland State Archives Item ID 1640281

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Christmas Acrostic.

C ome, ye blithe ones, young and rosy,
H ere’s the fireside, warm and cosy!
R ambles by the brake and briar;
I n the evening by the fire.
S ongs of old and childhood’s stories!
T hese are ever Christmas stories!
M any days like this may find you
A ltered – casting thoughts behind you;
S till ’twill gladden to remember
D ear delights in “dark December,”
A nd the bright red holly berries-
Y outh and health make Christmas merry.

Description source: The Queenslander, 22 December 1917

Image source: Queensland State Archives Item ID 1640281

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Santa Goes By Ship

Although Christmas is nine days away, Santa Claus already has called on 15 children in lonely parts of Queensland – by ship.
The youngsters live with their parents on nine lighthouses between Cape Moreton and Dent Island, off Prosperpine.
The Navigation and Lighthouses Department steamer, Cape Leeuwin, has just completed a visit to each of the lonely outposts delivering Christmas fare such as plum pudding, nuts, ginger and other delicacies, and toys for the children.
The vessel is due in Brisbane this afternoon.

Description source: Brisbane Telegraph, 16 December 1948

Image source: Queensland State Archives Item ID 1640281

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

The Christmas Tree

There was a little tree that came
Into our house. It had no name
Until the fairies, overnight,
Dressed it with shining candle light;
And threaded tinsel in and out,
With jewel balls hung all about.
At the top, to keep all well,
With a sparkling wand to cast a spell,
Good Fairy smiles, and takes kind care
Of all the presents that are there.

Description source: Warwick Daily News, 3 December 1954

Image source: Queensland State Archives Item ID 1640281

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