Pumpkin Carving, 1967
January 17th, 2010 by John WolfeThe more old Halloween home movies I watch on YT, the more I see families grow and change right before my eyes. Many of these movies include Halloween and Christmas together, and they cover several years in a matter of minutes, as is the case with today’s entry. The little boy helping his mom carve the pumpkin in 1967, appears to be the same boy (seven years older) during the additional 1974 Christmas footage.
Source: YT user, thetransferplace
This particular film took me back to my own memories of carving one of my first jack-o-lanterns with my grandpa in 1977 or ’78. Is it just me, or did pumpkins (the gourds themselves, not the style of carving) look different in the ’60s and ’70s? Something about them seems different than the typical pumpkins we find for sale today.
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January 18th, 2010 at 12:04 am
Do you think future generations will look back at their childhood in the 90s and see it as so innocent and cute and nostalgic? I love the footage. It’s awesome!
January 18th, 2010 at 1:27 am
I think twenty years from now, the children of the ’90s will be holding on to certain memories and looking back with feelings of nostalgia for what was. I guess it’s all relative — with progress and change comes a different form of what’s held near and dear for each successive generation. What gives people of our generation the “warm fuzzies” just doesn’t do it for others who are younger than us. But, I definitely don’t think the ’90s or any point since then was, or will ever be, as innocent as childhood was in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.
Glad you’re enjoying the entries featuring retro Halloween footage!
January 18th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Why is it that these films/videos make me feel so good? I suppose it’s taking me back into time, into my own youth, when life was so simple in my eyes, so easy and carefree surrounded by ALL of my family. Now, today, so much, if not all of that, has passed by and absolutely not the same anymore nor will it ever be. These videos are sort of like a time machine in a way given the emotion and feeling it provokes inside of me. My Mom still has plenty of pics of us kids waking on Christmas opening our presents that, I might add, were NOT electronic by any means
Most of the toys were for the imagination and what you made of them, except for things like game boards of course or bikes and Hot Wheels.
It’s funny how those of us born and raised in the 60′s-70′s are looking back so fondly on those days now, very much like my grandparents used to do of the “good ol days” as they would call it. At the time, as a child, I never got what they were talking about. Now being the adult that I am, the age I’ve reached, I absolutely can understand totally where they are coming from when they said that. Boy can I ever!
Nice posting my friend and keep up the unique digging your doing, it’s most excellent.
January 18th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
That’s similar to my interest in these films, Goldie… that, and of course the fact they were all filmed during Halloween. For me, each one of these feels like discovering buried treasure for three reasons:
1) I may be mistaken, but I don’t think home movie cameras were all that common back then — nothing like how common digital cameras are today, anyway. 2) How many people (who did own an 8mm or 16 mm movie camera) actually filmed their decorations and/or kids trick-or-treating in the ’50s, 60′s and 70′s? I wouldn’t think it was very common, since Halloween wasn’t nearly as popular as it is now. And, 3) The fact the footage has survived for over forty-years and has been cared about enough to be transformed into digital video for us to view.
While some people may not see it this way, I feel these short films are all worth their weight in gold. They’re all a piece of history, and in many cases they give us a glimpse into people’s lives who have long since passed on. I share your appreciation for all of this footage.
You’re absolutely right. It is funny how we couldn’t relate to where the adults were coming from back when we were kids. I guess it takes time and experience to finally understand what the elders in our families used to impart to us all those years ago.
January 18th, 2010 at 11:04 pm
John, perfectly stated back!!! This is a wonderful summing up of just how special those films are, for the many reasons why. Your 1-3 hit it right on the mark and you are absolutely right. Cameras back them for home use were NOT common at all nor would you find people wanting to film Halloween as oppose to Christmas. Lastly, I agree totally about the care that has clearly gone into those films and now in digital form. Just think, if watching such a video holds such fond memories for us, just imagine what it must do to that boy in the video who is now well into his 40′s and with children of his own and family that has passed. What I would give for ANY video footage of my Grandpa and Noni………oh what I would give!!! You do share thee most excellent comments back dear friend. You took the words right from my brain.