Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

NOMA LIGHTS

Date Range From

1955

Date Range To

1965

Materials

CARDBOARD, PLASTIC, METAL

No. Pieces

4

Height

4.8

Length

16.4

Width

29.6

Description

ELECTRIC CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS IN RD BOX. BOX MARKED "NOMA SAFETY PLUG CHRISTMAS LIGHTS THE FUSES PROTECT YOU". BOTTOM OF BOX GIVES DESCRIPTION AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE. BOX CONTAINS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS; FOUR GRN, ONE YLLW, ONE BL AND ONE RD. A SMALL PAPER ENVELOPE WITH TEXT "FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE AN EXTRA FUSE IS ENCLOSED ...". BOTTOM OF BOX IS TORN IN THREE PLACES. *UPDATE* AS OF 2011 INVENTORY, NO. PIECES HAS BEEN INCREASED FROM 3 TO 4, INCLUDING THE BOX, LIGHT STRING, CARDBOARD LIGHT STRING HOLDER AND PAPER ENVELOPE.

Subjects

CEREMONIAL ARTIFACT

Historical Association

DOMESTIC

History

ACCORDING TO DONOR TREVOR BENNET AT TIME OF DONATION, THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS WERE USED IN HIS PARENTS' HOME. BENNET ALWAYS DID THE DECORATING FROM THE AGE OF 9 AND CONTINUED TO DO SO EVEN AFTER HE LEFT HOME. THE DONOR'S FATHER WOULD TAKE DOWN AND PUT AWAY THE DECORATIONS SINCE HE WAS SELDOM HOME IN THE WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS. HE WAS A CONDUCTOR ON THE FREIGHT TRAINS FOR THE CPR STATIONED IN LETHBRIDGE. CHRISTMAS WAS USUALLY A BUSY TIME FOR THE RAILWAY. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE PERMANENT FILE. *UPDATE* IN 2018 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF THE COLLECTION, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF ARTIFACTS DONATED BY TREVOR BENNETT. ON AUGUST 28, 2018, PUNDYK SAT DOWN WITH BENNETT FOR AN INTERVIEW REGARDING THAT DONATION. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN EXTRACTED FROM THAT INTERVIEW: “STRING OF LIGHTS ARE VERY GOOD. THEY’RE KIND OF PLASTIC COATED WIRE THAT NOT A FIRE HAZARD BUT THEY’RE IN THEIR ORIGINAL BOX. ... AND HERE’S ANOTHER KIND OF PLUG THAT DEMONSTRATES – THE END OF THE PLUG HAD A PLACE FOR A FUSE TO GO IN. IF YOU HAD A POWER SURGE, THE THING WOULDN’T GO UP IN FIRE.” ON CHRISTMAS GROWING UP, “A WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS WE STARTED DECORATING AND THEY STAYED UP ‘TIL JANUARY 1ST AND TAKEN DOWN ON JANUARY 2ND, AND THE BOXES FOR MOST OF THESE ITEMS WERE KEPT SO THEY’RE ABLE TO GO BACK IN THE BOXES. I WAS [RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DECORATIONS]. I HAD TO FIND THEM AND PUT THEM UP TAKE THEM DOWN, PACK THEM PROPERLY. AND IF THEY WEREN’T PACKED PROPERLY, NOTHING WAS SAID, THEY WERE JUST SIMPLY THROWN OUT. MY MOTHER WAS VERY GOOD AT HAVING THINGS TIDIED UP AND PUT AWAY WHERE THEY SHOULD GO. IF YOU COULDN’T TIDY IT UP, YOU COULDN’T KEEP IT. THAT WASN’T A BAD WAY OF GROWING UP. IT MADE ME LEARN RESPONSIBILITY FAST.” “[CHRISTMAS] WAS A NICE BREAK IN THE YEARLY ROUTINE. IT WAS A CHANCE TO MEET GOOD PEOPLE YOU ONLY SAW ONCE A YEAR. THE STORES HAD ALL SORTS OF NEAT THINGS. I REMEMBER EATON’S HAD AN ELECTRIC TRAIN SET WITH WONDERFUL SCENERY AROUND IT, THAT THEY USED TO SET UP IN THE BASEMENT OF THE STORE A CORNER. IT ATTRACTED ME AND DOZENS OF OTHER KIDS AS WELL.” FOR INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT SEE PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P20060032004

Acquisition Date

2006-10

Collection

Museum

Less detail