Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

CHRISTMAS TREE

Date Range From

1959

Date Range To

2005

Materials

ALUMINUM, CARDBOARD, WOOD

No. Pieces

49

Height

17

Length

62

Width

17

Description

ALLUMINUM CHRISTMAS TREE IN BOX. TOP OF BOX MARKED " STAINLESS ALUMINUM 43 BRANCHES 6FT CHRISTMAS TREE WITH TRIPOD STAND FOR ADDED BEAUTY". STAND CONSISTS OF TRIPOD WITH TWO WOODEN RODS. BOX ALSO CONTAINS A PIECE OF TREE GARLAND AND A THIN METAL ROD. BRANCHES ARE INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED IN BROWN PAPER.

Subjects

CEREMONIAL ARTIFACT

Historical Association

DOMESTIC

History

ACCORDING TO DONOR TREVOR BENNET AT TIME OF DONATION, HE RECALLED THE TREE BEING PURCHASED IN CALGARY FROM THE DOWNTOWN HUDSON BAY STORE IN 1959-60. BENNET SAID, "I ALWAYS SET IT (THE TREE) UP IN THE AREA WHICH SERVED AS A MUSIC ROOM IN MY PARENTS' HOME. IT STOOD ON A LOW WOODEN TABLE. A STRING OF PARALLEL WIRED - C -7 LIGHTS WOULD BE TAPED TO THE EDGE OF THE TABLE SO THE LIGHTS WOULD REFLECT OFF THE TREE." THE DONOR WOULD DECORATE THE TREE WITH UNBREAKALBE BELLS AND SOME BREAKABLE GLASS BALLS. BENNET SAID, "I MADE A NEW TOP FROM A LENGTH OF COAT HANGER WRAPPED IN TREE GARLAND." THE NEW TOP ALLOWED THE DONOR TO USE A GLASS TREE TOPPER ON THE TREE. THE DONOR CLAIMS THAT ALL OF THE BRANCHES ARE IN THEIR ORIGINAL WRAPPING PLUS THE EXTRA BRANCHES THAT THE DONOR MADE HIMSELF. THE TREE WAS LAST USED IN 2005 WHEN IT WAS PLACED IN THE DONOR'S FRONT ENTRANCE TO GREET HIS VISITORS. THE DONOR STATED THAT HE FELT IT WAS TIME TO RETIRE THE TREE. 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: ON THE CHRISTMAS TREE BENNET STATED, “YOU TOOK THREE PIECES OF WOOD AND SCREWED THEM TOGETHER, PUT IT IN THE BASE AND ALL THE BRANCHES ARE THE SAME LENGTH, THE SAME SIZE BUT THE HOLES IN THE CENTRE STICK GO IN AT DIFFERENT ANGLES. SO YOU WOULD PUT THESE BRANCH THINGS IN THE CENTRE STOCK AND IT GAVE YOU A CHRISTMAS TREE YOU COULD DECORATE. IT LOOKED REALLY NICE WITH GLASS BALLS HUNG ON IT. THE PACKAGE TOLD YOU NOT TO PUT ANY ELECTRIC LIGHT ON IT. IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GET A GOOD ELECTRIC SHOCK. [BECAUSE IT WAS] ALUMINUM FOIL.” “I FOUND IT AT A GARAGE SALE ACTUALLY. WHAT A NEAT THING TO PUT IN MY MUSIC ROOM… IT NEVER GOT USED BY ME. NO, I BOUGHT IT AT A GARAGE SALE. IT WAS WITH ALL THE OTHER THINGS ON THE TABLE. SOMEONE [FROM THE MUSEUM] CAME TO VIEW IT GOT PUT IN THE BOX AND SAID WE COULD USE THIS. [THE GARAGE SALE WAS] SOMEWHERE IN LETHBRIDGE.” 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

P20060032018

Acquisition Date

2006-10

Collection

Museum

Less detail