Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

SNOWMAN LIGHT BULB COVER

Date Range From

1953

Date Range To

1958

Materials

PLASTIC, METAL, PRESSED PAPER

No. Pieces

2

Height

8.1

Length

4.3

Width

4.9

Description

2 PIECES - METAL RING FITS INTO BASE OF SNOWMAN. 1. SNOWMAN, PLASTIC, WHITE BODY AND SCARF WRAPPED AROUND NECK, BLACK HAT, NOSE, MOUTH, THREE BUTTONS AND BROOM, EYES ARE SMALL HOLES IN FACE. PLASTIC IS BURNT AND DISCOLORED FROM PEACH TO GRAY IN AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE ON LEFT SIDE OF BUTTONS, JUST BELOW WAISTLINE ON A FEW PARTS OF SCARF AND MORE, PEACH COLORED BURNS TEND TO BE BUBBLY OR BUMPY, WHEREAS GRAY BURN IS CRACKED. 8.1 CM HIGH BY 4.3 CM LONG BY 4.9 CM WIDE 2. METAL RING, BLACK, EIGHT PRONGS ON OUTER EDGE OF RING, TEN PRONGS ON INNER EDGE OF RING MADE OF PRESSED PAPER. 2.9 CM IN DIAMETER.

Subjects

CEREMONIAL ARTIFACT

Historical Association

DOMESTIC

History

THIS ITEM IS FROM THE JAMIESON FAMILY (JAMIESON IS DONOR WENDY AITKEN'S MAIDEN NAME) AND WAS USED DURING THE 1950S WHEN THEY LIVED AT 1114 – 12 ST. A S, LETHBRIDGE. THEY ALL MOVED TO CALGARY WHEN THE FAMILY MOVED THERE IN 1960 AND WERE USED IN THE HOUSE THERE. THEY RETURNED TO LETHBRIDGE WHEN WENDY AITKENS AND HER HUSBAND LANNY MOVED HERE IN 2008. ACCORDING TO THE DONOR, WENDY AITKENS, "CHRISTMAS WAS A SPECIAL TIME FOR US AS IT MEANT BEING TOGETHER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. WE OFTEN WENT TO SOUTHMINSTER CHURCH CHRISTMAS EVE FOR THE CAROL SERVICE. DR. JOHN AND HELEN MCCUTCHEON AND THEIR FOUR CHILDREN WERE REGULAR GUESTS FOR DINNER ON CHRISTMAS DAY. ONCE WE TRAVELLED TO CALGARY ON CHRISTMAS EVE TO SPEND CHRISTMAS WITH KAY’S SISTER BEA AND HER THREE KIDS. WE ARRIVED LATE ON CHRISTMAS EVE AS DAD HAD TO WORK UNTIL HE CLOSED THE STORE AT 6 PM. WE WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT BEING WITH OUR COUSINS THAT WE DIDN’T SETTLE DOWN TILL WELL AFTER MIDNIGHT. THEN, OF COURSE, WE WERE UP AT ABOUT 5 AM TO SEE WHAT WAS UNDER THE TREE. SEVERAL TIMES WE TRAVELLED TO ALIX (EAST OF LACOMBE, AB) TO SPEND CHRISTMAS WITH DAD’S SISTERS (EDITH, HAZEL, ELEANOR AND DORIS) AND THEIR FAMILIES. IT WAS A GREAT TIME PLAYING WITH OUR NEW TOYS AND GAMES. MARGIE AND WENDY RECEIVED LARGE DOLLS ONE YEAR FOR WHICH MOM HAD MADE A QUEEN’S DRESS FOR WENDY’S DOLL AND A BRIDE’S OUTFIT FOR MARGIE’S DOLL. BOB GOT A FISHING POLE AND GEAR. [THE LIGHT BULB COVER] DECORATED OUR CHRISTMAS TREE. WE BOUGHT OUR TREES AT A LOCAL TREE LOT. AS THE THREE CHILDREN WAITED IMPATIENTLY, DAD INSTALLED THE TREE IN THE METAL STAND AND THEN METICULOUSLY CHECKED ALL THE LIGHT STRINGS BEFORE STRINGING THEM ON THE TREE. IT WAS ONLY AFTER HE WAS SATISFIED WITH THE WAY THE LIGHTS LOOKED AND WORKED WERE THE REST OF US ALLOWED TO START HANGING ORNAMENTS, ICICLES AND THE TREE TOPPER. THE LIGHTS WITH SANTA AND FROSTY AND AN ANGEL WERE SPECIAL AND WE SOMETIMES WERE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE THE LIGHT OVER WHICH THEY WOULD SIT. I ALWAYS LOVED THE EFFECT THE HALO REFLECTORS MADE OVER THE LIGHT BULBS. THEY CREATED A COLOURFUL HALO OR CIRCLE OVER THE TOP OF THE BULB." WENDY AITKENS’ FAMILY COMES FROM A LONG LINE OF SCOTTISH ROOTS ON BOTH HER MOTHER’S (CATHERINE “KAY” CRAIG (FARRIES) JAMIESON) AND HER FATHER’S (WALLY JAMIESON) SIDE. KAY WAS BORN IN GRASSY LAKE, AB AND GREW UP IN ELNORA AND DELBURN, ALBERTA. WALLY AND KAY MET AT A DANCE IN SYLVAN LAKE. HE AND A FRIEND WALKED HER AND HER FRIENDS HOME AFTER THE DANCE. KAY BECAME BETTER ACQUAINTED WITH THE JAMIESON FAMILY THOUGH A CLOSE FRIENDSHIP WITH WALLY’S SISTER EDITH. OVER THE YEARS KAY BECOME MORE CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH WALLY AND THE JAMIESON’S. AS THE WAR APPROACHED, KAY AND WALLY “DRIFTED APART” (ACCORDING TO “MOM’S STORY: THE LIFE OF KAY JAMIESON”). WALLY ENLISTED IN THE FORCES AS SOON AS THE WAR COMMENCED. DURING THE WAR, KAY WORKED AS A TEACHER AND LATER IN VARIOUS BUSINESSES. WALLY AND KAY CORRESPONDED AND THEIR FRIENDSHIP REKINDLED AFTER HE RETURNED FROM THE WAR. KAY AND WALLY BECAME ENGAGED RIGHT BEFORE SHE TOOK OFF TO TORONTO WHERE SHE WORKED AS A SECRETARY FOR MR. WALDRON AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. AFTER SHE RETURNED WEST IN THE SPRING, KAY AND WALLY WERE MARRIED ON JUNE 17, 1946. THEY BEGAN THEIR LIFE TOGETHER IN AN ATTIC IN LETHBRIDGE UNTIL THEIR SON BOB WAS BORN IN 1947. AFTER A BRIEF STINT IN RED DEER, THE FAMILY RETURNED TO LETHBRIDGE WHERE WENDY WAS BORN IN 1949. THEIR THIRD CHILD, MARGARET (MARGIE) WAS BORN IN 1951. SEE PERMANENT FILE

Catalogue Number

P20090030001

Acquisition Date

2009-09

Collection

Museum

Less detail