Linderhof


Gardening, Cooking and Decorating on the Prairie of Kansas


Welcome to Linderhof, our 1920's home on the prairie, where there's usually something in the oven, flowers in the garden for tabletops and herbs in the garden for cooking. Where, when company comes, the teapot is always on and there are cookies and cakes to share in the larder.

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Christmas Dolls


If you have a daughter, Christmas means dolls!

In 1978, for our daughter Sarah's second Christmas
"Santa" gave her a new doll
From Fisher Price



It was "Beth's" birth year.    For 1978 was the year they introduced Beth.    She was made through 1980 -- a rather short run.
She was a sweet baby doll with a plastic head, arms and legs and a soft stuffed body.
She has  blonde brushable hair and big brilliant blue eyes
She came with a pink knitted sweater, bottles and cap.


Sarah loved her Beth


She was a very serious "mommy" to Beth!

Her second doll was another Fisher-Price -- My Friend Mandy.
Mandy was not a baby, she is a little girl, the perfect age to be a best friend.



I'm not sure what year Mandy came to live at our house -- but it was after 1978 but before 1982.
I'm thinking perhaps 1980.
Mandy (and her other friends) was the biggest and most successful doll line ever made by Fisher-Price.     She was in production until 1985 and the My Friend dolls are currently the most collectible Fisher-Price doll line.

In looking at Mandy and her friends, she was a "pre" American Girl doll.    
A similar style except she, like Beth, had a soft body.

And I'm not sure why, but I have no pictures of Sarah and Mandy!

But this isn't a story about Christmases past
It's about Christmas present

And a Christmas present
for the Grands!





What mothers save of their children's childhood
often does not make sense.
It did at the time . . . 
But not after 40 years!

But I did save Beth
and
the clothes I made for Beth
(as well as the other clothes I bought for Beth)



 And I decided Christmas 2018 would be a good year
for Beth to have a new home!


I washed Beth
I washed her clothes

I had also saved Mandy
But alas, all I had for Mandy was the outfit she came in!
(including the hat!)

So I spent many hours in December using mostly fabric scraps


to make her some clothes!

For we decided that Christmas 2018
would be a good time to pass these dolls on


To the grands . . . 
Piper (the three year old) got Beth
and
Lucy (her older sister) got Mandy

And the trunks that I had for my dolls 
and Sarah had for hers
have been replaced by telescoping handled rolling suitcases!

They were thrilled!
Sarah was thrilled!


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a neat column! Love the gesture of passing the dolls to your special princesses! They will surely take the best care and give them the love they need.

acorn hollow said...

What a wonderful idea! I am sure they will be twice loved
Cathy

HeatherD said...

What wonderful doll clothes! I still have the Barbie clothes my grandmother made for me, including a lovely brocade coat with fur trim. Loved your coat for Mandy with the trim! I enjoy your blog so much. Thank you for sharing. Have a Happy, Healthy New Year.

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

Such wonderful, meaningful gifts!

56steps said...

What a fabulous idea. Aren't you the smart woman holding onto these dolls until just the perfect moment.