Over the Counter #88

Well, the latest book to catch my eye this week as it passed over my library counter and under my scanner was Have Yourself  A Very Vintage Christmas by Susan Waggoner. Subtitled: Crafts, Decorating Tips, and Recipes, 1920s-1960s.

From the publisher - Stewart, Tabori and Chang:

"In her newest volume, Susan Waggoner recaptures the magic of Christmases past with the vintage crafts projects readers have been craving. Inspired by the most sought-after treasures from the 1920s through the 1960s, Waggoner recreates a tempting array of decorations and provides step-by-step instructions that allow anyone to deck their halls with cellophane wreaths, glittered glass ornament balls, beaded bell garlands, and whimsical, tinsel-bedecked treat cups. Those pressed for time will also find quick crafts for every decade, along with style notes and decorating tips to pull it all together. Nostalgic bonus art throughout provides a host of images to use in greeting cards and photo holders. And to keep spirits merry and energy flowing, Waggoner includes a sampler of easy-to-make candy recipes, from Mackinac Island Fudge to old-fashioned soft caramels."

Next up was Under the Tree: The Toys and Treats That Made Christmas Special, 1930-1970 also by Susan Waggoner and also from Stwart, Tabori and Chang.

"Filled with more than 100 illustrations—nostalgic art, vintage photographs, and evocative advertisements

When? Can’t I open just one? Please? The minutes, the hours, the eons of waiting—and wondering. What’s underneath the shiny silver paper? Behind the enormous red bow? Under the tree?

Who doesn’t remember what it was like to be a kid at Christmas? And who hasn’t yearned to go back in time to recapture that special feeling? Well, we can’t turn back the clock, but we can do the next best thing. We can bring a bit of the past into the present. In Under the Tree, Susan Waggoner, author of Stewart, Tabori and Chang’s It’s a Wonderful Christmas, takes a loving, nostalgic look at the toys and gifts that made the postwar American Christmas the big deal it was.

Under the Tree revisits gifts both large and small, from Mr. Machine and the Kenner Easy-Bake Oven to Moon Rocks, Silly Putty, Sea Monkeys, and other delights that stuffed our stockings. In addition to the fascinating stories behind each toy, the book is bursting with cultural history, quotes, and lore—all wrapped up with more than 100 full-color vintage illustrations. For anyone who’s ever been a kid at Christmas, Under the Tree will be as irresistible as a kiss under the mistletoe."

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)