Charles’ 
Slide of the Week: February 13th, 2008
Valentine’s Day Piano Recital, Orange County, CA, 1957
This Thursday I’ll be showing vintage Valentines Day slides to Martha Stewart on her show. I wonder what Martha will say when I tell her I have no idea who this fresh-faced piano player is so I call her “Little Miss Martha Stewart Wannabe!” And what will Martha say when I ask her to be my Valentine? Check your local listings.
Speaking of Valentines Day, the other day I was thinking about when I was a kid exchanging personalized Valentine’s every year with my elementary school classmates. I remember addressing the little white envelopes with the name of every girl and boy in the class then stuffing it with a colorful little card asking them to be my mine. It didn’t strike me as odd then but it kind of does now. Valentine’s Day is a very adult-themed holiday. It’s all about love and romance. Has the most grown up holiday tradition for kids been passed on to this generation?
Here’s to Valentines Day, Martha and YOU! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Charles Phoenix
Los Angeles
February 2008
Sets this Slide belongs to:
Holidays
21 Comments on “Valentine’s Day Piano Recital, Orange County, CA, 1957”
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February 13th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
I see a strong resemblance to Christina Crawford - can you imagine Joan taking the picture, in an identical dress?
February 14th, 2008 at 1:19 am
Happy Valentine’s Day! Sending chocolate covered cherries your way.
February 14th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Dear Charles, being born in 1948, looking at these pictures just make me happy because they bring back so many memories of happier times and they crack me up! Thank you so much for doing this and keep up the good work!
February 14th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Great pictures! Keep them coming!
February 14th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Valentines Day in Grade School with all those white bags full of cards and candy from class-mates! My daughter tells me her school has banned girls from giving V-day cards to girls. Why? They don’t want to promote lesbianism. Really. Friendship either I guess. Where’s the heart that says “Blog Me”?
February 14th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Thankfully it has been passed on, and at least where my young un is, in the very innocent way it was when I was a child of the 70’s. Last night we finished making our tore up tissue paper, magazine photos and pink construction paper cards and handwrote a note to each student in her class, and teachers. The only thing different was dad was making the cards too!
February 14th, 2008 at 10:42 am
How fun Charles! Your Valentine’s slides were great! I need to get in on this “Slide of The Week” as it will be like giving myself an extra smile every single week. As a fellow thrifter I can definately relate to the “hunt”!! Thank you for sharing, Nancy
February 14th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Great slides and very interesting.
February 14th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Love the old images! Thanks for sharing.
February 14th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Seeing the Valentine slides this morning on Martha made my day!
February 14th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
One year - I think I was in 2nd grade - my mother, hoping to expedite the process, took a stack of my valentines (one for each classmember, per teacher’s regulations) and started stuffing them in envelopes willy nilly. I objected strenuously. I wanted to read the verse or sentiment expressed and carefully consider how it would be received by the specific boy or girl who opened it.
February 15th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Your slides are truly a treasure. Thank you for preserving such am important part of America’s past.
February 15th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Thank you so very much.
I love the good old days!
February 15th, 2008 at 11:13 am
I loved the valentines when I was a kid so much that I collect vintage ones now! I love the basic color scheme in the gifts here-red & white, nothing more. That’s the way it should be, by golly! Being that my birthday is Feb 16, I always got red & white everything for my birthday too. I even have a heart birthmark on my elbow that everyone thinks is a tattoo…like I would get a tattoo on my elbow, OUCH!!!
February 15th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
I saw you on Martha and had to look you up ~ I looooove what you do! 2/14 is on a Saturday next year, maybe I’ll have an adults-only Valentine dinner party, and decorate with red tulle and paper doilies, too!
Happy, happy, joy, joy!
xox
February 16th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
SO GLAD to see you on MARTHA again! and I look forward to other visits!
YOU’RE THE GREATEST! SOOO Groovy Daddy-o!
Jeff
February 17th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Yes, I hope these appearances continue as you are Martha’s “go to” guy on Holiday Americana.
I’m surprised you did have so many Valentine’s Day slides. Just wonderful!
February 17th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
I was born and raised in Ontario, California(Class of 1955 from Chaffey High) and know and enjoy Logan’s Candy Store. Thanks for bringing them before a national audience. I enjoyed your pictures and can relate to several of them.
February 17th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
I’ve linked to you a couple of times. Thanks for these great snapshots of my childhood.
February 18th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
YOU are a national treasure.
February 19th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
For those of use who missed it - can you put the video clip of the Charles-and-Mawtha-show on your Web site? . . . would love to see those V-tine slides of the past! Oh - and the school Valentine cards tradition has been passed along in this family!