Formica Table of My Childhood, They Don't Make Them Like They Used To!

When I was a little girl, in the mid-1950's, my parents had their "blonde wood" dinette table covered in Formica, which they wisely realized would stand up better to the use of a family of five, including three little children.

We lived in a small garden apartment in Bell Park Gardens, Bayside, NY, and there was no "family room" or large kitchen for the type of normal activities, arts & crafts etc that were part of life for us. Also, we didn't go to preschool, and my mother had to keep us and our friends occupied when we couldn't be outside playing. We used the table for lots more than formal meals. The kitchen wasn't large enough for a table either.

The table came with us to the house in Great Neck, but it wasn't used there much, except maybe downstairs in the "playroom."

And then when my husband and I moved to Israel and sent "a lift" which had a few things we hadn't brought when we first came to Israel, my parents added the table. That became our dinette table. Yes, it fit into the small dining area in our Bayit Vegan, Jerusalem apartment, and then came with us to Shiloh and later was demoted or promoted to the status of "desk" for some of our kids.

In recent years, we've had it stored in the basement, very rarely taken out. Some neighbors did borrow it for a few months.

Now my son has moved and decided to rescue it and give it a place of honor in his new apartment.

I can't get over how new and unscathed it looks. This Formica is at least sixty 60 year old.

Formica was first invented just over a hundred years ago, but it wasn't until after World War Two when it became a popular top and cover for furniture.

This table has been used by two active families, lots of children, guests, meals, parties, games and crafts. It has survived a lot better than any newer furniture. I had it longer than my parents actually did, and now it has gone to a third generation. What stories it could tell....