Christmas
Let me begin by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. Even though the Christmas season has changed dramatically since I was enthralled by the prospect of the arrival of Santa Claus, everyone can still bring back the spirit of Christmas.
When I was in the second grade in 1950, St. Francis held a midnight Mass. Being one of the two smallest boys; I was one of the lead pair of acolytes in the Christmas procession that led to the altar. The adrenaline rush that got me up the aisle quickly wore off and I was just like any other seven-year old at that time of night. When we had finished marching up the aisle and were seated, I think I immediately fell asleep. I continued this ritual throughout my early years at St. Francis.
Christmas did not officially begin until well after Thanksgiving. It was about the second week of December that the stores started decorating and displaying their Christmas wares. The stores downtown all had fabulous merchandise. White and Leonard Drug Store had a toy display set up on the second floor. L. W. Gunby Hardware Store had a special “not-for-sale” Christmas display in their window that showed many antique toys.
The annual Salisbury Christmas parade was always on a Saturday and the route was always right up Main St. where the music of the bands would reverberate off the buildings. This was because the stores were prohibited from opening on Sunday, and the local merchants loved the fact that the parade brought many shoppers downtown to shop until they closed at 9 PM. The parade had bands from the local high schools and many floats from local organizations.. At the end of the parade was good ol’ St. Nick. We had one motorcycle in the Salisbury Police Department fleet at that time, and it was always ridden by Sgt. Paul Barnett. In time, he donned a red suit and became known as Sgt. Santa Claus.
Many organizations spent a lot of time on their floats, and the results were everything a young boy full of the season could ask for. It always seemed to instill in everyone a generous amount of Christmas cheer that carried over throughout the entire season.
Usually, the majority of presents were clothes that were sorely needed. But there was always that special large toy that I had been asking for since October. One year, my father and mother (Santa) got me a tin filling station. Years later, they admitted that putting it together after I went to bed was quite a task for my Pop. Now, he was a mechanical engineer, but I don’t think his work included tin filling stations. He was much better at the gas pumps at real filling stations. It was a great thrill when I raced downstairs on Christmas morning and saw it.
We were never the type of family that scrimped all year and went all out at Christmas. As I came into my years of having a car, I might get a set of tires in September along with a hearty “Merry Christmas”. My father’s brothers and sisters were all in Buffalo, and their package was always eagerly anticipated, because they always gave toys. Mom set up her nativity scene every year with the baby Jesus carefully missing until Christmas day, and we always had a real tree. The only outside lights we had was one string of Christmas lights around the front door. Early on, my parents didn’t put up the tree until my sister and I had gone to bed. That must have been a lot of work in a very short time. But, I’m sure the looks on our little faces as we came down the stairs on Christmas morning made it all worthwhile.
Christmas can still be a time of magic if you just remember why we are celebrating the occasion. No matter what the stores proclaim in their never-ending pursuit of the almighty dollar, we can still wish someone a “Merry Christmas”. If you have the proper spirit, nothing can diminish the joy you will feel at this very special time of the year.
MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!!
21 comments:
Yes Clyde,we know about your years of having a car.Thanks for this post.It brings back fond memories.
I'm a volunteer bell ringer for the Salvation Army. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas. In all my years of doing this, I have never heard a complaint because of the greeting. If someone wishes me Happy Holidays, that's just fine. But I still believe in the traditional greeting.
Merry Christmas to you George!! I look forward to your comments and posts. Somewhere along the way I was told that you and I are related but I'm not sure how. Anyway....have a wonderful Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you!
you go George , your friend Wayne
Merry Christmas George and Merry Christmas to Joe and the loyal readers of this blog.
to 10:48
My mother's maiden name was Disharoon. Anyone named Disharoon is related as there is only one common ancestor that dates from around 1690. My grandfather, Albert Disharoon, once told me not to try do my family tree. He said there were too many Disharoons.
The best of times! I was one of the lucky ones, I remember playing in wi jr. hi's band and walking down main street between those builings. was a little hard on the ears. but a lot of fun. and I remember as a kid sitting on the curb waiting for the parade and trying to get candy they thru out.
and the stores. sears toy section in the basement. penny's was mostly clothes. white and leonard and JOLLY JACK on wboc.! always wanted to be on that show!
Merry Christmas to you George and thank you again for all the wonderful history/memories you bring to us every week.
Merry Christmas, George and thank you again for your work/columns. Never fail to brighten my day.
I know that this fond memory may seem strange to some, but I will always remember, on Christmas Eve, the sound of my Mom running the vacuum cleaner to clean the tinsel off of the carpet. It was a sure sign that Santa had come!
3:28
Who cares if some think it's strange. It is your memory and if it is fond to you that is all that counts. I remember my older brother asking me to wrap my older sisters present one year. Boy was I made when she was getting a tennis racket. Turns out I got the same thing. I wrapped hers and she wrapped mine. lol
My best ever Christmas present was last year. My wife got me a SUV. Socks, underwear, and Viagra.
Oh, my God! I remember Sgt. Barnett! I thought he was so cool on that motorcycle. Guess I'm showing my age.
Merry, Merry Christmas, and thank you so much for the memories. I remember when the parade was downtown and it was great!
The music, the floats, everything just great. My mom loved to stand in front of Benjamins. The family would shop for a while, put the gifts in the car, and wait patiently for the parade. Talk about it's a wonderful life.
Thank you again for the memories. Through you, I can re-live my childhood and I find that priceless.
My grandparents always rented a room at the top of the Wicomico Hotel so all we grandchildren could watch the Christmas parade in comfort.
W. Newton Jackson, III
Great post, George as well as the comments. Keep the memories coming. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All!
There is much good that comes from Christ.
However I really wish we could take the pagan out of this holiday. Santa move the n two to the right Satan. Nothing about Santa is of Christ more likely Odin or other pagan gods. Same with most everything else. Even the date is not when Christ was born as the shepherds were not out in the fields but in the valleys/forest for protection from the wind in winter.
Tell you children these gifts are in remembrance of Christ not from Santa could be a great start.
I still think about the 20 or so Christmas's we spent working together , you are where you want to be now . Wayne
Sounds like most of us aren't too fond of the ghetto version of today's Salisbury Christmas parade. Not sure where the "blinged" out crown Victoria clubs and RSP music fits into the meaning of "Christ" ma's.
Thanks for the memories. I marched in the Christmas parades for Wi Hi when we wore ornaments on our tall, fuzzy hats. Every year decorating for Christmas is complete when I place my "hat" ornament on the tree.
Member of Wi Hi Class of '75
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