Christmas Memories of Old

As a kid it seemed so long for Christmas to get here. After Thanksgiving, a Christmas parade was held on Center Street in Provo. And Santa Claus would ride by on his sleigh. Then we looked at all the windows at the glimmering lights and toys.

Scene from The Snowman

We would visit Toyland where all the stores put out their new toys for Christmas. There were no Barbie dolls, electronic toys or games and no Play Stations, Wii's or X boxes. I loved baby dolls and little china sets, paper dolls and perfume. Blue Waltz was my favorite. (it smells like Taboo) I often got a soft flannel nightgown. My brother got tinker toys and erector sets, play guns and dart sets. We did not get a tree until the week before Christmas. It was a real tree. We loved to look at it with it's glowing lights and shimmery balls, bubble lights and icicles and of course the star on top. It was as if we were flown away to a distant land of magic and wonderment. Christmas Eve was waiting and the time passing so slowly. If anyone has the video of The Snowman, watch it. This is exactly like I felt around Christmas time. It will take you to a very magical and wonderful journey.

The Snowman

I loved the music in which in those days was mostly about Jesus but also there was music of Santa, and snowmen too.  Then lying in bed all night waiting for morning to see what magical things were under the tree, when we finally got up (my brother got several times and sent back to bed.)  After the gifts were opened there was a little feeling of now everything was over for another year.

I believe that time and wonderment in the days leading up to Christmas is really more wonderful and magical than Christmas Day itself. We had to wait another year for that wondrous magical day once more. We sang carols on Christmas Day and sometimes re-inacted the Nativity.

Chris and I with Some of Our Christmas Toys in the 50's

Snow Man Scene

As I get older, I wish I could capture the wonderment I had as a child. Children see the world in a different way than adults do. Sometimes we just live in a world of reality but children feel the fantasy and beauty in things adults do not. Everything seems bright glowing and wonderful in their eyes. And Christmas to me today is just too commercial. So I do try to see Christmas through my eyes as a child and never forget those Christmas' I loved years ago.