I was born in the 1940’s and as you can see in the image we were able to SEE Santa Claus in the comfort of our own home.
I later learned that my Uncle Clyde Hostetter did the wonderful performance of Santa Claus for us.
Oh the thrill of making Chain Link Ribbons out of colored paper, that we could place on our Christmas Tree and then adding the single strings of shiny silver Tinsel on the tree, one piece at a time, instead of using the “Garland” like they have in today’s world.
The decorating of the tree was a group effort that we did as a family.
The entire idea of Christmas was about spending it TOGETHER, with smiles on everyone’s face and in their hearts.
I also remember getting “special” toys that were replica’s of characters from our favorite TV shows in the 1950’s, like The Lone Ranger and Tonto, one year and the character Buster Crabbe portrayed in the series Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion another year.
As I got older, I remember watching my grandfather open a gift box that my mother gave to him one Christmas.
As he opened the big box, he found a smaller box inside of it.
Inside that smaller box, was another even smaller box.
Inside that box, was another box.
I don’t remember how many boxes my grandfather had to open, before he finally arrived at the real gift, or even what the real gift was. But what I do remember is the love, togetherness and laughter that was shared by everyone, during the Christmas season.
Eventually, I became the Father and remembered working almost all night long in the basement, putting a bicycle together so it could be ridden on Christmas Morning.
I also spend multiple days building WOODEN TOYS in the basement that became additional Christmas Gifts.
I always thought that handmade one of a kind creations made the best and most memorable gifts. I was rewarded later in life when my son made me a one of a kind wooden gun rack that I will treasure until the day I die.
For while it may not be the most beautiful gun rack in the world, but I will treasure it because he took the time and energy to design it, build it, sand it with his hands and give me a part of his heart and mind.
Another memory as a father was getting up early one Christmas Day after a fresh snow covered the ground and taking my step sons out hunting rabbits.
Since I never had a father around when I was growing up, it was important for me to take my step sons hunting and fishing when they were young.
Eventually, I entered a period of my life where I was alone during the Christmas season and driving a semi-truck for a living.
However that Christmas Spirit stayed with me over the years and I even decorated my truck with “Garland” on my CB Antennas, a Red Stocking on the grill of my truck and Christmas lights inside the cab of my truck, on the dash.
I discovered that many of the larger truck stops that were open, would offer a FREE Christmas Dinner to the drivers that were on the road, away from home, on Christmas Day.
That was greatly appreciated. It was not about a free meal, but it was more about the appreciation of having someplace open for business, where we could stop and talk with other drivers that were also away from home and family on Christmas Day.
As the years passed by, I eventually built a small cabin out in the country in TN, where my son could come visit me for Christmas.
My favorite memory from that time period was they year we walked to the woods behind my cabin and cut down our own Christmas Tree and took it into the cabin so that we could decorate it.
Again, the years passed by quickly and Santa Claus played a very important part in my life.
I attended a “singles dance” in a town called “Santa Claus” and met the most loving woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.
She became my wife, partner and best friend. So we ended up decorating our home with EVERY Santa Claus I could find, as a reminder and a thank you, for Santa bringing me the perfect gift of love.
During this period of my life, I even started decorating my Motorcycle with Christmas Decorations and lights, for use in Christmas Parades, as you can see in the image below. The first bike is mine.
Eventually, I was blessed with another VERY special gift, called a Granddaughter.
When she was young, It was easy to buy her toys, but as she got older and her interests changed, it became more difficult to figure out what she wanted.
The days of children looking through a Sears & Roebucks catalog and marking what they wanted for Christmas was over.
So I realized I would have to make some changes in my life, in order to accommodate the people I love the most.
For many years, I have lived by the rule that I would NOT go shopping between Black Friday and Christmas, simply because I don’t like crowds, (except at motorcycle rallies.)
But as they say, rules are meant to be broken and love makes men and women do strange things.
So….. one year I broke my rule and actually went to a Black Friday Sale, in order to get my wife a ROBOT VACUUM CLEANER.
That was the first, last and only time I have ever tried a Black Friday Sale. From that point on, I have walked into stores and told the sales crew that I would gladly pay a higher price for an item, simply to avoid having to get through a big crowd of screaming women, simply to buy a product.
The next time I broke one of my rules is when my granddaughter became a teenager and I wanted to buy her some gifts for Christmas.
First, she gave me a list of items she wanted. But in order to see the items, I had to JOIN a website.
I HATE joining websites, but since as a webmaster, I have access to an unlimited number of email addresses, I can create a new email address, just for one website, then I can delete it after the spam and junk mail starts coming in.
So, I joined this new website and as I looked at the various gifts she wanted, I discovered some of them were out of stock, or would be shipped from China, etc.
So, I picked out a few items and then decided to take another route.
I invited my granddaughter to spend the day with my wife and myself and we were taking her shopping, so that she could pick out her own gifts.
This was between Thanksgiving and Christmas. As a matter of fact , it was about 2 weeks before Christmas, on a Saturday and we were heading to stores that had Woman’s Clothing!!!!!!!!
I survived the first store, as I stood by and waited for the two greatest loves in my life to look through racks of clothing, try on outfits, etc.
It is a testimony as to just how powerful Love is, when a man (especially one that is hyper and doesn’t like crowds) will spend that much time in a crowded woman’s clothing store on a Saturday, two weeks before Christmas in a fairly large city.
By the time we go to the THIRD clothing store and it seemed like it was almost impossible to hear anyone speaking ENGLISH, I was simply standing with my back to the wall, thanking GOD for the strength to keep my mouth shut and do my best NOT to do anything that would turn this event into a negative experience for my wife or granddaughter.
With the good Lord’s help, we finally got out of there and into our car, heading back to our small town, rural lifestyle.
This old man, survived that urban jungle one last time, during the holiday season and I am so grateful for that.
But now I am facing one final situation.
As I mentioned earlier, I try to buy things ahead of time. As such, there are gifts that I purchased BEFORE Thanksgiving.
Now, I have always been good at hiding things. Sometimes I have stashed cash somewhere and forgotten where I put it, and eventually discovered it many years later while looking for something else.
Well, this year, I find my self spending days looking everywhere for some of the gifts that I purchased before Thanksgiving and have decided that I may have to simply give my wife an IOU for the missing gifts and then buy replacements AFTER the Christmas RETURN season is over.
But all in all, Christmas is really about the giving and love. And my actions, tolerance of uncomfortable situations and silence, are a sign of my love. As such, I know my “family” will remember this Christmas and know they are and always will be loved.
But to the younger people out there, keep in mind that times are changing. You can not change the past, but you can savor the good memories and forget the bad ones.
Also remember that as you age, some of your memory WILL deteriorate.
So when you get to the point that you can not find your car keys or why you walked into a room, you might want to consider making a list of WHERE you are hiding cash or gifts for loved ones, then stick that list in your billfold or some other semi-private location where you WILL see it on a regular basis. Because giving a gift that is NOT a surprise to someone else, it better then NOT having the GIFT Available and having to explain WHY you don’t have it.
At the same time, as long as you are still breathing and able to communicate with others, you have a chance to SHOW your love to someone else.
Take advantage of it, for we never know what tomorrow will bring. And at my age, since I have already had one heart attack several years ago and my health is deteriorating with each passing year, I figured that I needed to record these memories NOW, while I can still recall them.
I pray that everyone reading this will gain some insight into their own lives and discover some joyful memories from their past as well as find a reason to bring joy into the lives of others.
And please remember that American Legacies and the Older Bikers (Motorcycle) Riding Club have special holiday traditions where we invite seniors and other individuals that do not have anyone to share Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years eve with, to join us at a local Family style restaurant for these holiday meals.
Also, on New Year’s Day, the Older Bikers RC also has a motorcycle ride, to start the NEW year off doing something for US that we LOVE.
So, please check our websites for local OBRC or American Legacies chapters, in order to see if we have a local group in your area, so you can share the holiday season with others.
I would also encourage each and every one of you to share some memories about you own Christmas Memories as a child, parent and grandparent.
It doesn’t have to be funny or heartwarming.
It simply needs to be a part of your past or present that YOU can preserve and share with younger and even future relatives and loved ones. After all, your past, for better or worse, is responsible for making you the person that you have become today.
May God Bless and Care for each and everyone of you and may you have a BLESSED and HAPPY Christmas.
12/22/23
FTW
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