He's here!

Hi neighbors. By this time next week Santa will have fled with the sled and gone back to bed. Wednesday is the big day! We may have a white Christmas after all.

I remember what a big thrill it was to get out of school for Christmas vacation. We had two full weeks off ending with the first weekday of January after January first.

There was always a lot to do -- mostly shaking presents. The tree usually was up the day after Thanksgiving. My mother was very definite that we couldn't mix the two holidays.

After Christmas the tree had to be down before New Year's Eve as well.

After I became a parent, I learned the degree of appreciation for that first day of school following the children being home (and either anxious or bored) for two weeks.

The routine at our house as children, was we each got a present for our mother and father. Dad never ran out of Old Spice and chocolate covered peanuts, and Mom had all the Blue Waltz she could stand and chocolate covered cherries she could eat.

Mom and Dad would exchange nice gifts (most of which I can't remember -- must not have been paying much attention.) They would also give each other clothing and "trinket" gifts that meant something special to them.

My brother and I got each other some small gift. You couldn't get much on an allowance of 50 cents a week, even in the 1950s. At least we knew each other's tastes and what particular toy was popular.

Our parents, being both poor and practical, got us replacement school supplies, a new pair of shoes and socks and an orange for our stockings. And one "big" present.

Other than getting an apple instead of an orange or some candy, we always knew what would be in our Christmas stockings -- and we did eagerly anticipate those necessities. Our only real surprise on Christmas was our big present and how Mom could actually eat cranberries. After once trying them for myself, I always viewed eating cranberries as an expression of sheer will power and/or desperation.

Some of the best big gifts I remember were a real record player and the Davy Crockett theme song from the weekly Disney show. It had the pirate theme from Peter Pan on the other side.

I know Mom and Dad both wanted to throw that record player out many times. That was the only record we had other than the Teddy Bears Picnic and another song I can't remember. I'm certain they got tired of hearing them played over and over.

One year my brother got a train set, and every year as long as he still wanted them he got another train car for his set each Christmas.

I got paper dolls one year -- a very nice set. But my uncle tried to help me cut them out and cut off the fold over tabs that held the clothes on the dolls. He felt really bad about that. Mom helped glue the tabs back onto the dresses and that worked -- almost.

Television had some of the best shows on at Christmas. Of course they were all seen in black and white on our television. But they still continue to entertain even more than six decades later.

One of my favorites was Red Skelton's mime skit about the homeless man. Do you remember that?

Christmas was always anticipated, celebrated and much enjoyed. And my brother and I, in new shoes and socks, wearing new clothes and maybe a new coat; were happy to get back into school after New Year's Day. I'm certain my parents were just as happy to see us go.

Have a Merry Christmas!