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Christmas memories

I have some vivid memories of Christmas past. Born in 1949, Christmas was a grand affair filled with Hallmark kinds of memories. I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin called Fox Lake. I was one of 7 kids - a twin and my parents were blue-collar hard working folks. I remember going with my Mom to the town near us that had a Sears and J C Penney's dept store for Christmas shopping. The stores were decorated to the hilt with Christmas fan-fare and Christmas hymns and music was pumped through the store. The city I grew up in hung decorations from the street lights, and banners across the main street declaring "Merry Christmas". We were a German immigrant community (by and large) and so almost everyone was either Lutheran or Catholic. Even in public school Christmas was recognized and celebrated. We actually had "Christmas Vacation"!

I remember hymns and carols on television. Every year the city would put on a Christmas party at the city's community building. There would be several hundred kids in one place and they'd show 16mm films of Christmas - often cartoons, and then at some point the fire department would drive up with Santa Claus in tow.

Our house was modestly decorated, but decorated it was. Dad put up the tree, but mom and kids decorated it. I remember Christmas music everywhere...department stores, the radio, even on the city streets.

The Lutheran church I attended put on a Christmas eve program and we had to memorize a passage of scripture and had Christmas rehearsals to learn the music and practice reciting our parts. I speak in front of hundreds today, but back then I was as nervous as anyone could possibly imagine.

The presents didn't appear under the tree until we returned from the Christmas eve service, and then magically so. When we left they were no where in sight, but when we returned, there they were. It didn't hit me until I was 8 or so that my Dad mysteriously was always late to get to the car for the Christmas eve service.

It was an old fashioned Christmas and it is nostalgic to still remember it today. There was much anticipation, and much in the way of celebation.
Forgive the nostalgic reminiscing, but it struck me, I've loved Christmas as much as anything over the 60 years of life. I hope the feeling doesn't go away.

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