Christmas (remember when?)

[Generals64]

With the Holidays coming up I can't help but think about Christmas's of the past. I'm Sure everyone reading these threads have a Christmas past they would be willing to share. I can remember when there really was Snow and we really did have a White Christmas.....Does anyone else?
My dad was an OTR Truck Driver and sometimes we didn't get to see him right on Christmas morning but always sometime during the day. We were from Ardmore, Oklahoma originally and every year we ended up in Ardmore....One year my dad gave my mom some money and told her to go and "buy the kids a Coke at the Drug Store". In those days that was incredible but, we went ahead and went with our mom. When we got back ALL the Christmas we could ever imagine were there...Everything my sister and I asked for....Already put out by the tree....and there sat my dad....he was grinning from ear to ear as we dove into the toys...finally, I asked where were you when Santa Came?....his reply..."feeding the reindeer". Now as he said get ready and let's go see my mother and family. So, along with my Dick Tracy .38 and shoulder holster on top of my New Cub Scout shirt (with earned badges). On top of my new pajamas, my monopoly game etc. and so on...away we rode to Ardmore....Hoping we could catch Santa One more time....thought it would be cool to have two of everything....SO, WHAT'S YOUR STORY okc????

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

My best memories of Christmas are probably when I was in the Marines and volunteering for Toys for Tots. About 1 out of every 10 families that took toys from us was so overwhelmed with gratitude it was hard for ME to keep composed while loading toys into the back of that dilapidated pickup on top of the dad's sheetrock tools while trying to hide what was in the box from the kids who had been waiting in the cab with mom, not knowing what dad was doing inside the building. Dad was humble and not very comfortable taking the charity...But he did it because it's the only way his kids were getting a Christmas.

The other 9 of that 10 though...That's for this threads evil doppleganger that I hope nobody starts.

[NativeOkie]

Craziest thing I miss....
My parents had an aluminum tree with the color wheel that went around.
Later we had the tree purchased at Coits and we would hang the icicles on it with those giant light bulbs. you would walk near the tree and the icicles would reach out from the static. Best present was the Johnny eagle gun and new suede cowboy boots. Warm cashews at Sears and always always always putting money in the bell ringers pot.

[TaoMaas]

My grandfather died when I was only 6, but I can still remember what a grouchy old son-of-a-gun he was. He was definitely the "Bah, humbug!" type. One Christmas eve, the whole family was going to go look at Christmas lights. We begged and pleaded for my grandfather to go, but he refused to budge. He thought it was all just a huge waste of time. When we got back from looking at the lights, sure enough, Santa had come! I can remember all of us kids giving my grandfather the 3rd degree. "Did you see Santa?" "Did you hear anything?" "Surely you must have seen SOMETHING...after all, you were in the room right next to where Santa had been!" Nope...he was clueless. We just couldn't believe it. It wasn't until years later that I figured out what had really happened.

[Thunder]

I don't remember any specific Christmas, but I do know that all of Christmas Eve is the worse! The pain, the agony, of not being able to sleep! It is so hard to sleep on that one specific night! My brother and I always get what we asked for and more. Now, the last several years, I turned it around, it will be mom who will be surprised on Christmas morning.

I think the chance for White Christmas this year is a bit higher than the previous years. Really, I only consider a White Christmas when outside is completely covered in white with falling snow at the moment of opening the door the first time on the day.

[route66gal]

yes.. when I was a kid it seemed we had snow around Christmas.

[westsidesooner]

I think the chance for White Christmas this year is a bit higher than the previous years. Really, I only consider a White Christmas when outside is completely covered in white with falling snow at the moment of opening the door the first time on the day.

Wishcast? ...jk Thunder. I hope you're right. I did see something on the news about a wetter than average winter. Nothing would be better than snow starting Christmas eve and continuing through Christmas day. Whats with all the Ice lately?....Snow is a lot more fun.

As far as Christmas memories I'd have to say when my brother and I both snuck out of our rooms to go "check out" the presents in the middle of the night before anyone woke up. We scared the snot out of each other first thinking we we both the only ones in the den, started laughing, then heard my dad coming out of his room. We both scurried around like trappped rats before choosing our hiding places....only to be caught because we made so much noise. Dad was more tired and amused than mad of course...so we all laughed about it and went back to bed.........or did we?

[Thunder]

We will definately have cold days. We will definately have wet weather. It all comes down to the timing of everything coming together at the right time.

[dances with cameras]

My parents had an aluminum tree with the color wheel that went around

We had one too, man! I have to explain what the heck it is to some people when we look at old photos. I also remember going to my grandma's (on my mother's side). My mom had 10 brothers and sister. Imagine all of us little cousins! Grandma had a liver aluminum tree with BLUE BALLS! try explaining that one.

[dances with cameras]

that's supposed to be a SILVER ALUMINUM TREE

[Thunder]

What the heck is it?

[route66gal]

silver tree.. haha yeah

those are worth money now btw!!

[route66gal]

what about bubble water lights? I noticed they started to make those again!

[Thunder]

I always see those lights in the stores. Depend on where you go, I guess.

[Generals64]

I don't remember any specific Christmas, but I do know that all of Christmas Eve is the worse! The pain, the agony, of not being able to sleep! It is so hard to sleep on that one specific night! My brother and I always get what we asked for and more. Now, the last several years, I turned it around, it will be mom who will be surprised on Christmas morning.

I think the chance for White Christmas this year is a bit higher than the previous years. Really, I only consider a White Christmas when outside is completely covered in white with falling snow at the moment of opening the door the first time on the day.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's Soooooooo Coooooool to surprise your mom. Wish my were still alive to sit around the tree and just talk.......that was a bit of a tradition we had...on Christmas eve we (the family) would pop popcorn have iced down Cokes, chips etc......No arguing (no matter what) just a time to remember the year and what Christmas was really about. Then, the night was long...we tossed and turned I probably had to get up and go to the bathroom about fifty times each Christmas eve.....but my Mom would never let us go down the hall to the living room.....You've got a cool story.

[Generals64]

what about bubble water lights? I noticed they started to make those again!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My wife still has the bubble lights that belonged to her Grandmother and they still work......I son't know what to do if they quit because that is her favorite thing (my wife) about Christmas. She does a more than wonderful job on the tree. Me, I like to watch........

[NativeOkie]

silver tree.. haha yeah

those are worth money now btw!!

Where can I get one?
I saw one once in an antique store in Guthrie, and I can not find one since.

[Generals64]

Where can I get one?
I saw one once in an antique store in Guthrie, and I can not find one since.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've seen two this week in antique stores....One in downtown Gainesville, Texas and one in the antique shop in Purcell. Check the AMC Flea Market there were a bunch of them (10-15) in a booth not too long ago.....I'll look in my mother-in-law's attic tomorrow and if hers is still there it's yours.....I'll let you know via this thread.......Generals/64.

[Generals64]

O.K. 6th grade (1957) all I wanted for Christmas was a watch...didn't even care if worked I just wanted a watch. My mother (as mom's would be) said she didn't know if Santa could afford the watch (yep, 6th grade...Milk it for all I could). I had two younger sister's so Santa still put the presents out. I went to bed and tried to sleep and eventually I dozed off into Christmas Land. I woke up and looked down the hall and there sat my grandmother. We didn't get to see her very often so I thought I was dreaming...dozed off woke up and she was still there. She motioned for me to come into the living room (thought I was in trouble) so, I snuck down the hall hug my grandmother and turned around and there it was the most beautiful Bulova watch you ever saw....I knew not to pick it up so I looked at my Grandmother and asked her if she saw Santa and she said she did...How did you get him to leave me that pretty of a watch? Her response ....Scotch and Water goes a long way with old men.....What a Christmas we had......If you check it also snowed that Christmas.....The next year however....Santa forgot my name and all I started getting was clothes......

[NativeOkie]

AMC wow I forgot about that place.
My parents went there a a lot. I remember two levels with a ramp not two floors.
Seems like there was something spooky about the basket / cart return door.
General the watch story is great you need to write a book.
Maybe we all should recall one such story and have Doug make an Okie experience Christmas book, think about it Otasco, TG&Y, Humpty Dumpty stores, can get much better.
We did not have MACY's but we never missed it.
NY did not have Browns or Rothchilds

[Generals64]

One of the things my older sister and I did in our younger days was sit in the floor and dream about what we would get for Christmas. My parents didn't have much money but they sure had a lot of love.....We (my sister and I) would open the Oklahoma Tire & Supply co. Christmas catalog and we could pick One item on each page for ourselves or for someone else. But, we had to claim the picture ....So much fun....then came the Sears Catalog.....same thing. Remember we had to claim one thing on each page or we lost the game...Did good until we got to the bras and panties.....We were really young...Probably 2nd and 5th grade.....so, I decided to claim the models ....she still said I was cheating.....Christmas was so much fun and so exciting.....We would each have about $5.00 to spend on gifts for members of the family...now, that was total for 4 presents. When I was a little older I handed out hand bills (Bob Poole Grocery) and made an extra $ 5.00. now, Christmas became very exciting for me. Even today, I would rather give someone a present and see their eyes light up as to even get a Christmas present.....SO MANY STORIES OUT THERE. THE IDEA OF A BOOK WOULD PROBABLY WORK WITH EVERYONE CONTRIBUTING AND TAKING THE PROCEEDS HELPING TOYS FOR TOTS......WHAT DO YOU THINK?????
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[BB37]

Some of my best Christmas memories are of the old Sears and NW 23rd and Penn (torn down about 15 years ago). Many years we'd buy our tree there (until Mom's allergies couldn't take it any more :-) I especially remember the toy department would set up a huge Lionel train table -- spent lots of time watching the trains roll around the track.

I also remember the candy counter on the first floor. I can still smell the cashews...

[Generals64]

Does anyone out there remember the old Christmas Days in Stockyards?....I was very confused when Santa Claus came out with a team of horses......I never could figure out what happened to Rudolph and the other reindeer....I do remember the old Downtown Christmas Parade...that was an extravaganza...All of the stores would unveil their Christmas windows and the SHOPPING BEGAN. No one would dare think of putting out Christmas goods until the day after Thanksgiving...But boy would the lay-Away departments get busy, Trees were selling....and there was a frenzy for tape to wrap the presents with....Never did you see a bag with tissue thrown in it. Everyone surely remembers the curly ribbon and how about Christmas card...This was a must to family members and close friends...no one sent cards to try and impress someone....they were sent with sincerity......Gosh, those were such easy times or maybe because we remember Childhood Christmases and we didn't have to worry about paying for the presents....you know, Santa Claus furnished them all.......

[route66gal]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've seen two this week in antique stores....One in downtown Gainesville, Texas and one in the antique shop in Purcell. Check the AMC Flea Market there were a bunch of them (10-15) in a booth not too long ago.....I'll look in my mother-in-law's attic tomorrow and if hers is still there it's yours.....I'll let you know via this thread.......Generals/64.

wow that is cheap you could turn a profit!

Where can I get one?
I saw one once in an antique store in Guthrie, and I can not find one since.

Good news is last year I saw remakes of them!

So you might can find a new one. Other than that I sometimes see them in the antique shops on N Western for around 100 and up eeek. Online even more!!

I always try to find them in thrift stores, but no luck, but my friends have!

I finally gave up and went for the retro white flock with red balls and 7" red records!

[route66gal]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My wife still has the bubble lights that belonged to her Grandmother and they still work......I son't know what to do if they quit because that is her favorite thing (my wife) about Christmas. She does a more than wonderful job on the tree. Me, I like to watch........

I have my moms bubble lights, some of them dont work anymore, but the rest still come on. I love them!! My favorite thing when I was a child about the tree, and now still yes.