Christmas (remember when?)

[NativeOkie]

Did you guys make the red and green construction paper chains?
Or actual popcorn stings. POPCORN! those fabulous popcorn balls! I never see those now days.
My grandfathers stories about how they were thrilled with an orange for Christmas.
The church used to hand out oranges and nuts in those red plastic net stockings.

[BradR]

I still remember the one Christmas when my sister and I both had HUGE presents under the tree. I was so excited to see what could be in there I could hardly wait. I don't remember what my sister got in hers but I remember mine like it was yesterday. It was about 4 cinder blocks and a shiny brand new Atari 2600!

The boxes were from our new washer & dryer to give an idea of how big they were.

I did a similar thing to my wife last year. I had a box some truck parts had come in that was about 4 1/2' long and 2' tall. I filled it up with as many cases of Dr. Pepper (her addiction) that I could fit in there...she seemed to like it.

[Generals64]

I remember the oranges and apples....They were so good for some reason that timeof the year. And, a Snickers candy bar never tasted so good, not even on Halloween.

During the C B Craze (1975-77) we lived in Texas (sorry you OU guys) but we would come to Oklahoma every year for Christmas. One year my best friend and I got this wild idea to get out two boys on the C B (at seperate times) and the other would be Santa Claus (Christmas Eve). We would the Old "Jelly Belly" and we knew what the other boy was going to get for Christmas and so the conversations (via C B radio) would get real intense. We ALL had a good laugh and a good time. One year, I was signing off to my friends son and from no where some little kid jumped in and started yelling "don't go Santa, don't go" I need to give you my list. I tell you that kid wanted everything but a Ferrari. We had such a good time. No one was really worried about time, or how they were going to pay for Christmas because they just spent what they had, not what they thought they had. You know, this is the time of the year to share and we want to invite any and all to share their Christmas times and dreams....Step up and let us know......HO-HO-HO. Santa Claus is everywhere....

[Generals64]

Does anyone remember the Christmas of 1958?...The week right after Christmas we had a major blizzard and the roads iced up ...quite a mess...I remember everyone (moms and dads alike) were out on the street slapping a ball around with Broomsticks. The one of the dad's decided to try and pull the kids on an old Car hood...So much fun until we couldn't figure out how to stop the hood from going up under the car and hurting everyone....Finally we just knew to jump off.. How did we make it in those years without spending so much money?

[dismayed]

Kind of like BradR I remember getting a very large present one year that actually turned out to be quite small. I honestly can't even remember what the gift was, but I do remember that when I opened the first large box there was a second smaller box inside it. And a smaller box inside it. And a smaller box inside it! I think there were maybe six boxes total. As a kid I remember thinking it was hysterical and that Santa must have had a good sense of humor.

You guys have just inspired me to turn on some Christmas music, crack open some egg nog, and put up the Christmas tree.

[Generals64]

Kind of like BradR I remember getting a very large present one year that actually turned out to be quite small. I honestly can't even remember what the gift was, but I do remember that when I opened the first large box there was a second smaller box inside it. And a smaller box inside it. And a smaller box inside it! I think there were maybe six boxes total. As a kid I remember thinking it was hysterical and that Santa must have had a good sense of humor.

You guys have just inspired me to turn on some Christmas music, crack open some egg nog, and put up the Christmas tree.

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Yee-Haw:........I'ts beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....How about the rest of you readers.....?

[dances with cameras]

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

Red records! Now you're takin' me WAY back! Y'know I can't hear Gene Autry's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" without thinking of my old red records, and my cool little portable fold-up record player. (With all the 45's that I bought at T.G.&Y.)

[PennyQuilts]

Red records! Now you're takin' me WAY back! Y'know I can't hear Gene Autry's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" without thinking of my old red records, and my cool little portable fold-up record player. (With all the 45's that I bought at T.G.&Y.)

Alvin and the Chipmunks on red. I just about wore that one out.

[Pete]

As a kid growing up in NW OKC in the 60's and early 70's, I got very few toys or presents apart from Christmas so that holiday was a very big deal. I don't think I'll ever again match the excitement and anticipation of the days leading up to Christmas and they are some of my fondest memories.

I have a vivid memory of sneaking out into the hallway in the middle of the night, trying to catch a glimpse of what Santa had left. We weren't allowed to go downstairs until about 7AM (as I recall) and the time seemed to stand still while I waited.

My dad always made a big display with lots of unwrapped toys, so as soon as I hit the top of the stairs it was like a treasure trove in our living room. Looking back, I realize most the stuff wasn't very expensive but the pile seemed HUGE. And old photos revealed it really was quite big, especially since we had five kids.

As a family, we'd usually get all bundled up and take our dogs for a long walk on Christmas Eve to see the neighborhood lights and to burn off some energy so we could sleep. We lived near 63rd & Meridian and at that time just about everybody put up lights. On Christmas Eve, we'd leave our outdoor lights on all night.

When we got to be older, we'd usually drive out to Ski Island to see their amazing light displays... I guess that's been discontinued?

And what I remember most of all is that my mom, dad, my four sisters and I were always together during the holidays. With both my parents long gone and the rest of us pretty scattered, that is the memory I cherish most of all.

[Pete]

Here's some other specifics I remember:

- Getting my picture taken with Santa in little house in the middle of Penn Square (which was not enclosed when I was a kid).
- Marking my calendar and waiting in great anticipation for when Rudolf and Charlie Brown were broadcast (only once a year and we didn't even have VCR's then)
- Having a little gift exchange at school and getting those great "books" of lifesavers candy!
- Going to pick up my grandmother at the downtown train station (she lived in Milwaukee and hated to fly; the Sante Fe Station used to get trains straight from Chicago)
- Doing most my Christmas shopping at TG&Y. They seemingly had everything you could ever want.
- For some reason, my parents always had blue light strings for the tree and the ornaments were blue and silver. I still have one of the ornaments which is quite antique... I'd say it's at least 60 years old now.
- Remember 'tinsel' you'd hang on the tree? We'd take it down and save it for the next year!
- My dad always recorded the big morning on Super 8 film. I still have the movies and recently transferred them to my computer.
- All our aunts, uncles and cousins lived in Wisconsin and we'd always call them on Christmas day, and all us kids would have to get on the line and thank them for the gifts they had mailed.
- My mom would always cook a massive Christmas feast, every bit as big as Thanksgiving. Man, she worked her tail off around that house.

And many, many more I'll have to write down later.

[Generals64]

Here's some other specifics I remember:

- Getting my picture taken with Santa in little house in the middle of Penn Square (which was not enclosed when I was a kid).
- Marking my calendar and waiting in great anticipation for when Rudolf and Charlie Brown were broadcast (only once a year and we didn't even have VCR's then)
- Having a little gift exchange at school and getting those great "books" of lifesavers candy!
- Going to pick up my grandmother at the downtown train station (she lived in Milwaukee and hated to fly; the Sante Fe Station used to get trains straight from Chicago)
- Doing most my Christmas shopping at TG&Y. They seemingly had everything you could ever want.
- For some reason, my parents always had blue light strings for the tree and the ornaments were blue and silver. I still have one of the ornaments which is quite antique... I'd say it's at least 60 years old now.
- Remember 'tinsel' you'd hang on the tree? We'd take it down and save it for the next year!
- My dad always recorded the big morning on Super 8 film. I still have the movies and recently transferred them to my computer.
- All our aunts, uncles and cousins lived in Wisconsin and we'd always call them on Christmas day, and all us kids would have to get on the line and thank them for the gifts they had mailed.
- My mom would always cook a massive Christmas feast, every bit as big as Thanksgiving. Man, she worked her tail off around that house.

And many, many more I'll have to write down later.

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Great Story....I wish someone knew someone at one of the local T.V. Stations and get them to broadcast some of the stories of locals memories. You know, sharing the past is the beginning of the future......Thanks for sharing this one with us....Generals64

[Generals64]

Did you ever wonder who played Santa Claus in the local Shopping Centers? I remember one time going to Airline Shopping Center and there must have been a Santa Convention going on. Or, whoever hired the ten or eleven Santas had them all meet at one place. Boy, I didn't know whether this meant I was going to get 10 or 11 visits from Santa or maybe these guys held him uP...Scared me to death.....

[Generals64]

O.K., who really ate the candy canes that they got at Christmas? Those things must have shelf life of 50 years...Then the clear paper would get embedded in the candy itself. I know TG&Y sold a million boxes of candy canes but I have never heard of anyone that really ate them how about you?

[Generals64]

How about those nasty Fruit Cakes. We had one that was passed around the family for 10 years before the older people opened it and tried to eat it. They even soaked it all day one Christmas in Rum....My dad still said it tasted like:......well, you know....How about the Orange slices that everyone snuck into until they became like rocks. The old Ribbon candy. Why would anyone want those????

[Generals64]

Does anyone out there still feel the peace in the air on Christmas Eve? There are so many stories out there and yet the main story tells it all. Such a wonderful feeling of peace and satisfaction for at least that one night of the year....

[masonsmomma]

My best memories are getting to buy my family presents at the little stores that they set up at school. It was all junk but at a young age it was something really awesome to give to your brothers and parents. My best gift was my first car, the lady across the street was so excited for me she was waiting outside to take my picture! It was a shock for sure! I hated the tinsel, it seemed to always show up on the ground 5 days after you've taken down the tree! My family was really involved with Boy Scouts so we always went to Midwest City Hosptial and sang Christmas Carols. Plus we sold Christmas Trees in front of Wal-mart! Oh the memories, how fun they are! Reading these memories makes me want to watch Charlie Brown and decorate the house!

[Generals64]

Well, I'm trying to be the nice guy and get the Christmas ornaments out....Can't find the replacement bulbs for the "Bubble Lights". My wife still has her Grandmother's lights.....anyone know where I can find replacements?

[Generals64]

CHRISTMAS TRIVIA:............Who made the Song Ruldolf the Red-Nose Reindeer popular:........................... Who turned the song down saying it was too silly?................................ Did you know that it is the number selling Christmas song in the country?

[John]

CHRISTMAS TRIVIA:............Who made the Song Ruldolf the Red-Nose Reindeer popular:........................... Who turned the song down saying it was too silly?................................ Did you know that it is the number selling Christmas song in the country?

What are: Gene Autry, Gene Autry, and yes?

[Generals64]

Boy, you were close to answering it right.....Gene Autry Yes....However, Bing Crosby turned it down since he had White Christmas already on the charts and thought it to be too silly of a song..........and yes, it is the Number one selling Christmas song.

[John]

Boy, you were close to answering it right.....Gene Autry Yes....However, Bing Crosby turned it down since he had White Christmas already on the charts and thought it to be too silly of a song..........and yes, it is the Number one selling Christmas song.

Gene Autry thought the same thing, but his wife convinced him to record it.

[Generals64]

Gene Autry thought the same thing, but his wife convinced him to record it.

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That might make me to start listening a little more to my wife....Huh?

[Thunder]

There is plenty of the bubble lights set and replacements at Hobby Lobby.

[Generals64]

There is plenty of the bubble lights set and replacements at Hobby Lobby.

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Thanks, I'll go there tonight.....

[Generals64]

Has anyone noticed there are not as many Christmas Tree lots as before. Even the Grocery Stores don't have a real good selection. I agree about the tinsel..that stuff got all over everywhere and about the time you got it all cleaned up Christmas would come around again....Still enjoy this time of year though...