Christmas Memories, 1962

I heard "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" in our living room from one of my Mom's Christmas albums. She only had a few of them, and played them on our little record player until we finally got a console stereo. My Dad had an album of Country and Western stars doing their own renditions of the Christmas classics. The likes of Ferlin Husky, Hank Snow and Ernest Tubb sounded wonderful on Christmas vinyl. Jim Reeves' "Silver Bells" was a particular favorite. While this music played our kitchen was alive with holiday activity. The scents of cinnamon and nutmeg permeated the air as there were always lots of holiday cookies and cakes to make.

We got a pre-Christmas snowfall that year, and all of us on the block were out throwing snowballs and building snowmen. After short breaks of retreating into our respective houses to warm up-and fuel up, we were back at it again. I loved all of the Christmas cards we received-especially the ones with the glitter on them. They lined our window sill and rested atop our TV set. My favorite cards were any that depicted Victorian London scenes of shoppers on the street. I loved the images of people out navigating the snow and peering into small shop windows. Cards such as those always conjured up for me images of horse-driven carriages, perhaps a goose for supper and old handmade toys that made the notion of a vintage Christmas so special.

In between bites of butterscotch and sugar cookies, and sips of hot chocolate, were return trips outdoors to the neighborhood kids and icy white snow. I can recall attempting to make snowballs without gloves; I was good for about three balls before I could no longer feel my fingers. Snow days were the best; My cheeks turned red, my nose ran and at times my feet felt like ice cubes. Not once did I regret the cold, or those times.