Christmas Past

This time of year you can't help but think back to the days when you were a child anxiously awaiting Santa's arrival. That excitement is still part of my life today.

As part of a Christmas gift to my family members, I put together a photo book of family memories. I poured over hundreds of family photos to create a wonderful first volume. I never realized that selecting the right photos would be so difficult! There were so many to choose from!

One of the photos I ran across was this picture of my Father and Mother at Christmas, circa 1964. My Dad (who passed in early 2001) was a handsome man. My Mom, such a beautiful woman. I remember Mom fussing with her hair for HOURS it seemed when we were going out to dinner or to a family members house for a holiday celebration. She always made sure she was dressed to the 9's except when she was working around the house or out in the garden!

This picture shows our 'hodge podge' Christmas tree. I loved our trees when we were kids. They always seemed to be so big! The star on the top of the tree (you can barely see it in the picture) has rested on my own trees for the last 10 years or so.

Life in 'black and white' was so easy then! One of my very favorite Christmas memories came in the same year, 1964 when the Beatles had arrived into the US and I was a total Beatles fan! Mind you, I was just a wee lad. I was 5 years old at the time and I could sing EVERY word of EVERY Beatles hit that was on the AM radio airwaves. That year, Santa brought me a microphone and amplifier to 'perform' all my loved Beatle songs. And perform I did! I would perform for anyone at the drop of a hat! I wasn't bad for a 5 year old!

This picture shows my new microphone and my little 'performing outfit' that my Mom bought me. The vest was a lighter blue color (I remember it vividly!) and the bowtie was black and blue color. Of course, I was wearing quite stylish black pants! Looking back, I think my collar should have been tucked inside the vest! (ha ha)

To this day at family gatherings, my family will always bring up my 'performing' days. I'm always asked if I can remember the words to a particular early Beatles song.. and you know. to this very day, I remember!