When I think about the kids, it’s the lights, the tree, and the presents. When I was young it was about the excitement of Santa coming to our house and parking his sled and reindeer on our house. Then he would somehow come down the chimney that we did not have, and pops open his bag with all the presents that we picked from the Sears catalog. Yes, we would sit around for at least a month, looking at the Sears catalog. Page by page, as we decided who would get the first pick. Day after day we would go through the entire catalog and pick what we would like to have.

That was Christmas to me then. The point was that what we picked made us happy. Our imagination at that point in time was all that mattered. The next morning, I would get up and go to the garage, grab the shovel and bucket to get another load of coal. We had a single coal stove in the living room that heated the house. Our house was two stories tall; my sisters shared the single bedroom upstairs. As the coal stove heated downstairs where mom & dad, me, and my brother Richard slept. I remember waking up in the mornings back then and looking at the beautiful windows after Jack Frost had decorated them. I could take my fingernails and scratch pictures on the inside of the glass.

Those days when the milkman brought two bottles of milk to the front door, it was real milk. Usually, it was partially frozen, thus where the word ice cream came from.

It was amazing when Santa came and even though he did not bring all the things in the Sears catalog that we picked out, the things that he left were totally awesome. Santa never disappointed us. By “us”, I mean myself, my brother, and my sisters. I remember most of the things we got as kids, but you know I don’t remember what my parents got. That might seem selfish but for me, as a kid at that point in time, I guess it was normal. As I’ve gotten a little older, I get it now. It was about the kids. Now it’s about the grandkids. They need plane tickets, a place to stay, fix their truck, a warm campfire. It’s sometimes hard to know what to get for the kids and grandkids. All I can say is I’m here for them. If they need something, they let me know and I’ll try my best to fix it or get it.

Let’s get real now, as a senior when I feel that I’ve taken care of my kids, my grandkids… what are we forgetting? The kids that do not have parents or grandparents who could take care of their needs. As you go through your life and as things go well for you, please think about those who do not have it so well. Pick a charity that you can feel good about and donate your time and or money to help those that need it. Let the Holiday spirit guide you. Give A Little Christmas is a good example of how you can help.
Merry Christmas to you.