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Memories of Christmas or Chanukah old or new

cooby Dec 02 2006 07:11 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Dec 20 2006 10:19 AM

Courtesy Rockin' Doc Here's mine, from the A/A thread This would undoubtedly surprise my parents, but my favorite childhood memory of Christmas was a party that my dad's family had. I think I was probably in sixth or seventh grade, and the day before the party, we kids were allowed to decorate the fire house any way we wanted. There was a bottle of lily of the valley talcum powder there (why? who knows?) and we doused the Christmas tree with it, as snow. My cousin Jerry, whom I was secretly in love with, was Santa. We had a bingo game in which I won a pair of cute china skunks, which I still have to this day. Maybe it's because I was just getting ready to leave childhood behind that that Christmas memory is one of my best. A lot of those folks are long gone, including Jerry :(

KC Dec 03 2006 12:55 PM

I'm getting vuja de ... When I was, I dunno 11 or 12, I wanted a set of weights for xmas. That's all I wanted, all I talked about, all I asked for. I remember waking up around three o'clock and wandering out to the tree to take a peek and no freakin' weights. Talk about mad at the world on xmas morning, I don't really re- member but I think I didn't fall back asleep. We lived on the second floor of some garden-style apartment ... picture a row of condoesque town houses ... and I only had my Mom raising me. When I got up, she pointed out the long weight bar in the corner which was wrapped and standing up in the cor- ner behind the tree and then pointed out the box over by the door (where two neighbors managed to get the 120 pound box to while I was sleeping) and angry at the world was all for naught. Couple of lessons learned. *sniffle* This one's not childhood, but it's Mets related ... How I got a mint 1962 Mets yearbook ... I was bidding on one on ebay one December, and there was a hefty reserve on it ... I have no idea what it was. The bidding went back and forth for a week and I was the last bidder but it never got to what the seller wanted for it - the auction's reserve price. My ebay name is kcmets and my email is the kcmets domain and the guy wrote me and said it seemed to him that I was huge Mets' fan and that I could have the book for my final bid which was severely below market value. Santa was looking out for me on ebay that xmas.

cooby Dec 03 2006 02:35 PM

Neat stories, KC! It's funny how many creative ways Santa has managed to deliver barbells and weights to teenaged boys over the years :) I have a few corrections for mine. My mom has kept a Christmas journal ever since 1964 and it is one of my greatest treasures. Anyway, I looked in it and found that the Christmas party in question was actually the year I turned 8 1/2 on Christmas Day. Santa was actually Jerry's brother, Davey. And here's something I must have forgotten - the party was on a Saturday night, and Sunday morning, I woke up with the mumps. But it's still my favorite memory...

soupcan Dec 04 2006 09:23 AM

I was raised by an Irish Catholic dad and a Hungarian Jewish mom. For various reasons we celebrated Christmas rather than Chanukah growing up. Anyway, there was never a Christmas tree in the apartment until we woke up Christmas morning to see a gorgeus Douglas Fir all decoratred and lit up with bushels of presents underneath it. We were told and always believed that Santa brought the tree on Christmas Eve along with our presents and set the whole thing up while we were sleeping. Cute story and as kids we thought we were so special because everyone else had to go buy their own tree but Santa liked us the best. Years later I came to find out that the reason our tree didn't arrive until Christmas eve was not because of Santa's fondness for my brother, sister and me - it was because my cheap-ass dad was able to bargain the tree sellers down to next to nothing if he waited until the last minute to buy a tree! In retrospect its a great story and it was win-win for all for us.

MFS62 Dec 04 2006 09:53 AM

Childhood memories of the Holiday season have long faded. But my most vivid moment was from about 10 years ago, when my daughters were still at home. I may have posted this before. We were huddled arould the kitchen table to light the candles of Chanukah. Our young cat Chester (who I called Chet) jumped up on the table to see what was going on. As he moved closer to the flames, we tried to shoo him away. He got excited and accidentally backed into one of the candles, singeing his fur near his tail. As he jumped off the table, unhurt, I started singing; "Chet's nuts roasting by the open fire......." Later

Edgy DC Dec 04 2006 10:21 AM Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Dec 04 2006 11:13 PM

When I was a child, I had a fever. My hands felt like two balloons. For some reason, I was fascinated, that year, by Pachinko pinball. (I guess I was reading up on Japan and saw a picture of a seedy pachinko parlor filled with smoking young Japanese men with cool Elvis hairstyles.) My gets-everthing-he-wants friend Eric got an authentic arcade pinball machine for his birthday that year. But what I wanted was an authentic Pachinko Palace Japanese pinball machine. I had no hope of getting one, of course, but my parents asked and that's what I answered, figuring whatever I got was cool, it'd never be as good as Eric's haul, but my parents were OK anyway, and maybe I'd get a plastic knockoff. Anyhow, that fever thing was raging, and it wouldn't be going too far to say that I was delerious. I certainly wasn't all there. The tradition in our household was to exchange our gifts for each other Christmas Eve and open our haul from Santa the next morning. Well, we were getting too old to play the Santa game, anyhow, and my parents suggested we open one of the gifts under the tree apiece. I seem to remember them being as lit up as the tree this evening. I was ready to let go of the Santa thing but I was a true dork, sensitive about sticking to etiquette, and about delaying gratification. I agreed that it's OK, as long as it was a small gift, which wouldn't make the following morning anti-climactic. I was technically on Jupiter, but I was still being this much of a pill. Little did I know that my parents had learned a bit of dramatic gift-giving from Let's Make a Deal. They'd give a small gift to my sister... a tiny miniature Christmas tree! "Um, thanks..." "Well maybe it would look better in this FULLY TRICKED-OUT HANDMADE DOLL HOUSE!" "Ohmygawd, holyshit, THANKYOU! I'm so happy!" So, with me, it was even better. My small gift was, "Um, wow, a four-pound box of ball bearings... great.... these could be... useful somehow." "You bet they could! Particularly bouncing around this AUTHENTIC PACHINKO PALACE PINBALL MACHINE!" To say I played that thingie for four straight days would be an exaggeration. But not much. The thing was, something about the clang of metal on metal made my fever that much more psychedelic. The clanging rattle in my ears was like something filtered through from another room that I couldn't find. It hurt my joints to hear it but made my head swim. And all through that Christmas, I was like a ghost in the house, there but not there. I guess it was simulatneously the Christmas I got a cool gift (outfitted with an ashtray, yo) and the Christmas I took an acid trip. Eric thought my great haul was no big deal, suggesting that my parents came up short trying to get me what he had. He was wrong and I didn't mind. I had exactly what I was hoping for. And hours of pachinko play is a good solitary hypnotic exercise, when your primary playmate tended to act like a dick.

soupcan Dec 04 2006 11:28 AM

Edgy DC wrote: When I was a child, I had a fever. My hands felt like two balloons MFS wants to know how long it took the swelling in Edgy's hands to go down.

cooby Dec 04 2006 07:31 PM

I love all your stories :)

MFS62 Dec 04 2006 09:30 PM

soupcan wrote: ="Edgy DC"]When I was a child, I had a fever. My hands felt like two balloons MFS wants to know how long it took the swelling in Edgy's hands to go down. Why would you say something like that? Later

Edgy DC Dec 04 2006 09:39 PM

I too am perplexed.

Rockin' Doc Dec 04 2006 10:40 PM

I too had no idea what Soup was talking about regarding that one. Maybe someone should check the expiration date on Soup's can.

Edgy DC Dec 04 2006 11:17 PM

This may be the exact machine I got. This is the latter-day likeness of the tawdry image of Pachinko Palaces that caught my fancy.

soupcan Dec 05 2006 09:06 AM

MFS62 wrote: Why would you say something like that? Later Just seemed like something you'd be curious about. No offense intended.

KC Dec 05 2006 09:13 AM

Now see, I read into things too much. I thought you were goofin' on MFS because he's a little older than us and those are lyrics from a rock anthem that people soup's, edge's, and mine's would get right away and it might fly over some other people's heads. I thought it was a subtly funny. Too much sleep last night and too much coffee this morning.

KC Dec 05 2006 09:13 AM

Oh, and might as well stick this here ... > >A Christmas Story > > > >'Twas the night before Christmas--Old Santa was pissed. > >He cussed out the elves and threw down his list. > >Miserable little brats, ungrateful little jerks. > >I have a good mind to scrap the whole works! > > > >I've busted my ass for damn near a year, > >Instead of "Thanks Santa"--what do I hear? > >The old lady bitches cause I work late at night. > >The elves want more money--The reindeer all fight. > > > >Rudolph got drunk and goosed all the maids. > >Donner is pregnant and Vixen has AIDS. > >And just when I thought that things would get better > >Those assholes from the IRS sent me a letter, > >They say I owe taxes--if that ain't damn funny > >Who the hell ever sent Santa Claus any money? > > > >And the kids these days--they all are the pits > >They want the impossible--Those mean little shits > >I spent a whole year making wagons and sleds > >Assembling dolls...Their arms, legs and heads > >I made a ton of yo yo's--No request for them, > >They want computers and robots...they think - I'm IBM! > > > >Flying through the air...dodging the trees > >Falling down chimneys and skinning my knees > >I'm quitting this job there's just no enjoyment > >I'll sit on my fat ass and draw unemployment. > > > >There's no Christmas this year now you know the reason, > >I found me a blonde. I'm going SOUTH for the season

soupcan Dec 05 2006 09:16 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Dec 05 2006 09:16 AM

KC wrote: Now see, I read into things too much. I thought you were goofin' on MFS because he's a little older than us and those are lyrics from a rock anthem that people soup's, edge's, and mine's would get right away and it might fly over some other people's heads. I thought it was a subtly funny. Ding ding ding! We have a winner. Although, the old adge that if you have to explain a joke then it ain't funny would certainly apply here.

Willets Point Dec 05 2006 09:16 AM

KC wrote: I thought you were goofin' on MFS because he's a little older than us and those are lyrics from a rock anthem that people soup's, edge's, and mine's would get right away and it might fly over some other people's heads. There's a rock anthem about Edgy's swollen hands?

Edgy DC Dec 05 2006 10:22 AM

Jeez, who's older than Pink Floyd? Ralph Kiner, maybe...

ScarletKnight41 Dec 05 2006 10:25 AM

It isn't a childhood memory, but this always cracks me up - [url=http://p079.ezboard.com/fthecranepoolforumfrm21.showMessage?topicID=295.topic]Santa vs. Rudolf[/url]

TheOldMole Dec 05 2006 12:05 PM

I have next to no early childhood memories, but I do remember singing "The Friendly Beasts" in a nursery school (or perhaps kindergarten) Christmas pageant. I was the donkey all shaggy and brown. I thought it was a wonderful song. Still do.

MFS62 Dec 05 2006 06:51 PM

soupcan wrote: ="MFS62"]Why would you say something like that? Later Just seemed like something you'd be curious about. No offense intended. In that case, none taken. But it sure had me scratching my head. And I missed the Pink Floyd reference. I have a pink floyd story, but its for another day - and thread. Oh, and you've come to know me pretty well for saying that. I usually do post some weird stuff, eh? Thanks, Later

Rockin' Doc Dec 05 2006 09:29 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Dec 06 2006 10:38 AM

As I have mentioned many times before on this forum, I was raised in a military family. We traveled a great deal and were generally a long way from relatives. My mother loved Christmas and she always made sure it was a joyous occassion in our home. It was a time of family love and togetherness in our home. I have many fond memories of Christmas from my childhood, but one particular Christmas stands out. Our family was living in southern California when my father got reassigned in December of 1968. Our family left the sunshine and beaches of southern California for the cold and the snow of northern Minnesota. I was 8 years old and my sister was 4 when we drove cross country to my dad's new assignment at Duluth Air Force Base. We arrived just a few days before Christmas. My sister had never seen snow before and the drifts were over her head when we pulled in to the parking lot of the temporary housing barracks that would be our home until we could find a place to live. We had two bedrooms with an adjoining bathroom between them. When we awoke on Christmas morning, we found a small folding card table in the corner of our parents bedroom. In the middle of it was a small (2 foot tall) silver, aluminum Christmas tree adorned with tiny red and blue ornaments. Underneath the card table was a mound of presents for my sister and I. It was a Christmas like no other, before or since. And it is one that I will never forget.

MFS62 Dec 06 2006 08:47 AM

Doc, that was heartwarming. When I was in the Army, I volunteered for "extra duty" (KP, guard duty)around every December 25th, so that soldiers who wanted to take a leave or a pass to go home to be with their families could do so. Later

TheOldMole Dec 06 2006 09:21 AM

MFS...that's a heartwarming story too.

cooby Dec 20 2006 10:18 AM

Nice new memory... Yesterday a lady at my company gave every single one of us (60 employees!) a loaf of apple cake that she had made herself. I am having some for breakfast :)

Edgy DC Dec 20 2006 11:07 AM

I got woken up this morning with a call that somebody gave $400 to our dinner program. I realize I'm terrible at saying "thank you."

Vic Sage Dec 20 2006 12:29 PM

Until i was 5, we had an Italian family that lived next door... the Gioia family. They were our best friends. Phil ("Philly Jay") and Muriel were a fun-loving younger couple. Philly drove a car with huge fins he called "the batmobile" (it was 1966). Muriel was a hottie, and often looked after me in the afternoons when my mom worked. Their daughter Denise (13-ish, with long blonde hair) was my babysitter, and son Charlie (around 8) was one of my playmates. They always had a big xmas and always included us. When i was 5, my family had planned to move, a plan of which i was only vaguely aware. That last xmas, muriel took me, charlie and denise to Macy's to sit on Santa's lap (i still have the picture somewhere). I remember going back to their house, and they had a huge tree, and under it was a present for me. It was a pair of new skis! My dad had just started to take me on ski trips, and this was the coolest present ever! It was also my last xmas with the Gioias. In later years, Philly ran off with another woman, and Charlie ended up in a Florida prison, doing hard time for a string of armed bank robberies. He's out now, i hear, living in L.A. -- the Hollywood folks love that he's an ex-hood. He's a handsome, charming sociopath that has lied his way into the movie business. I spoke to him about 10 years ago, and he was as full of shit as ever. But it was still nice to hear his voice.