Don’t nitpick me on this date, I wasn’t very old at the time. You will have to remember that I was nine at the time. However, I think it is close. World War 2 had ended, and the troops were back home. People were beginning to smile on the streets, and I remember my parents and grandfather talking so much more optimistically. My Dad still worked for Chrysler at this time, and they were shifting from making wings for the F4U Corsair fighter plane to making Plymouth cars.
Christmas rolled around, and we were looking forward to similar Christmases of the past years. These would include a spindly Christmas tree with our collection of bulbs and ornaments. We would go to midnight Mass and then to bed to wait for Santa. In the morning, we would each get a gift, nothing expensive. Even at that age we were aware of our economic position and knew our parents had to sacrifice for anything we got.
Christmas 1947, we went to bed and when we got up in the morning there were many colorfully wrapped gifts. Bob, Kitty, and I began unwrapping and could not believe our eyes. There was a talking doll for Kitty. There was Lionel electric train and track for Bob and me. There was doll furniture for Kitty’s doll. There was cowboy gear and cap pistols for Bob and me. There were other things like toy airplanes and games. It was a totally unexpected Christmas, and I will never forget it. How our parents afforded it that year, we never knew or asked. But it will be forever in our memory.
Gary Waddell
It’s funny how those old Christmas’ stick in your memory. Good times!
Bill Mitchell
They really do