Innholdsfortegnelse for December/January 2020 i Reminisce

When I was growing up, our Christmas activities weren’t formal enough to be called traditions. With my parents working full time, my brothers’ end-of-term exams and club hockey games, not to mention the frenzy of holiday shopping and decorating, Christmas was more like organized chaos. We had a few holiday habits—decorating the tree as we all sang along to Frank Sinatra’s A Jolly Christmas LP is one I cherish—but we didn’t approach the season with a set schedule. That spontaneity carried its own magic. But the delightful Christmases readers describe in “Home for the Holidays,” beginning on page 30, show the fun in the planned magic of seasonal traditions. Today, my own family has one holiday tradition, dreamed up by my husband, Mark: Every Christmas Eve, we read Charles Dickens’…

A surge of memorable TV shows debuted in 1965, as the three networks—ABC, CBS and NBC—rushed to satisfy viewers’ insatiable appetite for programming. Which of these played in your living room? 1 Barbara Stanwyck starred as the Barkley family matriarch on this TV Western (pictured). 2 Tom Selleck and Steve Martin each competed on this flirty Chuck Barris-created game show hosted by Jim Lange. 3 Sally Field played beach bunny Frances Lawrence in this sitcom based on a series of teeny-bopper movies. 4 Like Shindig, this show, with its own dancers, served up the day’s grooviest musical acts. 5 Jerry Van Dyke was the lead in this famously terrible sitcom about a guy whose mom was reincarnated as an antique automobile. 6 Players in this game show raced around a…

IN THE 1950s, I WAS part of a Southern California high school dance band called the Cavaliers with my friend Larry McVeigh. We had plenty of gigs, including New Year’s Eve dances. One night, we played an Armenian hall in West Los Angeles. They didn’t like our standard repertoire and asked us to play Armenian-style music, which we had no clue about. The short of it? They brought out a record player and paid us to leave. Leaving the gig, we stopped at the Beverly Cavern in LA, hoping to see jazz trumpeter Teddy Buckner play. We were all in suits, so we got by the doorman with no trouble—except for Larry, who looked no more than 14. We were bounced. Poor Larry was bummed, but we laughed about it…

My sister, Mary, had an afterschool doctor’s appointment, and so I darted off the bus alone and let myself into the house at the start of the two-week Christmas vacation in 1981. When my mom, Grace, and Mary came home, I greeted them with a peppy “Hi!”—but their faces were serious. “The doctor thinks I have asthma,” Mary said. It was seven days before Christmas and we should have been shaking our presents and debating about what Santa would leave in our stockings, but Mary was tired and coughing. On Christmas Eve, Mary wasn’t any better, so my worried parents took her to the emergency room. “I’ll be home for Christmas, Annie,” she said. I hung on to her clammy hand and hoped. That night I went to sleep without…

EVEN THOUGH I WAS 11, AND long past the age of believing that Santa Claus would come flying in on a sleigh pulled by eight tiny reindeer, I still expected a surprise from him on Christmas morning. In 1944, the country was at war in Europe and Asia. There were certainly more important things for me and my family to think about—but I was focused on my Christmas surprise. Each year, I uncovered great things hidden in the back corners and top shelves of the dark hall closet. My annual investigations revealed that these were the same things that would magically appear under the tree as gifts on Christmas morning. So, in truth, I was seldom surprised on Christmas—I’d already seen all the presents in the closet. Still, I can…

Right out of high school in 1943, I went to Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, for the Navy’s V-12 Program. At Christmas we got only six days’ leave, making it tough to get home. Flying was too expensive—only the really rich flew in those days—and I didn’t have a car. I rode my thumb when I went to Chapel Hill to see Martha Faison, the current love of my life, but I couldn’t do that for nearly a thousand miles home to Aurora, Illinois. A train trip would allow only three days there, which hardly seemed worth it. But that’s what I did. I got home on Christmas Eve. A member of shore patrol had stopped me in Union Station in Chicago because I was wearing a white hat—out…

MAIN STREET, USA We’d like to highlight Main Streets of the past. Did you have a Main Street in your hometown? What did it look like? What made it fun? And if you lived in a village, town or city called Springfield, we would love to hear from you. Your photos are especially welcome! Label your story and photos “Main Street.” AT THE TABLE We’d love to see your pictures of mealtimes—at home, on the road, in restaurants, at the campsite, on special occasions or just with family. Label your photos “At the Table.” TAKE IT FROM ME Were you a devoted reader of advice columnists like Ann Landers, Dear Abby or Emily Post? Perhaps your local newspaper had a homegrown advice columnist? Or did you dispense wisdom to friends…

Music fans who headed to Rhode Island’s Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965, didn’t expect to witness a major tectonic shift of the musical landscape. But they did. As one of the headliners, Bob Dylan, at 24 already a folk music legend, presented a traditional acoustic set of original, well-known works. He then took a break, and when he returned, he was joined by five other musicians who hauled onstage—horror of horrors!—electrified instruments! Before a slack-jawed crowd, Dylan cast aside both his folk roots and his reputation, plugged in a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar and proceeded to rock out. Hard. He powered through three tunes: “Maggie’s Farm,” a work-in-progress tune called “Phantom Engineer” and what would one day become his signature song, “Like a Rolling Stone.” In doing so,…

During the 1960s, I was active in the San Mateo, California, Young Republicans. This was when Barry Goldwater ran for president and Ronald Reagan was elected governor of California. One of my favorites among people I met during those years was Shirley Temple Black, the former child movie star, who lived with her husband, Charles Black, in the hills of San Mateo County. My mother had been a big fan of Shirley Temple and told me a lot about her and her films when I was growing up. The star I met in about 1966 was almost 40, soft-spoken and fun, still flashing her famous dimples. Soon after, she ran for the Republican nomination—the press called her Mrs. Shirley Temple Black—for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She…

Reading this newspaper article brought up my own childhood Christmas memories. Is it possible that one of your relatives also wrote something that was published? Online newspaper sites may help you find out. Some are subscription sites, but may be available for free through your local library. Often you can search from home using your library card. Some of these sites include: ■Newspapers.com■ Genealogybank.com■ Google News (news.google.com) Searching online under your ancestors’ names may bring up a delightful remembrance, such as the one included here. You can also search for sporting events, graduations, grocery store prices, wedding announcements, divorces and obituaries. Newspapers provided an outlet not unlike social media forums today. And don’t forget to leave stories of your own. They may not be appreciated until long after you are…

DOWN ON THE FARM Sears’ early general catalogs took hold in places with few shops and stores. Filled with merchandise for farm families, the catalog quickly became a staple in American homes. PARIS ISN’T CALLING The company’s products weren’t fashion-forward, but their presentation was influential. Catalog designs reflected popular looks and put city style within reach. YOUR HOLIDAY IS IN THE MAIL Turn-of-the-century catalogs sold Christmas items such as ornaments, cards, and wax candles for trees. As its customers grew safety-minded, the catalog offered artificial trees and electric tree lights. Shoppers began to think of the catalog as a source for holiday gifts, and the first just-for-Christmas catalog came out in 1933. Living in town I had a sidewalk to skate on, so when the Sears Wish Book came, I…

My parents, Peg and Earl Waggett, and I, then 5, moved from Pennsylvania to Akron, Ohio, in 1945. Within a few days, we visited what became our new church, and the first person we met was Esther Fox, who warmly welcomed us. So began Mom and Esther’s friendship, a blessing to my stay-at-home mother, who knew few people in our new community. Esther and Mom started a tradition of spending a day during the holiday season making cookies. When I got home from school, I mixed icing for the freshly baked treats. Surrounded by candies and colored sugar, I joyously decorated cutout Santas, Christmas trees, angels and stars until they were just right—and occasionally snacking on one or two that weren’t. After Dad died in 1973, Mom returned to Pennsylvania,…

More than 30,000 join the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights march to Montgomery, Alabama. A traffic stop gone wrong leads to riots in Los Angeles’ Watts neighborhood that leave 34 dead and more than 1,000 injured. TV favorites F-Troop, Lost in Space, Green Acres, I Dream of Jeannie and Get Smart all debut in the same week. Helen Gurley Brown starts to turn Cosmopolitan into the single woman’s bible. And sports will never be the same after a University of Florida scientist invents Gatorade. JAN. 2 The New York Jets sign University of Alabama quarterback Joe Namath for a reported $427,000. JAN. 4 President Lyndon B. Johnson unveils his “Great Society” initiative to advance civil rights and aid those in poverty. FEB. 15 Canada raises its new red…

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE Hydration is key to optimal health. The Nomader water bottle is a portable solution for your potable needs. It’s collapsible, freezable, heat-safe and guaranteed for life. $25, nomader.com TAME TO-DO LISTS Rocketbook Everlast’s smart notebook looks to have been beamed from the future: Use a Pilot Frixion pen, wipe the book’s surface and reuse. Upload notes to a digital folder by taking a pic with your smartphone. $16+, amazon.com OFF WITH THE BAD Little Barn Apothecary’s Calendula + Lycopene mask is gentle enough for sensitive skin but effective enough to hydrate and slough dead cells for softer, smoother-looking skin. $50, littlebarnapothecary.com RUB THE RIGHT WAY Make achy joints and stiff muscles so last year with Steve’s Goods’ Wowzer! Relief Balm, infused with 300 mg of CBD oil…

One of my graduation gifts after I earned my degree from the University of South Dakota in 1969 was a draft notice. I was 22 when I reported to Fort Lewis in Washington state for basic training in October. I didn’t expect to be able to return home to Sioux Falls for Christmas, but then, with short notice, the Army decided to give us leave. I couldn’t get a flight until midnight on Christmas Eve. I was wearing my dress uniform and seated in coach on a Northwest Orient nonstop to Minneapolis. A flight attendant about my age requested I follow her up to first class, where she offered any beverage and food of my choosing. The real gift that Christmas Eve was that she sat next to me for…

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP IN THE 1960S, our Christmas began the day after Thanksgiving. Mom would start on her cookie dough for spicy lebkuchen, buttery snowballs, snowy wreaths, spritz cookies, toffee bars and the much-loved cutouts. All were carefully decorated and stored in gallon jars with the levels marked on the outside to keep our little hands out until Christmas Day. Next, the call would go out to all the kids on the street to meet at our place to practice the Christmas carols that we would sing around the neighborhood. At each house we’d deliver a small plate of Mom’s cookies. Then it was back to our house for hot chocolate and treats. We decorated the house in the second week of December—greens on the windowsills and mantel,…

TONY AND I HAD BEEN married less than a month in 1982 when we bundled up and drove the 15 miles to my parents’ place in rural Minnesota for my family’s annual Christmas Eve gathering. A gentle snow was falling, and the flakes were big and beautiful. Being lifelong Minnesotans, we weren’t worried about a bit of snow and ice. No big deal. As always, Mom had plenty of snacks, hot foods, soda pop, cocoa and assorted mixed nuts. I’m gaining 5 pounds just thinking about all those goodies and Mom’s fantastic cooking! Piles of wrapped presents were under the big Christmas tree. We were all toasty warm and cozy, with the wood stove throwing out extra heat. The hours passed. We opened the gifts, scattering wrapping paper, colored ribbons…

Three’s Company (and Six Is a Family) MY MOTHER, PATRICIA Merwine, looks happy at Santa’s knee at Lipkin’s in Bethlehem in 1947. Little did she and her siblings know that three more kids would join the family. Maybe Santa knew? MARTIN DI MARIA BETHLEHEM, PA 1962 Lori Cerepani, now of West Mifflin, PA, makes sure Santa has it right. 1950 John McGowan, 2, now of Ghent, NY, stares down the Big Man. 1951 Christopher Black, now of West Jordan, UT, smiles as sister Candy handles the tough negotiations. On the Record AFTER TELLING SANTA what I wanted, he asked if I got my parents anything. I told him that my sister Emma, 8, and I would give them a box of candy. I had no idea I was being recorded. When…

TIMELESS QUALITY Harvel, based in New York City, sold watches with Swiss workings, which was a premium standard. Judging by its prices here—the costliest is the $430 ladies’ platinum, second from bottom—this now defunct brand was aimed at the elite market later led by Rolex and Cartier. 1947 GIFTS FOR HER 1947 GIFTS FOR HIM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED This is one of several Parker ads featuring illustration by Boris Artzybasheff, an expat Russian whose highly detailed technique anticipated the hyperrealism movement of the late 20th century. His forward-looking style suited the Parker 51, prized for its innovation. The company sold more than 2.1 million in 1947.…

Pat Brennan, my father-in-law, had a holiday tradition of placing several boxes of chocolates under the tree for everyone to enjoy. On Christmas morning in 1980, we woke to discover that the chocolates had already been rifled through. Everyone declared their innocence. My wife, Olivia, accused me of eating the candy, on the grounds that I was a notorious chocoholic (which was true). She also said I was capable of doing anything in my sleep, as I was known to sleepwalk. I accepted that I was guilty as charged, and from that year on, Olivia’s—and later our children’s—retelling of the story was as popular with the family as our traditional Christmas Eve reading of The Night Before Christmas. Many years later, we were dealing with the grim news that Olivia…

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FIND HATTIE’S HATPIN Hattie has lost a hatpin in this issue! If you find it, tell us at reminisce.com/hatpin. We’ll randomly select winners to receive a year’s subscription to Reminisce. In the October/November issue, we hid the hatpin on the mainframe computer on page 46. There’s no purchase necessary to enter to win. Purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Sweepstakes is open to legal residents age 18 years or older of the U.S., its territories and possessions, or of Canada (excluding the Province of Quebec). Sweepstakes begins on 11/20/19 and ends on 1/14/20. Visit reminisce.com/hatties-hatpin-rules-rem for official rules. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes sponsored by RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC. TRIVIAL PURSUITS, PAGE 13: 1. The Big Valley 2. The Dating Game 3. Gidget 4. Hullabaloo 5. My Mother the…