Another Christmas is in the books…
As a youngster, do you recall the night before Christmas? What about Christmas morning?
Taylor, our 8 year-old daughter went right to sleep Monday night (shocker!) – unlike us at a young age; we always had a tough time falling asleep in anticipation of Santa Claus coming and dropping off presents. (We didn’t have a chimney, how the hell did he drop off the gifts in our apartment?)
I would peek out into the living room for what seemed like every 15 minutes. I’d make up excuses for being awake like “I want to see Santa in person” or how about the numerous trips to the bathroom?
My bed was positioned against a window (facing ninth avenue) and in between runs to the bathroom I spent a lot of time looking up into the sky trying to locate Santa. I would even glance down Windsor Place towards the entrance to the subway station to see if he decided to take the ‘F’-train to deliver our presents.
Maybe he stopped off at Farrell’s for a ‘Container’? Cracking the window to squaeeze my head outside - I don’t see any reindeer parked outside!
Damn, where’s Santa?
I recall one Christmas my mother hiring ‘Jimmy the Cook’ from the 12th street diner – who moonlighted as Santa Claus; he showed up at our apartment late Christmas eve carrying a bag from Toys-R-Us and I looked at him kind of weird like, ‘Hey you’re not Santa, you cook the bacon and eggs down on 5th avenue’!
But when you finally did fall asleep (close to 3am), there was nothing like the following morning. (Actually, more like 2 hours later)
First, I would peek out the window hoping that it snowed. Then I would make my way out to the living room, all the while glancing around to see who was awake.
I would kneel down in front of our tree and stare at all the presents. Some were wrapped, some weren’t. Shaking the wrapped boxes to see what it was and then opening the gift wrapping – while my mother ’slept-in’.
I knew which unwrapped ones were mine: basketball, football, G.I. Joe, etc.
The best memory I have of Christmas morning in Windsor Terrace probably took place when I was 11 years-old. This Christmas in particular stood out to me as I recall opening up my presents and finally, grabbing my brand new Spalding basketball (unwrapped) getting dressed and running over to the boys schoolyard to play.
I felt like Walt Frazier in Madison Square Garden.
Didn’t matter how cold it was outside or that there was snow on the ground…
To top it off, you didn’t even tell anyone where you were going. They saw you with ball in hands…they knew. (Imagine letting your kid go out there today)
As you get older, Christmas doesn’t seem too exciting anymore. But I’m delighted to see the look on Taylor’s face when she opens her presents and plays with them all day.
P.S.
I’m not so sure when I stopped believing in Santa Claus, does anyone know when kids stop believing in him? (Hope Taylor doesn’t read the blog)
I think inside of us there is always a very small part of us that still is looking for Santa in each and every one of our Christmases. Whether by being one or having one for ourselves. I gave a pair of comfy slippers as a suprise this year and I felt like a Santa, Carol G
steve , you dont know me and i am sorry for this late posting. first thanks for the site and all your hard work. second, as you can tell from the pics of the huns i do santa during the holidays. most kids stop beliving in santa around the age of 8. at least that has been my experiance. i have been doing it since 97 when i retired and grew a beard.lo and behold my beard was white, i was hanging out in our lady’s field with juggy,donny meege and billy stout. they were selling x-mas trees. over a few containers someone came up with the idea that i would make a good santa and they might be able to sell more trees. i said ok and bought a santa suite. when i was hanging out in the field dressed as santa,a small little black girl (3 or 4 yrs old) saw me standing there she dropped her mother’s hand and came running over to me almost knocking me over. she looked up at me with the most loving eyes i have ever seen. i have been hooked ever since.
tommy