Dad (of Jane, Kathy, and Bob; aka Uncle Alfred) remembers that he was about six years old when Santa brought him a cast iron toy bank lion on wheels, and the same year, Santa brought Uncle Rudy (Dad of Dianne, Ron, Connie, and Vickie) an elephant bank. He said unless their parents bought these from the Sears catalog, it was likely they bought them at Murphy’s Five and Dime store in Napoleon.
Dad said he saved pennies and dimes in his bank, and that the two boys rolled them around dining room table on the floor together. Santa usually brought each child one toy, and at each sister’s and brother’s place at the table, he or she would wake up to find an orange and a bag of hard candy.
I remember seeing Dad’s lion on their bookshelves and sometimes it gained a prestigious place on the mantel. A couple years ago, Dad gave his lion to Bob, where it makes its home now with Bob and Judy in Texas.
Does anyone else remember any special toys or books that you or your parents or grandparents received? My favorite toy as a child was a bride doll, and Mom sewed the bride’s dress and veil using her own wedding veil tulle that she cut. As a teen, I was wowed by a new typewriter (but before I unwrapped it I thought it might be box of coal).
Kris Kringle leaves one gift in our shoe by the bedroom door on Dec. 6th. We always go to Christmas Eve service, sing favorite carols, come home for a glass of wine and piece of pecan pie, leave Santa’s cookies out for him, and sing "Away in a Manger."
Does your family enjoy any special Christmas traditions?
Please leave your comments!
*This post appeared previously on Elling Family News on December 9, 2008.
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