I remember going shopping with my mother and sister on Broadway.  We would park the car and then walk in and out of stores buying presents.  I recall M&M Boys Center, State Shops, Sylvette’s, Adele’s, and other stores.  Christmas music was playing in the background, and the streets were bustling with people and shopping bags. 

I recall my Matchbox toys, which were little cars and trucks that came in small cardboard boxes.  I felt I must have had every imaginable kind of Matchbox car and that nobody had a better collection.  (I know now that other kids must have thought the same thing about their Matchbox collections.) The Matchbox people also produced a really cool little city in a suitcase, which gave a kid a place to see the Matchbox vehicles in action.

I can still see my father putting the lights on our Christmas tree.  There was one string of lights that never worked.  Before every Christmas, my parents picked a day when our family would go to the Holiday Tree and Trim store on Broadway.  My parents went there to buy ornaments and lights. My sister and I would go to see the store’s great collection of decorated trees.  Our visit to see those trees was magical. In those days, I knew nothing about the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.  For us, the store’s whole collection gave us our tree excitement.  I can still recall the first time that I saw a Christmas tree that spun around. 

The smell of Grandma’s food at Christmas was wonderful.  We could smell the warm scent of good food as soon as we stepped inside. The first dish was homemade chicken soup.  She made appetizer plates with celery and cheese.  Then there were pierogis with potato, cheese, and sauerkraut.  She also made stuffed cabbage and kielbasy.  The main course was ham. Grandma baked Christmas desserts: cakes, pies, and cookies.  I loved her chocolate chip cookies.  I have never had anything else quite like them ever since.  She made a special tin of those cookies just for me. 

Christmas was a great time for seeing members of my extended family, such as Uncle Raymond, who lived in Staten Island, and Uncle Edward, who lived in Linden. 

Later in the day on Christmas, I always enjoyed watching Laurel and Hardy in The March of the Wooden Soldiers on TV.  

During this season, please stop to remember our troops overseas.  I hope they will be back home soon to make Christmas memories with their families

To everyone here at home, I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!