A short jaunt to Christmases past

Brown paper packages tied up with strings,

These are a few of my favorite things ...

- Oscar Hammerstein

My son has lately taken an interest in the past. He wants to know how it used to be.

It helps to pass the time on holiday trips.

His mother thinks it sweet.

I suspect he's up to something.

Still, Christmas memories are easy to recall.

"Ask away," I tell him from the car's front seat.

"Did you always have a Christmas tree?" he asked.

"Sure." I said. "The biggest difference was the bulbs. If one burned out, the whole string went dark. You had to go through it substituting bulb after bulb before getting them to light again."

"Do you remember sitting on Santa's lap?"

"No, but I do remember meeting him at a Sunday school Christmas party when I was 7 and suddenly realizing he wore the same Old Spice after-shave as your grandfather. Things began to click."

"Did you have a long Christmas list?"

"Probably, but I usually got something else. Christmas morning was always a surprise. That's what made it fun."

"Did you ever go Christmas caroling?"

"Sure. But it always seemed to be about 60 degrees and never really cold enough to sing enthusiastic carols. Mostly, they'd take a load of us around to sing to old people from church. After a few songs, they'd invite us in for hot chocolate, but it wasn't cold enough for that, either."

"What did you give your parents for Christmas?"

"Your grandmother would help us buy your granddaddy a tie. As for your grandmother, we'd sneak jewelry out of her dresser, wrap it up and give it to her. After a few years, she told us to stop," I said.

"Did you ever have a 'white' Christmas?"

"Yes. We went to visit your great-grandmother. It was pretty, but it was cold, too."

"What did you do at school?"

"We always had a Christmas play. My big debut was dancing the twist on stage with Marsha Bush to the tune of Jingle Bells. It was a coveted role."

"So you were a good dancer?"

"Yes, but apparently a bad actor. I never had a speaking part in the live Nativity scene. I was always a shepherd. At least my bathrobe came in handy."

"What was your favorite Christmas toy?"

"The bike I got in fifth grade. It enabled me to get a paper route and thus, a paying job in the newspaper business. The rest, as they say, is history."

"So Christmas is why you work for the newspaper?"

"Yep. Dancing's loss was journalism's gain."

"Why is Mom laughing?"

"I suspect eggnog, son. I suspect eggnog."

Reach Bill Kirby at (706) 823-3344 or bill.kirby@augustachronicle.com.