Most likely because this was our first Christmas with Denise, my parents decided to take over the duties of hosting Christmas Eve. For the previous six years of my parents’ marriage and the first five years of my life, it had been held at Carl and Arline’s house, but now the torch was passed on to us. From here on in, as long as my parents were together, Christmas Eve would be at our place. Surprisingly Dad did not take any home movies of Denise’s first Christmas.
As far as my memory goes, there is little there. This was only one of two Christmas holidays celebrated in our house on Echo Hill. I have an overall memory of the holidays here, the playing of the A Merry Mancini Christmas by Henry Mancini on reel-to-reel tape, the excitement of awaiting our company’s arrival, the joy of playing with my cousin Robby, and naturally the anticipation of the gift opening – so all of this applies to this notable holiday, the first for our four-member family unit.
Here are a batch of the-kids-by-the-tree shots, most likely taken before the company arrived for Christmas Eve:
Here are photos from the Christmas Eve party itself. The only information I can gather from the event is what is gleaned from the photos.
Three great guys no longer with us: Carl Shirk, Oscar Range, Harold Klippel
Harold and Arline’s pop Joe Klippel
Denise’s first Christmas…she seems to like it
With my able assistance, Mom hands out the loot
An early camera look from my pre-Laurel and Hardy days
Dottie minds Denise, while Robby scours for gifts
Grandma Range chats with Bill, who is ready to open his gifts
The gang in gift-ripping mode
I put all my energy into opening up my pup tent, which would later be put up in my room and serve as a great spot to play doctor
Denise steals away to destroy her changing table
And works her way over to her toybox
Denise soaks in the Christmas spirit
Grandma Range and Bill pose with Lora, me, and Robby
My cousins show off their gifts whilst Joe’s pant leg quietly creeps up
Rob shows off his new walkie-talkies in our kitchen. I was jealous.
Grandma Range wrote on the back of this photo: Guess that’s the last doll I’ll buy for her. Got Denise to buy for now. She wanted this last doll to keep for her children.
It would not be long before I would learn the brutal truth about Santa Claus from Jimmy Ferrenberg and then I would be in on the ‘fooling’ of Denise for a half-dozen years. But if memory serves me correctly, I still believed on this Christmas morning.
A nice overview of my loot: my Constructo Straws, a couple of books on tape (I’m reading Hansel and Gretel), my Evel Knieval Stunt Cycle, crayons, a magic set, and Denise’s Busy Box. Also note the red present behind me on which I drew a couple of people in black magic marker.
Denise plays with her new doll on Christmas morning
The presents opened, the mess cleaned up, Dad gets us ready to head off to Grandma and Grandpa Murphy’s house. Our new Oscar the Grouch cookie jar peers over my head.
Although I don’t currently have any photos to prove it, the afternoon of Christmas Day was most certainly spent at Grandma and Grandpa’s house on Kruss – the fourth one there since they moved in. With only one exception, these would be held here until Christmas 1984, the last one before they made the transition to an apartment.
Up next: 1977…
I believe the “Merry Mancini Christmas” is on vinyl, which I think I still have. These were the best times of my life.
Dad
February 24th, 2008
I asked my brother about telling Brad about Santa Claus and his response was: “Like any good politician – though now with honesty – I can say I have no recollection of that conversation”
Andrea
March 1st, 2008