December 21, 2015

No Batteries Required

There are those who do and those who don't; tinsel, that is.  I've wavered from year to year, personally.  The other night I was looking back at pictures of Christmases long ago spent at Grandma's house on the farm, and I noticed sparkly, shining strands of tinsel strewn from the tip top to the bottom of the tree.  (And this was genuine aluminum tinsel, mind you, not the plastic static-cling sort you find today).  My mother used to string our tree with tinsel and gather it up at the end of the season to be used the next year.

Staring back from the black and white snap shot with the white scalloped edge framing the picture were my sisters and me posed in front of the tree so many years ago, bright smiles plastered on our faces.  The two older girls were in their customary matching dresses - that year hand made out of green corduroy material - me, I had on a red velvet dress with white tulle' skirt.

We made a truly colorful ensemble and even though it was a black and white photo, somehow the hues colorfully emanate from the paper for me.  The colors that I see blend into a delightfully festive feast for the eyes, and I imagine they were enhanced by the dangling, reflective tinsel on the tree behind us.

Back them, quite a few years more than I care to admit, the colors of Christmas came from the sparkle of lights (usually, screw-in type bulbs that were replaceable were they to burn out), or from bubble lights boiling magically on the tree, and the silvery, whimsical ornaments adorning the bows. 

It was a simpler time.

Toys, too, were of the simpler sort back in, as I describe, the "dark ages".  It's hard to recall any particular toy that we received at Christmas time that required batteries.  Well, perhaps one or two, but as I remember once those batteries finally quit working they were not replaced, rending the toy silent and requiring us to devise an entirely different method to make play with them any fun.

Our board games didn't have electronic spinners, the spelling board I had and loved didn't come equipped with push buttons and sound and our stuffed animals didn't talk or make noise.  Our favorite toys required NO batteries.  I recall some of our favorite, most beloved toys, some of which my siblings and I most likely still own and secretly take out to play with now and then.  See how many of them you remember:

Gumby and Pokey, Barbie & Ken dolls, Slinky, Battling Tops,Troll dolls, See & Spell, Josie and Johnny West, paper dolls, Tinker Toys, Cooties, Lincoln Logs, Tog'ls, ice skates, Mini Grip Gravity, playing cards, Monopoly, Shenanigans, SuperBall, Hot Wheels, Rock 'em Sock ' em Robots, Play-Doh, Spirograph, Spinning Tops, Footsie Toy, View Master, Silly Putty, Clacker Balls, Barrel Full of Monkeys, Etch a Sketch, and a Rubik's Cube, to name just a few.

The toys we did NOT have included an Easy Bake Oven (we learned our way around the real kitchen an early age), Incredible Edibles (probably because of the macabre twist that this represented), or the game Operation.  These all required batteries or electricity after all.

We did, however, have a set of Walkie Talkies that were an awful lot of fun. They required 9-volt batteries and when we were fortunate to have a fresh set of batteries spent many hours using those two-way radios.  I also had what was perhaps all time favorite toy:  a Mattel talking telephone.  It came complete with miniature records that could be loaded into the phone and would provide a conversation with you.  This in fact resembles closely the CD players of today that were at that time not even on the horizon (we were still playing 33 and 45 rpm records at the time).Today it pulls a premium price on Ebay.  I'm not sure what I was thinking when I got rid of that treasured toy.

These days, unless you're shopping the aisles of a retro/reminiscing store, it's tough to find any plaything that isn't driven by AA batteries.  It's a little disconcerting.  The best advice I can offer is this:  buy one of those value packs of batteries and gift wrap those along with the toys.  They'll be every bit as appreciated as the new toy will be.

Or.....buy a book and give that.  (The kind that doesn't talk to you, that is).  You can't go wrong with a book and it will be usable long after the batteries from all of those new-fangled toys are drained completely of their usefulness.

And remember, these are the days that will be fondly remembered oh so many years from now, so try to make them memorable in a wonderful fashion,  I guarantee that things will never be the same again and so treasure the times now, whatever they may be. Hard times are fleeting and forgotten while the good times live on for all times. 

Merry Christmas and a blessed new year to you all.  Make today a beloved memory for tomorrow!

        

December 14, 2015

Beauty is in the Eye of the Viewer

Last week I shared the feelings of joy and elation that I felt after receiving a much-yearned for Crissy doll at Christmas time many years ago.  That story brought a confessional from my little brother, who admitted to pulling my doll’s hair out to its full length and swinging her around in circles over his head.  I couldn't believe it!!  Well, at least he apologized about the matter.

I forgive him and it’s okay, because I used to dress his Johnny West doll in Barbie clothing.  Sometimes it’d be jaunty Ken doll attire but other times John would sport frilly ball gowns and high heels.  I even twisted the jointed John man in odd ways such as ape-like poses or other ways so as to make him look positively silly. Or put him in one of the plastic sports cars that our Barbies used to drive. 

I am sorry about that bro, and I guess we’re even. (Wait a minute, I doubt that will ever come to pass).  But there still is this matter of your caveman mentality that led you to drag my doll around by her hair…..it’s a good thing that you grew out of that.

On the lighter side, we piled into the van the other night and headed out for a Christmas light viewing while visiting my brother and his family. 

Some of the neighborhoods were lavishly bedecked in tasteful displays of lights and decorations.  We oohed and aaahed just like we were watching a Fourth of July display.  Other neighborhoods elicited a simple, “uninspired” comment from the front seat.  Where was the Christmas spirit in these dark and dank neighborhoods we all wondered.  What were these humbug party pooper wet blankets thinking?

There was, of course, constructive critique from the family’s chief lighting design engineer.  The colors weren’t right, or the lights didn’t reach the top of the tree, or the display had no uniformity or there was no theme to it all…..everyone's a critic I suppose.

You have to understand, there is a good deal of peer pressure involved here.  When the neighbors hang more lights than Clark Griswold could ever in his wildest dreams imagine, it’s just natural to feel the need to decorate at least one little tree in your yard.   (I’ve solved that problem at my house this holiday season and have taken to leaving the front porch light on so as not to appear to be a non-conformist).

When it comes to Christmas lighting, beauty truly is in the eyes of the onlooker.  Some purists like white lights, others prefer multi-colored strands.  Some are old school and stick with the big oversized light bulbs and others choose the mini led lights. Some hang lovely icicle strands from their roof line, others don the trees with lighted garlands.  And some go for a psychedelic light show with blinky, flashing lights.  There weren’t many of those on display and it makes you wonder if it’s a conspiracy of sorts and manufacturers have discontinued making those highly annoying things. (Wouldn’t hurt my feelings one bit).

I say it was all good because someone took the time and made the effort to light up their yard for all of us to enjoy. 

The life-sized animated Santa Claus encased in a clear plastic box was a little disconcerting, I'll have to admit. He kept trying to tell us something as his finger wagged up and down but none of us could hear his words from the vacuum sealed coffin.  I loved the massive deciduous tree completely bedazzled in green lights.  The green tree, they all said, you just have to see it and they were right.  From blocks away the sky glowed like a nuclear test site.   Neighbors nearby don't even bother to decorate their homes with that emerald beauty standing nearby.  No need to compete.

The viewing was a success albeit a bit longer than anticipated with an errant turn that lead us to a remote edge of town.  But even so, we discovered some nicely lit houses out there as we tried to find our way back to the streets of the city.  

Traveling home at the end of the weekend,  close to home I neared the outskirts of Iona, cloaked in a heavy fog.  What greeted me put a smile on my face: that little berg was lit up with Christmas decorations in full force!  Nearly every house along the few blocks through town was aglow.  One sported candy canes across the front yard, another sparkled with thousands of lights on trees and the house. Yet another had electrified candles in every window of the older two-story house.

It was a beautiful sight and I must say that I was very impressed Iona! Thanks for beaming me in safely on a wintry, foggy night. Indeed, it was very inspired!

December 7, 2015

Some Dreams are Forever

Christmas is the time for reflecting and reminiscing.  And what kid doesn't spend more than a little time dreaming of what is to come as the season unfolds.  Well, it's not only  kids who can while the time away in a reverie of thoughts, but certainly as I remember, there was a great deal of dreaming on my part when I was but a youngster and December rolled around.

It usually began in November as the date of birthday crept forward and finally arrived.  What, I wondered, would I find wrapped up and surrounding the homemade cake topped with candles just for me.  We were by no means materialistic youngsters growing up in our house.  But the days and moments leading up to that special day were filled with anticipation and dreaming.

Usually along about that time the mailman delivered the JCPenney Wishbook.  That slim mail order edition was pure magic in our eyes and many hours were spent paging slowly through the catalog and dreaming of "what ifs" and "if onlys" that could somehow be.  I recall the pages depicting the realistic play kitchens with little girls in dresses and bobby socks gleefully practicing their domestic skills just like their mothers.  Young boys drove full sized pedal cars that so resembled the real thing.  The kids all looked so very happy on the pages of that Wish Book.

I particularly enjoyed the section filled with musical instruments:  the guitars and flutes and trumpets and pianos.  And the drum sets.  I really wanted one of those.  Page after page after page of delights were there in full color to please the eye.  And tempt the soul. There was even a section filled with Christmas trees and decorations of every sort. And festive holiday attire, and table settings, and gadgets and appliances galore.  It was a veritable feast for the eyes. 

It didn't take long to amass a long list of wishes:  Spirograph set, Lincoln Logs, Tinkertoys (the deluxe set of course), Barbie dolls and accessories, Troll dolls, a sewing kit, the frilly princess costumes complete with high heels.  The list went on and on I'm sure.  

We knew that our family probably could not afford most of the toys found in those pages of that magical book, but it never stopped us kids from dreaming and wishing. And we always received at least one very special gift chosen specially for each one of us.  How wonderful and what a blessing to have been taught to appreciate what we had.

They sell those Wish Books on e-bay now.  The really old "vintage" models from the 1970s sell for upwards of $45.00 each. Hard to imagine, isn't it.

One year I wanted nothing more than my very own Crissy doll.  This was no ordinary doll mind you.  She was taller than a Barbie and deemed a beautiful fashion doll.  But the best thing about Crissy, besides the color of her glowing red hair, was the fact that it could magically grow to floor length in a lovely shiny cascade.  Then with the crank of a button on her back, it could be shortened. I just knew that Crissy had to belong to me somehow, some way.  

And so I hinted and I begged and I dog-eared the page in the Wish Book where Crissy dolls were listed.  I did everything in my power to let it be known that more than anything else in the world, I wanted a Crissy doll of my very own.  That year, about my 10th, my birthday celebration consisted of yet another pink birthday cake (my special request of course), and being made to feel like the princess of the day in our house.  

I recall I even had a couple of girlfriends over to help to celebrate the milestone birthday.  I recollect confiding to them that I thought I was going to get a Crissy doll for my birthday that year. I was so sure of it.  Dreams don't always come true like you expect them to and that year for my birthday I received many wonderful gifts. But no Crissy doll.

So soon the birthday was over and then came Thanksgiving and then the Christmas season was in full swing. And so was the Wish Book dreaming.  You can bet that thoughts of Crissy did not leave my head.  Christmas so quickly rolled around and the anticipation was finally over.  The time had come for us to exchange gifts around our tree, and we did so in a meaningful manner, thoughtfully gifting one after another between family members. Each gift had been carefully chosen and purchased with hard earned dollars.  Truly the gift of love was in the air around our Christmas trees every year.

The last gift I opened, of course, was a Crissy doll.  My very own.  I don't imagine I slept that night but if I did, it was clinging tightly to my new treasure.  I still have my Crissy doll and I can't imagine ever parting with her.  Why would I give up something that I had dreamed so long to have.

After all, some dreams are meant to hold onto forever, no matter how big or small they are.  

November 30, 2015

Kind Acts Are All Around Us

It's oft been said that "no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."  (Just who did say that I wonder?).   So often don't we get distracted with our own agendas and lives and forget to take a look around us.  And though many will bemoan the fact that these are dark times we're living in, there really is a lot of good going on. So don't blink, you might just miss it!

I pondered that notion recently after witnessing a rash of good-deed-doing and think it's as good a time as any to share some of those actions with you.

The other day my mother dialed my cell phone and got, as is usually the case, my voice mail. (Her timing isn't always that great). She proceeded to leave a lovely birthday message on my phone in hopes that I'd hear it later when I was available.  Minutes later her own phone rang with a stranger on the other end of the line.  

"I just received your message," the caller said, "and I wanted you to know that you dialed the wrong number.  "I have a daughter of my own and I knew how important that phone call was," she continued.  This unknown phone call recipient and my mother proceeded to converse for several minutes, exchanging friendly small talk.  They ended the conversation as long distant, anonymous friends.

Later that day the folks went out for a fill up at the gas station.  As they were driving down the busy four lane road on their way home, a fellow drove up on their side frantically gesturing toward the back of their vehicle.  Turns out they forgot to put the gas cap back on the fill pipe and the flap was blowing in the breeze.  That certainly was a nice, yet unnecessary gesture on the motorists part, I thought. (And it beats other sorts of gestures some motorists are apt to make).

I attended a concert event the other night.  It had sold out weeks before so you can imagine the throngs of people there were waiting to enter the auditorium and be seated.  While standing in the lobby, a gentleman next to me said that he'd picked up a stray glove in the parking lot.  "I'll just put it over there on the table, and someone will come looking for it," he said.  I recall smiling warmly and telling him that it was very thoughtful of him to do that.  Later that night, my friend discovered he was missing one of his own gloves.  Could it be, might it be, I wondered, that very same glove that had been rescued by the thoughtful stranger?  Indeed it was!  

Yet again at another crowded event, I was touched by a kind soul who said, "After you," and courteously offered me to go ahead of him.  

And then there are  those thoughtful drivers who yield to others despite the fact that we're all in one big rush to get somewhere. Allowing another driver to ease into traffic in a merging situation shows constraint and good manners.

With the first major snow dumping on us recently, once again I experienced a heartwarming "do-good" from the kind soul who regular-as-clockwork clears the sidewalks and driveway at my house.  Seems no matter how I plan, he always beats me to the task.  How does one express gratitude for such kindness?  I can only attempt it.

Finally, let's not overlook the folks whose job it is to help and protect us every day.  It's a thankless job that our law enforcement officers perform but I'm here to say that it is more than appreciated.  A few weeks ago I arrived home from work and discovered a wild animal  on the back porch. It was clearly rabid and safety concerns led me to contact the local police department.  It wasn't long before an officer showed up and assisted me in taking care of the situation.  I thanked the young officer but I don't know if he understood fully the gratitude that I was feeling.  

Saying "thanks" just doesn't seem enough in some situations.  Yet it warms my heart to discover that there are so many wonderful acts of kindness going on all over, both big and not so big.  Take a look for yourself and you will surely discover some for yourself.

And while you're at it, consider the Boy Scout creed that says: "Do a good turn daily and help when you are needed."

By the way, the incomparable Aesop penned the thoughtful phrase, "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."  Such wise, timeless words.