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Old 12-24-2010, 05:08 PM
 
262 posts, read 909,252 times
Reputation: 178

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Memories from San Antonio Christmas past...

City Workers after Thanksgiving would plant a huge wood pole with rebar in shape of a Christmas tree in front of the Alamo. Day by day branches would be stacked to form a thick green Christmas tree. Huge boxes of gifts would be hung as ornaments & colorful strands of Christmas lights would flow from top to bottom of the tree. As I kid I always wondered what toys were in those wrapped gift boxes.

Along Houston & Commerce streets & its side thorougafares
large 4 dimensional white snowflakes hung from curve to curve above the streets with green garland. The streets would twinkle at night.

The Transit Tower crown as usual was lit in green & red.

The huge jolly Santa sitting on a chimney sat atop the roof of Joske's waving at every boy & girl in Alamo plaza. Joske's window displays were all aglow in the Christmas spirit. The window facing Alamo plaza always had a runing train inviting everyone to Fantasyland. And the thrill to get in line to sit on Santa's lap & getting a picture with him.

St. Mary's, St. Joseph's & San Fernando Cathedral with the aroma of evergreens all had a side altar adorned with fresh Christmas trees and at the base was the stable of Bethlehem. Statues of Mary, angels, shepherds sheep & cows were in place all facing and awaiting the Child in the empty manger that would be born on Christmas day.

All the stores had their best merchandise displayed with Christmas themes. Even the facade of Tony's Mirror Shine was lframed with blinking Christmas lights.

The jukebox at the Coney Island played I'm Dreaming of White Christmas by Bing Crosby as I would munch on a steaming hot Coney Island hot dog.

There was one store I just can't remember its name, they had a lifesize mechanical Santa. As a kid I thought he was real and would just gaze up at him from his kneecaps.

Downtown San Antonio was magical for Christmas.

We'd receive Christmas cards in the mail and every Christmas we would receive a Christmas card in Spanish. Printed in big letters were the words Feliz Navidad. As a child of 8 years old I always wondered who was this guy Felix Navidad that sent us the card.

At home on Christmas eve Mom would get out the glass ornaments she bought for 10 cents each at Solo Serve, along with a single strand of 12 Christmas lights. Dad & I would go to Handy Andy on Houston street. The Christmas tree lot would be nearly empty and Dad would offer 75 cents for a 4 ft Christmas tree. I was so proud to have gone with my Dad and helped pick out the discounted tree.

We would rush home and set the cut tree in a tin coffee cup filled with dirt. With the tree decorated & lit Mom would then take out the stable & I would carefully place the Bethlehem action figures in place.

We lived on a strip mall on Nolan street, half the rented space was Dad's barbershop & the back half was our humble home. On the night before Christmas I would go to the barbershop and crank open the Coke machine and grab a cold 6 ounce bottle of Coke. I placed the Coke along with a plate of Mom's homemade oatmeal cookies by the tree as a snack for Santa.

In the morning I awoke and the Coke bottle was empty and only cookie crumbs left on the plate. One Christmas Santa left me a steel safe complete with combination & alarm that Mom helped get with 2 1/2 books of Top Value stamps.

On Christmas day I would serve Mass at St. Mary's Church. Fr. Isadore Garcia a baby priest fresh out of the Oblate seminary would preside. Fr. Garcia was a genuine priest, like a kid's best friend. I was fortunate to have known him. I always wondered what priests get for Christmas. Thank you Father for being my friend.

There was nothing like a San Antonio Christmas.

Last edited by Nix54; 12-24-2010 at 05:40 PM..
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Old 12-27-2010, 03:21 PM
 
3,247 posts, read 9,032,937 times
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Yeah there is nothing like an old fashioned Christmas. Lets keep the spirit in our hearts, Kids today get major gifts through out the year so the anticipation of getting what you wanted is lost.
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