In the 30s and 40s, the spirit of Christmas could be seen everywhere around us. You could especially see and feel it in downtown Allentown. How we kids used to love to walk along the street and look at the pretty decorations in all of the story windows.

Hess Brothers was probably the store who really went all out to attract shoppers. Their windows were filled to the brim with displays of the latest women’s, men’s, and children’s fashions, as well as colorful toys. That particular window attracted us children, and we loved to press our nose against the glass and look at the display filled with trains, dolls, and many other toys. When you entered, you were greeted by pleasant sprays of perfume. Also, during the Christmas season, each and every child who entered the store was given a little gift. One of them was a little wooden spool with a metal bird on top, and it would make chirping sounds. Sometimes, the gift was a little noise maker. Each year, the gifts were different. It made us happy to show our families these little toys.

Hess’s also had an annex building and on the fifth floor was the toy department and daily marionette show. The children would sit on the floor and watch Hansel and Gretel, and Punch and Judy, to name a few. After the show, we would see Santa Claus in all his splendor and wish for just one toy, as the depression years were still upon us. There were many other stores to visit, too.

H. Leh store burgeoned with goodies of every kind as well, and they also gave gifts to the children. Zollinger was always adorned with lights and a big tree that glittered with tinsel. The Spirit of Christmas was happy and permeated all around us.

Hamilton Street was another sight to behold, and it was lit up with large star-shaped ornaments on the street lights that twinkled on and off on a snowy night. It was truly a winter wonderland. Seventh and Hamilton, known as The Square, had a band playing Saturday evenings and a donation bucket. As their songs and carols played, it only added to our pleasure. I was just a boy, but I was enthralled by all the music to celebrate the birth of Jesus our Savior. His birth was always remembered as the reason we were celebrating so much.

At home, things were equally as joyous. Throughout the Christmas season, we would take car rides and visit our family who lived out in the sticks, as we called it in those days. When we were home, we had radio music and decorated the tree together. In those days, we used lead tinsel, which I rarely see anymore. We also strung up popcorn and construction paper chains on the tree because, remember, we didn’t have the money in those days to buy ornaments, and our homemade ones were just as pretty. We had lights on the tree; however, they were in series, so if one light bulb was broken or burned out, you had to go through each light on the string until you could find the broken one.

Another tradition that I don’t see anymore is the Christmas Putz. This was a miniature city with a train and lighthouses and stores, all lit up. It was a lot of work, but my older brother always enjoyed building it, and it added a lot to our Christmas scene.

People did not decorate the outside of their home in the 50s and 60s, but I do remember that when that tradition started, we all loved to drive around and look at the pretty displays.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were always joyous celebrations. On Christmas Eve, we would have a nice family dinner together and exchange gifts. Back then, each person received only one gift from our parents, but it was always very special. We also exchanged gifts with our siblings, but because money was scarce, we had to try extra hard to make it one very special present.

One year, I’ll never forget, there was an announcement on radio station WCBA which stated that if your family or a family you knew didn’t have enough money for presents, write a letter to the station and perhaps they would be able to get some gifts together. Well, I wrote a letter because I desperately wanted a wagon for myself and a doll for my sister. We kids were all disappointed because we didn’t hear anything in return. But on Christmas Eve, the doorbell rang. When we opened the door, there stood Santa Claus! He had with him that wagon that I had wanted so badly, filled to the brim with a doll for my sister and a few other toys, as well as oranges and other goodies. I can’t tell you how much that meant to our family, and what a nice gesture it was. I will never forget that event.

Before dinner on Christmas Eve, Dad would read The Christmas Story to all of us, and that kicked off the festivities. We exchanged our gifts that night, and sometimes we were afraid that we might get coal from Santa Claus or sticks from Belsnickle, but we never did! The next day, it was off to church for more celebration. Sometimes, we would go with the church to sing carols to church members who were ill and could not make it to the festivities. It was such a happy time of year.

Nowadays, I personally feel we have lost much of those wonderful times as so many things have changed. Christmas in those days is just a memory. His birth is still the reason we celebrate, and we need to remember that. As I think back over those times, I think about how wonderful it would be if we could be transported back in time and see and hear the happy times we had as kids, but as the song “Toyland” says, “Once you leave its portals you can never return again.” To all of my readers, Merry Christmas! And remember whose birthday we celebrate.