I am not certain as to when I first remember this but I am certain I was young. More than likely it was near the time I was to enter school or was in maybe the first grade. All I can recall was that somewhere around Labor Day the mail would arrive one day and in that days mail there was a catalog that wasn’t near as big as a regular Sears Roebuck Catalog but I learned quickly it was definitely of greater interest.
You see that was when the Christmas catalogs for Sears and Montgomery Ward would arrive. Rarely were they ever called the Christmas catalog. They have always been known by the majority of kids as the wish book. Once I sat with my sister and brother and as they flipped through the pages I realized it was a book full of toys to look at and ask Santa and any adult you could get to look and listen to what you wanted for Christmas. Again I don’t know how old I was but once I understood the use of this book I never forgot it.
Now when it would first arrive I would look through it over and over but since it was still a good while until Christmas I would set it aside but never forgot it. The fall of the year was moving in and as dad was picking corn and beginning to strip tobacco life was busy. Halloween would arrive and maybe I would go trick or treating for some candy. But as we moved deeper into fall and the feel of winter was approaching much faster than we wanted it to we got to the biggest and my most liked family holiday and that was Thanksgivng.I have always felt this holiday is saying we are thankful for our families and the year that had just past.
The other thing that this holiday did was set off an alarm that Christmas was on its’ way and it was only a month away. There has always been something about when the calendar moves past the day of being thankful. It moves us all into we only have about a month to get ready as Christmas is the most celebrated holiday of the year. Now don’t get me wrong but when you are a child you see it as the time to ask for toys that you just wouldn’t do any other time of the year. I don’t think even on your birthday would you be so blunt in your requests.
Also as a piece of evidence in your corner were the two wish books that were sent to you at no cost.
I mean I felt it was something that kids were required to do. There is even a song that says “making a list and checking it twice.” So the wish books were brought out of their resting place and put into use. I would go page by page and begin the long and arduous chore of eliminating toys from that list I was preparing. The first elimination was the doll section and I don’t think an explanation is needed for that. I would take several trips through the books and in my mind make decisions on things I just didn’t care for or I knew they were out of the price range for the Santa who came to my house. (I never really understood it but mom and dad seemed to know what Santa could afford.)
Finally about a week or so before Christmas I would get a couple of clean sheets of ruled paper and sit down at the dining room table and with the paper and a good and sharp pencil. (Number two lead and a good eraser) I then would lay the two wish books that by now had become extremely dog eared and as I worked my way from the front of the books to their backs I would in as neat of a hand writing as I could begin to list the items that I felt were items that were almost impossible to say no to as they were items of very extreme importance to my daily living.
How can a kid exist without a Rin Tin Tin Fort Apache playset or a Davey Crockett coon skin cap? I really felt I could go hunting with Ben if only I had a daisy rifle BB gun. (Yeah I know I will shoot my I eye out.) If I had a Schwinn bicycle I could run errands for my parents to the neighbors for them and just doing that would pay for it. And so my list would go. Even though I had thought I had shrank the list of I wants down I ended up with both pages full. Then I could see that this list was not going to get totally filled. My list was too long but compared to the catalogs it felt like I had really shrank it greatly.
But what was done was done. Also I had filled out two pages in my neatest handwriting and as anyone who has seen my handwriting will attest I must have really worked my hardest to make it look that neat and readable. So I folded it neatly and got an envelope from mom. She told me to just put the list in the envelope and she would address it and mail it for me. (That was so nice of her.) Now even though the list had been made and mailed I would still look those books over but this time I think I was looking at the items I couldn’t live without and try to eliminate a couple so the list would be shorter.
Now I will ask you all this question. In the last ten days to a week before Christmas how long does it take for them to pass? I never could come up with but one answer and that was FOREVER! But the time did pass and on Christmas morning I would arise early as I was a light sleeper you know. To the tree I went in a dash and there I would look to see if Santa had got my list. I feel he did as there would be one or maybe two of the items I had campaigned for along with a few pairs of socks and some new underwear, (whoopee.) Bottom line I got some things and I was glad I got them. I had had it explained to me that not all kids were as lucky as me and you know what? I understood that and I have always remembered that. You know what? I was even kind of happy I got the socks.
Rick Houser grew up on a farm near Moscow in Clermont County and loves to share stories about his youth and other topics. If you are interested in reading more of his stories they can be found in his books ‘There are Places to Remember” and’ Memories ARE from the Heart.” He may be reached at houser734@yahoo.com or mail to P.O. Box 213 Bethel, Ohio 45106.