Christmas songs have a way of visiting memories and recounting the senses — figuratively and literally. This year, let’s rediscover the wonderment and anticipation of the season. An “old-fashioned” Christmas is in store.
Just the phrase “An old-fashioned Christmas” evokes not only the spirit, but the very core of the season. As Duane Williams, formerly of Houlton, noted it’s like the essence found in a Norman Rockwell photograph.
Many remember those times. What might be termed “simpler.”
Lisa Findlater compared the “old-fashioned” Christmas phrase to “Laura, Mary and Carrie opening their stockings on Little House on the Prairie, getting their tin cups.”
For others like Paula Lee, Violet Hall, Angela “McGuire” Ayres, Terri Dunn and Arlene Wright, it was the hand-strung popcorn, cranberry garland and let’s not forget the carolers in top hats, wool coats and scarves.
“Family together caroling like we used to do at the Brewer’s in Monticello on Christmas eve,” said Wright. “Singing Christmas carols, going to our grandparents’ houses and making homemade decorations,” added Ayres.
Seasonal celebrations had kitchens brimming with treats, music and laughter. At night, the settling down, the calmness, stillness and beauty.
Sally Callnan recalls the “aroma of fresh baked pies and cookies to decorate, and setting in front of a crackling fireplace, looking out the window and seeing big snow flakes of white snow slowly coming down.”
“Mom’s homemade candy, family together, kids laughing and playing and Country Christmas music,” added Cindi Hanning. “Dolly Parton’s “Hard Candy Christmas,” added sister Crystal Cote.
“For me growing up, it was always my family on Christmas Eve together,” said Kristi McAtee.
Many families attend church services, like Nicole Hutchinson remembers, “Christmas Eve candle light service. Door-to-door caroling with the church choir.”
Then there was downtown Market Square recollections, such as “the window interactive displays,” said Chris Putnam. “Dunn Furniture store’s animated elf display,” added Lisa Henderson Mooers. “Stores closed on Sunday so [you] had to plan your shopping ahead.”
“For me, it was the businesses in town with the windows done up and the lights strung across the streets,” said Ann Merritt.
John White, Jr. agreed.
“Window displays downtown and at Dunn’s,” he said. “I loved looking at them when I was a kid.” Martha Bell reiterated, “Old-fashioned Christmas to me means a trip to look at Dunn’s Furniture store window front.”
Lori Hovey Tidd recalled, “The town was decked out and music played everywhere. Mom and Dad took all seven of us shopping. We went into Cleale’s for a snack and every store in town was open and booming.”
Sister Tammy Goetsch remembers stores like Boston Shoe, Rod & Gun, Western Auto, Lads ‘n Lassies and many more.
“All the stores in downtown were lit up and Christmas music played,” she added. “It was the best.”
Susie Nickerson Crovo also said, “the way the stores used to decorate downtown for Christmas … Dunn’s always had a really neat display.”
“I always looked forward to going to Dunn’s Furniture as a kid,” said Jody Barker Merritt. “My dad taking us out riding around to see all the beautiful homes decorated.”
Still an old-fashioned Christmas is all about family and traditions.
“Homemade presents, cutting down our own tree, opening one present on Christmas Eve, hot cocoa Christmas morning and spending Christmas with family sharing stores of Christmas’ past,” said Deanna Bailey.
“Christmas Eve at Grammy and Grampy Nightingale’s, a big pot of oyster stew on the wood stove and all kinds of Grammies’ Christmas cookies on the cupboard,” said Cheryl Lovely. “All of the family gathered together at the old farmhouse. All of us kids were so excited to see what Grammy had bought us. She always had great gifts. Then, we’d get the guitars out and sing Christmas Carols even though some of the family weren’t that great of singers.”
Jason Carmichael agreed, “It is sitting at home by the tree with family.”
For Candy Nevers, town manger of Smyrna and Merrill, old-fashioned Christmas is captured in, “cutting the Christmas tree in the woods behind the old farmhouse,” she said. “Going sliding, drinking hot cocoa, eating peanut butter balls and other goodies, learning verses for a Sunday School program, having Christmas programs at school and Sunday school, saying and hearing ‘Merry Christmas,’ along with bubbling Christmas lights on the tree and last, but not least, going to Houlton to see the life-like Christmas display at Dunn’s Furniture store.”
The customs of an old-fashioned Christmas bring remembrance of what gave us joy.
“Going sliding on a hill behind the house,” said Cindy Milton. “Going to see the Christmas lights in town with Dad to give Mom a little time for last minute stuff she needed to do. Going to Mr. Lambert’s house to see the fish pond in the living room. Homemade ornaments and delicious Christmas cookies. Listening for Santa’s sleigh bells after we got in bed Christmas Eve. So fun!”
“Homemade candies, fudge, molasses popcorn balls for gifts to give,” Sarah Annette Jones said. “New hat and mittens knit by our grandmother and wool socks from Aunt Ruth. Gifts were small and practical, and very much appreciated. The focus was always on family and friends spending time, not stuff.”
Karen Wilde Hardy echoed others saying, “Going to the woods with my Dad to cut the ‘perfect’ tree for our living room. Skating on ponds in the moonlight, Christmas Eve service and the best gift ever — handmade wool socks and mittens from my grandmother.”
Suzette Belyea added, “Family all together in one home for the night. Snow falling softly while a fire keeps everyone warm inside. Lots of laughter and sharing of cooking/cleaning. Playing games and visiting for hours.”
Other thoughts are of “ice skating on ponds,” said Tammy Farwell. “Sleigh rides wrapped in homemade quilts, homemade decorations, going to gram’s house for Christmas dinner, going out to find a tree and cutting it down yourself and ice skating on homemade ice,” said Debra Benn.
“I, too, love the outdoor skating and the downtown, but my favorite memories are of Dad putting up all the lights on our house and for several years, we had Christmas music playing outside of the house,” said Andrea Kingsbury Jenkins. “It was so fun to play outside and have the house and garage lit up with the music going. It’s a wonder his hands ever warmed up from frequently changing the bulbs as they burned out.”
Christmas is giving, not just in gifts, but ourselves just like we did as children.
“Singing Christmas Carols to the patients at Madigan Estates when I was in school at St. Mary’s,” said Kelly Barker Larson.
Berny Reece noted an old-fashioned Christmas was, “seeing all the stores lit up downtown, caroling and going back to church for hot chocolate; visiting the nursing homes, singing and spending time; homemade presents, saving money versus today’s spend all you have to impress the kids [attitude] and get outdoors, don’t just sit in front of a computer. Old school Christmas was way better.”
“I agree with the others,” said Cindy Hartt. “The lights in town and the animated store front in Dunn’s window. And of course, singing Christmas carols at the nursing home.”
Think about making this a promise to go back in time this year for Christmas to the way it used to be.
“Homemade Christmas tree decorations and homemade gifts, not store bought,” said Luann Tuttle. “Visiting relatives and friends.”
“Going to Island Falls on a Sunday with the whole family and picking out a Christmas tree not too far from where my mom was born,” said Denise Rairdon Geiger.
Let’s recapture the wonderment and anticipation of Christmas once more.
“Living in a farmhouse, sneaking down the old creaky stairs to peek at the presents, just to find your Mom sitting on the bottom step,” recalled Lisa Boutilier. “Looking out the front window way up on Sam Drew Mountain [Oakfield], seeing the light and being told it was Santa’s sleigh.”
“Christmas Eve service at church,” said Bethany Emery Crone. “Going home and excitedly waiting for grandparents to arrive to spend the night.”
“To me, an old-fashioned Christmas is believing in the magic of Christmas,” said Amy Carmichael. “When things were simple, not a competition to see who gets what and how much they get. The looks on children’s faces when waiting for Santa to come.”
Remember, as Dina Smith noted, “the runner sleds, horse-drawn sleighs and skating on ponds.” “Wearing itchy woolen sweaters and sneaking mugs of eggnog,” said Jon Colbath and “knit caps, scarves and mittens with a strand of yarn running from one to the other,” added Garrett Lindsay.
Patrick Brewer recounts “Christmas caroling in a blizzard on Christmas Eve,” while Joann Socoby Wallace and Cara Williams agree on Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” implies making a change at Christmas.
“Sleigh rides down the lane, the smells of all the food being made for Christmas dinner, homemade ice cream, and the beautiful decorations around the town of Patten. I miss the good old days, but I try to instill some of the old-fashioned ways with my grandsons,” said Deborah Rafford.
Though we might not forget, as Jamie McKay noted, “double-runner skates, beaver coats, hot toddies, furry hand muffs, tobacco pipes, cranberry, popcorn and construction paper garland, candles and angels on trees, toboggans, carolers, metal hand warmers in the fireplace, popcorn cooking over the fire and rosy-cheeked children” may we never forget even, “An ‘unperfect’ Charlie Brown tree covered in tinsel,” said Sue Giles Miller, may just make the season brighter.
Don’t forget the sight, taste, feel and scent of Christmas. For me, Christmas is Third Day’s song called,
“Christmas Like A Child.”
I want to feel Christmas, how it used to be
With all of its wonder falling on me
This season has felt so empty, oh, for quite a while
I want to feel Christmas like a child
I want to see snowflakes fall to the ground
My brothers and sisters all gathered around
Singing, “Away In A Manager” as we sit by the fire
I want to feel Christmas like a child
It’s been so long now, I can’t say
Just when I lost my way
But I’m going back to how it was
(Like a child)
When this day meant everything
And we spent our time remembering
The baby Child born for us
It’s all about Jesus
Asleep in the straw
This infant, this King
This Savior for all
So I don’t need bells to be ringing
‘Cause I’ll join with angels singing, Gloria
And I can feel Christmas like a child
I want to feel Christmas like a child
I want to feel Christmas like a child
Experts agree keeping it simple can help keep Christmas enjoyable. “One reason so many of us love the idea of an ‘old-fashioned Christmas’ is because our lives seemed much simpler then, and the joys of Christmas were simpler as well,” says Glenda Lehman Ervin of Lehman’s old-time general store, and a self-confessed Christmas connoisseur.
Herb Ruth of Woodstock, N.B. sums it all up, “Yup. Those were the days.”
