Here are 23 memories of Christmas and their modern-day realities.
By: Anne Foley Rauth
- Santa in 1973: Looking for your letter to Santa in the hometown newspaper and knowing that Santa would read it only when it was published here and no where else.
- Santa in 2004: Submitting your sons’ letters to Santa to the very same newsletter that would always publish your letter.
- Christmas card in 2004: Crafting the annual family Christmas letter, called the “Rauth Reporter.”
- Christmas card in 2023: Simplifying your life and just sending a family Christmas photo.
- Santa photo in 1970: Receiving a Polaroid photo in your small town with Santa Claus, complete with your long curls and wearing a pink dress.
- Santa photo starting in 1998: Taking Christmas photos with Santa Claus every year at Crown Center with our own sons, but alas, no more matching outfits.
- Christmas goodies in 1975: Baking Christmas cookies to take to parties and give to family is a fun and appropriate Christmas gift.
- Christmas goodies in 2023: Learning that Topsy’s popcorn, with a quick flick of the send button, is a welcome snack and no cooking needed.
- Christmas Shopping in 1998: Searching and traveling from store to store searching for the perfect gift for family just like Jesus was the perfect gift.
- Christmas Shopping in 2020: The pandemic taught us about a website called Amazon. I started letting my fingers do the walking at Amazon.com.
- Christmas Clothes in 1984: Getting a Christmas sweater that was beautiful, with a fancy design and sequins.
- Christmas Clothes in 2023: Donating that beautiful sweater to the thrift store because, well, “ugly” sweaters are the in thing.
- Weather wanted in 1978: Hoping and praying for snow on Christmas and before Christmas so we could get “snow days.”
- Weather wanted in 2023: Hoping and praying for warm temperatures on Christmas and even if there is snow, snow days may never happen again.
- Christmas Carols 1983: Excitedly waiting for Christmas songs to play on the radio.
- Christmas Carols 2023: Going to Pandora and picking out Christmas songs any day of the year.
- Christmas meal in 1979: Composed of stuffing, mashed potatoes, the more starch the better
- Christmas meal in 2023: Less starch the better.
- Christmas Movies in 1975: You had one opportunity to catch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” on television.
- Christmas Flicks in 2023: How many Christmas movies can you watch from the Hallmark channel or stream on demand?
- Christmas Gifts in 1981: Made my list and checked it twice while reviewing the Sears Christmas Wish Book catalogue.
- Christmas Gifts in 2023: Realized it is more blessed to give than to receive.
- The ONE thing that never changes: Jesus is the greatest gift for every Christmas, past present and future.