OK...so I'm a bit petrified by Santa in this pic...but it's my favorite of all the Santa photos I have from my childhood. It's 1954 & I had just turned 2 in November. Every year we would go to downtown Cleveland to see the major department stores all decorated for Christmas. Santa would have his very elaborate & special room in a wonderland of Christmas displays. The Halle Bros. with Mr. Jingaling...the keeper of Santa's Keys. Higbee's with lunch at The Silver Grille, where the children's lunch was served in a little wooden sideboard & later in a cardboard oven...complete with little plates sized just right to fit inside. Sterling Linder with their amazingly tall decorated Christmas tree each year. All these stores have long since gone out of business & mall stores no longer go to those elaborate extremes to create a Christmas wonderland, but it was a very special part of my childhood & I cherish those memories.
We had a very nice & quiet Christmas Eve here, noshing on some shrimp & cheeses & such. Watched "A Christmas Story", of course, just before midnight. Did you know that the original house where Ralphie lived is now a museum? And it's right here in Cleveland. We haven't been able to get over to see it yet, but we will one day.
Nothing creative going on here today...except maybe trying some new goodies to nosh on. I'm wising y'all a very Merry Christmas, one spent doing things that make you happy.