At this time of the year, I try to remember some of the Christmases that I had during the early years of my life. My father always wanted us to have a real tree. We didn’t have that many ornaments so my mother would buy some different-colored paper. My brother and I would cut out strips and glue them together for a ribbon of circles to make a rope of trimming. Popcorn was also used to make a rope for trimming the tree. Back then, large colored lights were used compared to the ones used today.
When I was 7 years old, I remember receiving a wristwatch from my Godmother Carrie Adzema. I cherished that gift because my parents were poor during the years of the early ’30s.
I remember helping to carry home a bag of grapefruit that was given out at the Greenfield Town Hall along with some other food.
I enjoyed going the Garden Theater for its annual Christmas party. We received a gift on the way out.
There was always a stocking hung on my parents’ wood and coal stove. The contents included an apple, orange, nuts, a bar of candy and some pieces of coal that reminded me that my behavior was not always perfect.
I want to thank the feature editors of the Recorder for publishing my stories in the Times Past column during the last several years.
I am hoping everyone stays well and tries to spend the holidays in a compassionate and understanding way. May 2021 be a much better year for everyone.
Robert Bitzer, who is 94, is a resident of Erving.