If all goes as usual, this column will be published on Tuesday, Christmas Eve, so it’s appropriate to tell you how my Christmas Eves of the past were spent.

Christmas Eve, both day and night, was one of the longest days of the year because we all were expecting Santa Claus sometime that night.

I can remember as a youth how excited I was that Santa would be coming but not really knowing what he was bringing me. Bubba and I played outside all that day, and sometimes we invented games that might make the day go by faster. The Twins (Betty and Jane) along with Rose Ann and Thad Hodges were right beside us wherever we went. Sometimes it was a football game, then other times it was building a fort for our Christmas presents that Santa might bring. Regardless, since October when we received our Sears and Roebuck Christmas catalogue we had been excited, and now we were less than 24 hours away from the big day. Our wishful thinking sometimes disappointed us but we still made the best of what we received. We had searched every page and carefully planned everything we wanted so that we could share our presents with everyone in the neighborhood, of course after we had played with those presents first!

Christmas Eve day was always a long day, but we had plenty of hard candy, coconut candy and fruits to eat during the day. Tangerines were our favorite and Rose Ann and Thad loved them as much as we did. Bubba’s mom Virginia would tell us to stop eating, so we then went to my home and continued snacking. Honey (Mrs. Sallie) always had candy for us, and I could always count on Uncle Bonnie to bring more if needed. He was the character in our neighborhood but he loved him some Harold Jr., and I, in return, loved Uncle Bonnie. That still remains true!

If the older boys were home from college, it helped make the day go by faster. Billy Francis, Billy Pittman, Steve and Mickey and others always wanted to play basketball in the gym, but it was locked. Bubba and I would climb in from the press box side and open it for them, and they allowed us to play on the side goals. No Coach Wagner this time, because he was hunting. Just being in the gym with them was special enough, and it helped make our day go faster.

When it got nightfall, I always looked forward to my dad coming home! He was always happier that night than any other night. Later, I found out that he would drop by the Fire Station and, together with his friends, partook of the liquid spirits that the men had gathered to drink. Still, he was happier than any other night of the year. Walter was the same way over at Bubba’s house, while Virginia hurried to get things ready for the big day.

Our night was never complete without going to the candlelight service at our church. That was expected, and Rose Ann and I had to dress up and sit for an hour with Mom and Dad. This was expected, and we looked forward to it knowing we might be sleepy afterwards because it had been the longest of days. Once we returned home, we then set some snacks by the fireplace for Santa, because he had a long trip after he left our house. They were always eaten!

I still believe in Santa Claus and look forward to his arrival every year. Now, kids have video games, computers and cell phones to occupy their Christmas Eve. They miss the days of tackle football, playing in the gym and building forts, and I miss Betty and Jane, Herman, Thad Hodges, Bubba, Mickey, Steve, Uncle Bonnie and Mrs. Sallie and Rose Ann, who all helped make my memories seem so real. Please have a Merry Christmas and, if you are traveling, the safest of holidays! Merry Christmas to you all and thanks for your compliments over the years.

They were the best of times with the best of friends and in the best of places, Washington, N.C.! The Original Washington!

 

— Harold Jr.

Harold Robinson Jr. is a native of Washington.