Remembering Our Old School-Style Parents at Christmas

It occurred to me that like millions of lower- to middle-class American families back in the day, my parents did an awesome job at Christmastime. With little money, they always found a way to give their kids happy Christmases.

As the nine-year-old eldest, I babysat my four siblings. I knew that Mom and Dad did not have a lot of money. And yet I never thought we were poor or felt shortchanged at Christmas. I don’t remember my three brothers and sister ever feeling shortchanged at Christmas. How awesome is that? Given their financial challenges, my parents had to be magicians to pull off that trick. Somehow, they performed their magic every year. I kind of took it for granted. Looking back, all I can say is “wow!” . . .

One Christmas, when we were still living in the Baltimore government housing project, I found a used bicycle hidden deep in the closet. I knew that the bike was my Christmas present. I was elated because I knew that Mom and Dad could not afford it. Mom was disappointed that I had seen the bike. I told her I was a big boy and wanted to help her and dad play Santa, setting up the gifts Christmas Eve for my younger siblings. She said, “Okay”.

Old-school American parents were awesome. They were responsible early in their adulthood, doing whatever needed to be done. My Baby-Boomer generation seems to be pretty spoiled and self-focused.

At 29 years old, my dad had fathered his five kids and tried to be a stand-in father and role model for my Aunt Bummie’s five boys. They loved my dad and envied me for having him. (Read more from “Remembering Our Old School-Style Parents at Christmas” HERE)

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