Growing up in Harrisburg in the late ‘40s through the early ‘60s, I saw the city as a vibrant community center. No matter in what area you lived, your religious affiliation or economic or social group, there were many shared experiences. This, I believe, was especially true during the Christmas holiday season.
The holiday season started in my family with Thanksgiving, dinner with aunts, uncles and cousins. The day’s highlight, besides the turkey, was the traditional William Penn versus John Harris football game. Our family had graduates from both schools and this made for a lively day.
After Thanksgiving, the season jumped into high gear with the holiday parade – floats, balloon characters that were usually second or third recycling from a larger city, bands, and of course, Santa. Being uptowners we marched with the William Penn Band in our glorious black and orange uniforms. Band Director Willet McCord marched beside us with the band playing “Tiger Rag” and other holiday favorites.
As the season progressed, we would make the annual pilgrimage downtown to see Pomeroy’s Department Store holiday windows with animated displays, the painted winter scenes outside Fellers’ clothing store, Santa in Bowman’s Department Store basement, as well as numerous sidewalk Santas ringing their bells.
And of course, the must-see car ride to Holly Street, illuminated from one end to the other with the brightest Christmas lights imaginable. Caroling season began, with some church groups renting one of the Harrisburg Railways’ open air buses to visit shut-ins and sing carols.
As December passed by agonizingly slowly, Christmas cards and packages from out-of-town relatives would arrive. Cards, with mail delivered twice a day, were promptly opened, read and displayed by taping them around the archway leading to the living room. Packages were an entirely different story. They were to be kept unopened until Christmas Day, but that was extremely difficult. They were shaken or the wrapping moved just a tiny bit to peak inside for an ongoing guessing game. If we had not persuaded our parents to let us open just one gift ahead of time, those packages would certainly have looked awful by Christmas morning.
Cookies associated (or not) with the holiday were a family activity with grandmothers, aunts and sometimes fathers participating. Mother was in charge. The kitchen for one Saturday in December became a bakeshop rivaling Green’s or Grundon’s bakeries. After a trip to Zimmerman’s, the Broad Street Market and the Food Fair at Kline Village for supplies, baking began in earnest. Sugar cookies with sprinkles, lace cookies, chocolate chip, butter cookie cutouts and others were baked. Sand tarts were the coup-de-grace with Father rolling them paper thin. Colored sugar was put on them prior to baking. With samples for everyone, they were then put into tins to be brought out on Christmas day and for company. I will admit that it was not unknown for me to sneak into the back stairway to help myself to a chocolate chip cookie.
Shopping was in full swing by mid-December. Lee’s 5¢ 10¢ 25¢ Store in the uptown shopping district was a favorite with its rows of merchandise. Costume jewelry with bright sequins was a potential gift for Mother. If my brother and I chose them, she proudly wore them, much to our delight. As we got older, we expanded to Baker & Price or Pomeroy’s for “better” items such as Hummel figurines.
Being a boy, perusing trains and models at Vince’s Hobby Shop on Locust Street or toy soldiers and sporting equipment at Shenk & Tittle was a must. Another regular stop was Joe the Motorist’s Friend to look at guns and fishing equipment, and to get a Santa pin. Many of us hurried home from school to watch Joe’s Santa on TV. No holiday shopping was complete without visiting the Keystone Store’s toy-and-game-packed second floor.
As Christmas Day grew closer, our thoughts increasingly centered on decorating the pine tree yet-to-be-purchased. In earlier years, a decorated tree with a modest train yard magically appeared on Christmas morning. As we grew older, we were included in the hunt for the perfect tree at the perfect price.
Trees weren’t put up so far ahead of time. We would go to Broad Street Market no earlier than a week before Christmas. Trees lined the outside of the two market houses, from 3rd Street to 6th Street. A 10-foot tree was usually selected and erected close to the living room’s front window. Boxes of decorations were retrieved from yearlong hiding places as we rediscovered colored balls, tinsel, lights, and assorted decorations. Father would decorate the higher portions of the tree and supervise the lower portions that we decorated.
Christmas Eve came. Anticipation grew as we walked to church for the evening service, traditionally ending at midnight. With many Merry Christmas-greetings shared, we would head home to put the gifts we purchased under the tree for the next morning. We were allowed to open one gift, usually from the out-of-town relatives. Then off to bed, looking forward to Christmas Day with family, gifts, and the traditional dinner.
Thanksgiving to Christmas, starting and ending with family, leaves many fond holiday memories.
William Parkin was born and raised in Harrisburg.
