Writer Robert Smith talks a bit about Christmases of years ago and offers his personal Christmas greeting

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With December 25th just a few days away, I would like to take a break from the normal routine of talking about famous drivers, fast horses, track records and money won, and talk a bit about this special time of year .

I don't know exactly at what age someone becomes "old" but I know I am not there just yet, but I will give in to the title of "older" albeit reluctantly. I did not live through the Depression or ever experience real "hard times" but I do recall when things were a lot "leaner" than they are today and that included Christmas. And no, I didn't walk five miles each way to school in a blizzard. The Christmases I remember as a young child were pretty simple; no long lists like today. It was a lot more to do with wishing and hoping for that ONE special thing. Some years it happened, others it didn't, but we were always thankful for whatever we received. My mother often told the story of shortages during and after WW II and having a local man make us a toy truck from wood from my father's mill. I don't remember it, but I wish I still had the truck.

The stockings we "hung by the chimney with care" were not embroidered with our name and coloured green and red. They were the ones you wore to school that week and you hoped nothing fell through the hole in the toe! A tangerine, a pencil and a candy cane usually signaled that Santa had looked favourably on your behaviour of the past year; it usually made for a good start to the day. In those days it was still possible to give someone a gift without asking their permission as to whether it was OK with them. A lot of things that came from the North Pole had an Eaton's catalogue connection, I seem to recall. Time spent at a relative or close family friend's home was almost a gift in itself as people didn't stray too far from home in those days.

I still look forward to all of the old foods of the Christmas season and even enjoy the dreaded traditional fruit cake, a lot of which ended up in one's daily lunch pail back then. I couldn't imagine a Christmas season without mincemeat pie, cranberries and a bowl of nuts in the shell, waiting to be cracked. How much did those big old turkeys weigh? It seemed like they lasted forever and showed up on the table for an eternity, appearing with a different disguise on each passing day. They took a day to cook and a week to eat.

Amazingly I recall those days as ones of more and not less.

I am thankful to be lucky enough to have seen so many Christmases and each one has been special just like the one upcoming next week. I have been fortunate to see the true joy of Christmas now through several generations. Like the old saying goes, "The things that really count in life cannot be counted." My most precious gifts I have all year.

I would like to thank everyone that reads the "Rewind" stories and hope that they bring back some happy memories, often recalling a simpler and less hurried time. Thank you for your kind comments and anecdotes that make it all worthwhile. Remembering is indeed important.

As we pause for Christmas and other types of celebrations associated with this time of year, may it be a happy and healthy one for you and yours and above all a safe one. ALL THE BEST TO EVERYONE. I hope you enjoy some good food, good fun and good reminiscing...it is a great time to count one's blessings.

Christmas is said to be a day, a season and a state of mind ........a quote from the late Johnny Cash.