In this week's edition of Rewind Robert Smith offers up his annual Christmas greeting. This is in keeping with years past when he strays a bit from the usual harness racing tales and remembers some old Christmas times and traditions.  A few themed pictures are included.

Well here we are once again at Christmas time;  often referred to as "The most wonderful time of the year."  \Thankfully after a couple of rather difficult,  strange and different years we may be back to a more so called "normal" holiday season.  Many of us either missed our family get-togethers or vastly changed our long-standing routines.  It is nice to think about perhaps being able to celebrate with family and friends again the way we always remember.   

For most of us who don't quite go back to wartime we have been fortunate to have never been faced with any interruptions in our annual family celebrations. We always thought things would be the same but we learned differently and survived.  

Harness racing journals have traditionally published special holiday issues to celebrate the Christmas and festive season.  My father used to enjoy the "Christmas Number" as I think they were called back then and usually devoted quite a bit of time reading the articles during the holiday season.  He didn't believe in opening them too soon and if you wanted to stay in his good graces it was advisable to wait until he was finished reading them before you started.  By the way it looks like Dan Fisher and his crew have put together a pretty nice TROT edition this year (as they always do) but I am bound by tradition to wait a bit before I really delve in! 

These treasured editions usually contained some gift giving ideas and other items pertaining to the holiday season.  I have displayed a couple I found below and find them quite interesting.  Both are from the 1969 archives of the Canadian Sportsman and that year's Christmas Issue.  

As I look at these old ads I have to wonder why I didn't purchase a few of these items which were both in my price range. They would still come in pretty handy. 

A Christmas Memory 

Growing up I remember Christmas as a special time of year and back then things were just as meaningful but a bit more simple than we know them today.  I think our Christmas decorations probably all fit in a  box or two and apart from putting up and trimming the tree,  getting the house decorated for the season wasn't too big a job.  When we hung our stockings up by the fireplace (yes we had a nice fireplace) they weren't like the ones we know today with a child's name on them.  They were the ones you wore to school every day.  I can even remember one time shortly after Christmas when I felt something strange in the toe of my wool sock.  I guess that year Santa left me a balloon that I didn't find on December 25th! 

When my mother got the wreaths and a few other things out of storage,  we young ones got to help.  We often heard stories of Christmases past and along with dusting off the rather small collection of holiday items the same thing happened with a few old stories;  they too got "dusted off" and often retold.  I recall them being recited pretty much word for word for quite a few years. 

One that I recall hearing most often was the year that I got so "excited" on Christmas morning.  Apparently I was judged to be old enough to join my older brother and sister in the gift unwrapping ritual which of course occurred soon after we arose.  I was handed my biggest (and maybe the only one) gift and soon began to follow the lead of my siblings.   I think it was a metal truck, probably the kind that was in vogue back then.  I was apparently pleased when I saw it  but perhaps only mildly.  

Once the excitement of the moment was over, everyone went on about their day and probably started to get ready for morning church services.  The story was told that I headed for the kitchen and resumed my pre-Christmas activity.  I reportedly got a couple of old pots and pans out of the cupboard and started moving whole turnips from one to another in much the same manner as I had been doing for weeks before Christmas.  

What about the shiny new toy truck? As my father always said when he told an old tale and someone wanted more information he always replied  "The story didn't tell..." If my memory serves me correctly, that old red truck stayed around for a lot of years and I'm sure I eventually played with it  as those old metal toys were built to last.  Time erases a lot of things but our simple yet precious memories live on. 

Here is an old scene from the 1950's showing a father and his young daughters bringing home their very special tree in the trunk of what looks like a mid 50's Pontiac.  What a special time.  (File Photo) 

In closing I would like to wish everyone in the Rewind audience the merriest of Christmases and the best of the coming New Year. My thanks to those of you who enjoy reading my tales of bygone days and for the many who send in comments or contact me personally. You folks make this all worthwhile. As I have done in previous years, I would also like to thank Standardbred Canada for making Rewind a regular feature of their website. Remembering our past is so important.

Quote For The Week: "Being a grandparent is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher and a little bit best friend." - Unknown 

Who Is It? #1 

Can you identify the folks in this Christmas scene obviously taken quite a few years ago? The family name is sufficient.   

Who Is It? #2

Can you identify the two gentlemen (left and centre), both closely connected with our sport as they promote the sale of Christmas seals?   The sale of Christmas seals to raise funds to combat tuberculosis dates back over 100 years.  The fellow on the far right was not a horseman but was present because of his role with the publicity end of the Christmas seals campaign. If you recognize them,  let us know who these fellows were. 

Who Is It? #3

Can you identify these two gentlemen who were sending out a greeting in the 1969 Canadian Sportsman Christmas Issue? 

Blast From The Past 

What famous horse had his own Christmas tree and private residence? Let us know who you think it is.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!