SC Rewind: A Christmas Message

In this week's 'Rewind', Robert Smith sends out his latest Christmas greeting to the reading audience. This annual message has become somewhat of a tradition over the years as he recalls some tales of long ago.

"Oh what fun it is to ride and sing in a one-horse open sleigh." These folks are riding in vintage Studebaker sleigh, a once-popular necessity and now a collectors item.

Merry Christmas to everyone in the reading audience; 'tis a wonderful time of year especially for those of us who enjoy the festive season. The holiday season at our house starts pretty early and we savour each day. For the past month, and maybe a bit longer, we have been decorating the house, dining on Christmas themed dishes and sipping the odd glass of wine from festive glasses. We start decorating pretty early and each ornament has a history behind it. Part of putting them out for display usually involves discussing where each one came from and often trying to remember if we have the story right. Many have been gifts from family or friends and the tradition continues each year with the grandchildren now involved. Each one is special, certainly not because of their monetary value but for the joy they bring.

A big part of Christmas has to do with tradition and remembering what is really important in your life and that of your family. It's often a time when old stories are told, vintage pictures are dusted off and enjoyed and memories become extra special. Not to be forgotten are the many great foods that each one enjoys; some make their appearance only at this time of the year. Recipes handed down from one generation to the next are usually the best.

Gone are the days of trying to fit a five-inch tree trunk into a four-inch wide stand. No more hiding gifts and trying to keep separate what was from Santa and explaining just how he knew exactly what size skates someone needed. Thankfully no multiple Christmas dinners on the same day like in the old days. With the changing times we have adjusted year by year. Each Christmas season has its special memories. This year we have established a new tradition and that involves watching the series of Hallmark Christmas movies on TV. They are a very nice trip back in time.

Over the years much about Christmas has changed, probably a little at a time. People in general have so much more now it seems, which has to be a good thing. One thing I can remember very well from my childhood I learned at a very young age was that material things don't make a Christmas. In my father's logging and lumbering business he supplied firewood to customers who used it to heat their homes and also for use in their fireplaces as an aesthetic effect although those folks were in the minority back then.

Your wood order has arrived

From about the age of six, I travelled whenever possible with the workmen who delivered the wood. I didn't realize it at the time but most of those kindly folks we delivered to would today be classed as "poor" but based solely on their income. While they may have been lacking in things measured in monetary terms, most were rich in spirit. As Christmas neared we were often invited into people's homes to see their special tree or other decorations put up at holiday time. They showed their homes with pride, and because we knew them all they often talked of family that would be home for the holidays. What they lacked in material things they certainly made up for in their humility and caring for others.

Despite the fact that a cord of wood went for just $6.00 back then, I do know that many of them had difficulty in coming up with even that amount. I can still recall one lady that was our wood customer for many many years. We knew her just as Mrs. Holbrook; she lived alone in a very meagre yet well-kept home. She was always so happy to see us on every visit and so grateful to have her wood supply replenished. I recall one time when she gave a silver dollar as part of her payment; she was probably a bit strapped at the time. For me it turned out pretty good as my Dad let me keep it!

As a youngster I hoped that some day I could deliver firewood myself and see how happy people were to see the truck back into their yard and unload its precious cargo. From a very young age I learned the various species of wood and in turn which types made the best firewood. In time, I did get to see that day come and I still recall how much I enjoyed spending a full day off school with many orders to fill across the community. A little visit with each stop and knowing that you had made someone's day a little brighter was always a reward in itself. When it happened at Christmas time it was just a little better.

I can also remember that part of the Christmas season at school often involved learning carols and memorizing what seemed like silly little rhymes. Trivial they may have seemed but one always creeps into my memory bank at this time of year. To this day, beyond training our little memory skills I still wonder what it meant. It went this way:

Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat,
Please put a penny in the old man's hat,
If you haven't got a penny a half penny will do,
If you haven't got a half penny...Well God bless you.

A reminder of a simpler time showing the joy that Christmas brings to young children

The practice of gift giving is as old as Christmas itself and always an important part of each and every holiday celebration. While we may think of gifts as only being purchased at a store or now online and neatly-wrapped, we can all give a special gift without any expense or having to get out of our favourite chair. Call, text or email someone and tell them they are special; not only on this day but always. I often think of an old yet always meaningful saying. "Most people don't care how much you know, but they do like to know how much you care."

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. 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. "Christmas Is A Time Of Enchantment"

Who Is It?

At one time and probably for quite a lengthy period, one of the highlights of the Holiday season was the annual Christmas dinner hosted by The Ontario Jockey Club. The picture I have posted today was taken at the old Garden City Raceway in St. Catharines back in 1964, the year it opened. On this day the horsemen and ladies were treated to a special meal and members of the management team acted as waiters. The original write up used the term "Heaping Plates".

Can you name these five people? Photo courtesy of Wm. Galvin as displayed in Harness Horse Happenings? I notice that we were still back in a time of more formal dress as each person is dressed in a suit and tie for the occasion.