Remember When?

MyNameIsMaam

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Do you remember when stores didn't decorate for Christmas or play Christmas music until AFTER Thanksgiving?

We used to go to a large department store downtown that had a HUGE display of little animated people and animals set in a winter wonderland scene. The last 2 Saturdays before Christmas, Santa was there for picture taking.

What do you remember?
 
I remember, as a little girl, being so enchanted by the lights and treasures on the tree, that I fell asleep beneath it. Today, I look at the tree as a task to be accomplished. Maybe I need to remember there is magic in it.
 
When my family moved to the U.S. in the late seventies, we were very poor. My parents didn't see any need to have jobs and "run the rat race", so we made a living as singing street performers. Most days people browsed by, looking at us as oddities singing random songs on sidewalks and storefronts. The ambivalent crowds would file by and occasionally some would stop for a minute to listen, and maybe throw some change into the open guitar case providing us the possibility of something to eat that night. Sometimes we would not get much and would end up at a fast food restaurant just before closing, asking if we could have whatever leftover food they would be throwing out in exchange for a few songs.

Christmas season things were different. We would ditch our usual list of songs in favor of the seasonal favorites people wanted to hear. The warm well lit summer evenings gave way to cold dark nights. The streets were full of activity. Banners, garland, and lights hung from street lamps and store windows. The ordinarily uninterested crowds stopped and gathered in mass to listen to what we were singing. I remember how they would always form a half circle in front of us, smiling, sometimes swaying, sometimes singing along, always more generous. People were active, bustling, busy, but at the same time much more attentive.

I remember lights, the smell of coffee and chocolate, cigarettes, crowds, things that sparkled. The once plain streets transformed by the seasons change. I remember the generosity of strangers. Even when it was measured in handfuls of change, the little gestures of kindness were the difference between eating and being hungry that night. I like to think that we gave them something in return as well. I like to think that we gave them a moments break from their busy days and nights trying to bring everything together for they people they were close too.

I still fight the urge to cry every time I hear "O Holy Night". It brings back the feelings of wonder and beauty I used to feel as a child. Sorry if this reads sappy. :)

Phoenix.
 
I remember when Arcades were awesome, and my friends and I hung out there all day and bumed cigarettes and other... things... from the "older" kids, and blew our allowances on video games that you just couldn't play at home.

Nowadays, you're lucky to even find a single arcade game, let alone an actual "Arcade" housing 20 or 30 coin-op games.
 
I remember when Arcades were awesome, and my friends and I hung out there all day and bumed cigarettes and other... things... from the "older" kids, and blew our allowances on video games that you just couldn't play at home.

Nowadays, you're lucky to even find a single arcade game, let alone an actual "Arcade" housing 20 or 30 coin-op games.

I remember dates that started off in arcades while we waited for the movie next door to start! Air hockey and people everywhere...talk about a flashback!
 
We still have an arcade

My friends think it is pretty cool, I am just not that into it.

I remember when gardening was something I loved instead of a chore. I would play in the Chrysanthemums after I planted them with my father. :)
 
My first date was at an arcade:D. That was many moons ago though. I didn't play then, still don't play even when we can find one.

I can remember being happy with the presents we got whether it was big or little, clothing, books, a crazy carpet (thing to slide down snow hills on, for the uninitiated.)

Our presents weren't hundred dollar gifts PLUS the smaller stuff. If it was one large present that was all we got

I can barely remember the awe of our first snowy Christmas. I'm originally from Georgia where the snow might stick around for a couple of hours, none of this months on end crap!
 
I remember playing out side with my friends till it was time for dinner then wanting to go back outside to play more. Riding bikes and roller skating walking on the beach. We always ran into friends around town to spend our allowances with at the local candy shop and would all get some thing different so when we split it up we all had a little of everything. I had a great childhood :)
 
I remember when the street lights coming on was "curfew"
 
You could buy candy bars for 25 cents or go to actual arcade which was usually in the bad side of town and was a cover for gang/mod activity... Ut it meant you actually socialized in person with people :)
 
Remember When.....

Remember when the music
Came from wooden boxes strung with silver wire
And as we sang the words, it would set our minds on fire,
For we believed in things, and so we'd sing.

Remember when the music
Brought us all together to stand inside the rain
And as we'd join our hands, we'd meet in the refrain,
For we had dreams to live, we had hopes to give.

Remember when the music
Was the best of what we dreamed of for our children's time
And as we sang we worked, for time was just a line,
It was a gift we saved, a gift the future gave.

Remember when the music
Was a rock that we could cling to so we'd not despair,
And as we sang we knew we'd hear an echo fill the air
We'd be smiling then, we would smile again.

Oh all the times I've listened, and all the times I've heard
All the melodies I'm missing, and all the magic words,
And all those potent voices, and the choices we had then,
How I'd love to find we had that kind of choice again.

Remember when the music
Was a glow on the horizon of every newborn day
And as we sang, the sun came up to chase the dark away,
And life was good, for we knew we could.

Remember when the music
Brought the night across the valley as the day went down
And as we'd hum the melody, we'd be safe inside the sound,
And so we'd sleep, we had dreams to keep.

And I feel that something's coming, and it's not just in the wind.
It's more than just tomorrow, it's more than where we've been,
It offers me a promise, it's telling me "Begin",
I know we're needing something worth believing in.

Remember when the music
Came from wooden boxes strung with silver wire
And as we sang the words, it would set our minds on fire,
For we believed in things, and so we'd sing.

Harry Chapin
 
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