Even Papa had a childhood. Despite that obvious fact, someone once expressed an inability to imagine me as a boy. The years have certainly wrecked havoc on my physical body but I still view my mind as quite uncomplicated. No longer naive; yet I’m a far distance from being jaded. Christmas still brings vivid memories to mind. And, one of the best was a program that ran on a radio station back home. It was on the air from Thanksgiving until Christmas. Billie The Brownie (Think Elf) and Santa had a brief broadcast slot just around supper time. That timing often was annoying. My family made it a point to eat together. ( A good thing.) However, it was impossible to enjoy crouching around the radio in the living room when seated behind the closed door of the kitchen.
I believe it was only a fifteen minute program so it was easy to miss an entire show. On the rare nights dad came home late from work or mom’s cooking needed more time I could listen to Billie The Brownie to my heart’s content. Billie offered an array of serious Christmas guidelines. Letters to Santa needed to be read. Other kids had their letters read aloud. (The Postal Service must have misdirected my more insightful correspondence.) A local store, the one with a giant toy department, sponsored the show. So much knowledge about the latest toys was there for the asking. Santa’s health report of the eight rain deer was always a top consideration. And, there was routing news that was dependent on breaking weather forecasts between us and the North Pole. Christmas was on its way. Billie often seemed on the verge of a breakdown due to a possible ruination of Christmas. However, the steady hand of Santa always prevailed.
The actual years in which children are enthralled by Christmas is quite short. But the memories of those years linger. Christmas memories pack quite a punch. You can’t go wrong by encouraging the dreams of youngsters as your own fantasies fade into reality. For your own children, when and if, remember to cherish the season. You may develop other customs but even those of less than a decade will come to be remembered as long term traditions. The entire season blossoms into an all encompassing spirit that does the heart good. There is always going to be radio or television or books or digital something that has its own Billie The Brownie to recall. Gosh, I miss his squeaky voice.