We have journeyed through the 40's, 50's, and 60's, and this week we have arrived in the 70's. To represent Christmas in the 1970's, I recruited a family friend who grew up in Florida, Wendy Slattery.
What was a typical Christmas like for you in the 1970's?
Wendy: "Christmas growing up in Miami was probably different for me than most because the weather was a lot warmer, and as a child it was a little difficult to remember if such and such was at Christmas time or not because none of the trees changed color and you could often go outside and play in your shorts on Christmas day like most other days. It was always confusing to us kids hearing the Christmas story about Santa because we didn't have a chimney [and neither] did most homes in our environment. I had always pictured snow to be this white, fluffy, bouncy material, so many of the symbols and icons that went with Christmas really seemed confusing or maybe even more make believe as it was not always easy to relate. My parents were absent in our lives a lot; however, holidays were a big deal. My dad really liked to decorate the Christmas tree. We used a lot of tinsel to give an appearance of ice or coldness to our tree. My parents really loved to play up the idea of Santa, and leaving cookies and a carrot out for Santa and the reindeer and reading the Night Before Christmas were the big standouts for me. For some reason, I always pictured Santa's sleigh riding through the ocean like a ski boat! More than Santa, I was actually drawn more toward whether the reindeer got that carrot! I don't know why. Every Christmas Eve we would go look at Christmas lights on the houses and come home and drink egg nog before bed. [On] Christmas day there was one big gift from Santa and the rest were from family. I remember at a very young age asking my mom if they were Santa. She asked why I thought so, and I replied that it was difficult to see how Santa could visit everyone's house all in one night. We didn't really live near any family, so I don't really remember any traditions in that regard except for the occasional visit out of state, but we always spent Christmas day at our house."
What Christmas gifts stand out in your memory?
Wendy: "It will sound really strange, but I'm guessing when I was around five, I received this Holly Hobby stand up house. It was essentially made of cardboard, no exterior walls or roof, but each room was divided. It was placed on a flimsy aluminum TV tray (because that's what we had back then) and the little cardboard Holly Hobby had a magnetic base. I could control her movements and make her go from room to room by manipulating a magnet under the tray. What's interesting about this is that I was never really a play with dolls kind of girl. I mostly like[d] playing outside, running, bicycling or swimming, but I think the idea of magnets appealed to me, but, also, it was like this little girl lived in this home by herself and it seemed peaceful. Sounds silly that this is the gift that stands out, but it is."
What did you call the man in the red suit who brought presents, and did you believe in him?
Wendy: "We called him Santa, but, like stated above, I didn't believe in him long. I think it kind of took the fun out of Christmas for my parents. I was the oldest, and as my siblings grew up they were told that as long as you believe then Santa will bring gifts, so they kept pretending to believe because they thought they would lose out on gifts if they ever admitted they didn't believe."
What did you eat for breakfast on Christmas morning?
Wendy: "Christmas breakfast was candy from our stockings, and we were perfectly fine with that as children."
Did you wear anything special or unusual at Christmas?
Wendy: "Nothing special or unusual to wear. What we would call jackets, most people probably think of as a wind breaker, but again, with the weather being so warm our clothing didn't really change much. Since we didn't really have family or go to church there was never really anything for which to dress up really."
What special or particular Christmas traditions do you remember?
Wendy: "The Christmas Eve drive to look at different house lights and the egg nog before bed. That was a nice memory, but my favorite thing which I anticipated was the Christmas animated TV programs. They only came on at one time on a specific night each year. The Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman shows were really important to me and that was considered the fringe of graphics back then, ha!"
What was the meaning of Christmas to you personally in the 70's?
Wendy: "Christmas was basically about presents in our home, but for me, it was also a time when my parents did a little more with us than typical. We put up a tree like it was a family project. That was a big deal for us kids.
Was religion a part of your Christmas experience? If so, how?
Wendy: "No, I only remember going to church a couple times growing up. I knew the name of Jesus, but no other concepts like why God had a son or what was so special about him. We grew up very ignorant of religious topics and vocabulary. We didn't even really learn any of the religious holiday songs. I knew "Jingle Bells" and such, but that was about it. My parents both grew up in religious homes, and I think they really underestimated how much one learns of such things by family versus society. They knew way more, but we kids didn't learn any of that, and my parents later seemed surprised when we would ask certain questions wondering how we did not know. Well, [it was] because they never taught us or put us in an environment to hear such things. Those who grow up in religious homes very much take for granted what they pick up passively along the way whether they ever learn to own that faith for themselves or not."
What is one Christmas memory that stands out from the 1970's?
Wendy: "When I was very little, we lived in apartments and the people above dropped down Styrofoam peanuts over their balcony. We lived below. I was the only kid at the time, and they made me believe we were getting snow. Looking back, those were neat neighbors!"
