Advent Calendar - Dec 6 - Santa Claus

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories for December 6
Santa Claus

This Blog is pleased to join with other GeneaBloggers around the world in presenting this Advent Calendar over the next 24 days leading up to the Christmas celebration - a different topic each day. We will attempt to post on each of the topics. Our invitation continues to be open to other writers to join us here with your comments (See Nov 29, Dec 5, Dec 12, and Dec 19 posts here - label 'Advent Calendar' - for the topics; or the link in the title, here).

Santa Claus

I grew up in the 1940s and 1950s in a west central Iowa rural community centered on the rural Star Methodist Church. Each Christmas Eve, each family in the community gathered at the church for the annual Christmas Program. The program consisted of the elementary school ages putting on a nativity based program, each student having a 'piece' to say, music by the choir and congregation, and words spoken by the preacher. At the end of the program, 'Santa Claus' would always appear, with a sack/bag for each youngster (containing an orange, an apple, some nuts and some candy) {sponsored by the Adult Sunday School Class, I assume}.

I'm sure it is safe to say that this Christmas Program had taken place every year dating back to the late 1880s when the Adult Sunday School Class was first formed, by among others, my wife's great-grandfather Wilson and other pioneers of the community!).

Once I got my slide camera (summer before high school), some of the photos from these Christmas Programs have been my favorites, over the years. I'll just share two of them, today.

I believe this was the very first Christmas after getting the camera; a cousin meets Santa:

This is 1956, my youngest brother, held by Dad, meets Santa (most in the background are part of future wife's family...):

Families are Forever!  ;-)