The Magic of Christmas: Buffalo, NY 1958 Part 2…A M & A’s Winter Wonderland

Do you remember when it was easy, to believe. 

Be it in tooth fairies. 

Easter bunnies. 

Santa Claus. 

At six years old I believed in magic, at 71 I only hope for it, 99% sure it ain’t there, but… 

…I hold on to that 1%. 

I hope you do too. 

Story Time…Part 2…Hit Play:

“…Donnie…it’s a magical time of year…” 

Magical, even to this day, you see every Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember once everyone in the house is asleep, I sneak out of the bedroom, go downstairs, hit the lights for the Christmas tree, sit in my recliner and push it back and just look at the tree with Christmas music playing in my ears. 

The tree, the lights, the music, and possibly a bowl of ice cream, and it doesn’t take long for me to be, even for a few minutes, six again… 

“…what do you think Donnie…” 

There are people all around me walking on the sidewalk, crossing Main Street, talking, laughing, pointing, men and women walking arm in arm, some holding hands, some carrying gifts, some men in suits, some women in dresses. 

I just watch, I’ve never seen this many people all in one place at one time. 

“…Donnie…come here look through the window…”

After a few minutes I was sort of shuffling sideways with a bunch of other little kids to the next window, stare with open mouth for a few minutes, shuffle once again, new window, new Christmas magic. 

“Oh, I want that…” some kid next to me. 

“Mommie that’s it…” another kid. 

And on and on as each child staked a Christmas claim, “Donnie what are you going to tell Santa you want for Christmas…” 

Huh, what, oh no I didn’t bring my list…oh no. 

“…what do you hope for…” 

“…um…a puppy…” 

Silence. 

“…and anything else…” 

“…um…oh…oh…Robert the Robot.” 

“…nice…” 

“…and a goldfish.” 

20 minutes later I was sitting on Santa’s lap somewhere in the toy department, he would ask what I wanted for Christmas, I would say something, he would look up at my Gram, look back at me and try to move me off that wish, on my third try I must have gotten it right, after a big belly Ho Ho Ho he loudly said, “Ha that’s just what I thought Bobbie, you be good now, I know when you are good and not…”

And suddenly in a whoosh of green leotards and floppy elf hat I was off his lap and being handed a sucker and lead back to my grandmother. 

We walked around the store a bunch, I saw lots of dresses, shoes and hats. 

After each stop, I always found myself back at the large display window, this time looking out, Gram was always looking out, looking at something, shaking her head, then we would leave, a few minutes later, back to the window, over and over. 

“…Donnie are you hungry…” 

I was. 

And so, at some counter somewhere we both got cheeseburgers, fries and a “Pop” (know as soda in most of the world except in Buffalo). 

Every other bite Gram would turn and look out the window, frown, turn back and give me a hug. 

On my 12th trip to the bathroom, I could see it was getting dark outside, the big display windows were lit up but most of the people were gone. 

“…Donnie…come on…I want you to help me do something…” 

And with that Gram took my hand and after winding around aisle after aisle to my surprise/delight we stopped in the toy department. 

Santa was gone, just a red empty chair, not an elf to be seen… 

“…Donnie…what do you think about this…” 

“Um…Um…it’s a doll.” 

“Pretty isn’t she.” 

“I don’t know.” 

“Okay…” 

Then my Gram turns to a woman and says, “We’ll take it, can you wrap it for us.” 

Oh no, I’m thinking Santa told her I wanted a doll…A DOLL…. wait…wait I said a ROBOT…a ROBOT!!! 

And suddenly the doll thing was wrapped handed to my Gram who turned and handed it to me. 

Oh no, I’m holding a wrapped doll, that was a new experience. 

“Come on Donnie, I want you to help me with something.” 

Oh—Kay.

The Magic of Christmas Shown to a Little Boy

It is always better to DO rather than TELL. 

Be an example, not a lecture. 

What happened next is my very own Christmas story that plays out every year in my head as I sit alone in a leather recliner, memories lit by the lights of the Christmas tree. 

My Gram, it turns out, had been watching all day a young girl sitting on a step across the street. The girl never moved, she just sat and watched the parade of families loaded with gifts. 

No one ever saw her sitting there, except Gram. 

The girl was there when we arrived, was there all day, and was there as we were leaving to catch a bus back home. 

“Come on Donnie, cross the street with me, here…” 

And once again I found myself holding a DOLL…a Christmas wrapped doll…” 

When the streetlight turned, we crossed the street and started walking towards the girl when suddenly Gram stopped, bent down close to me and said… 

“Donnie…go give that girl the gift, don’t tell her what is inside, just tell her, Merry Christmas.” 

And so, I did, I sort of remember the girl being surprised, there were no hugs, nothing magical happened… 

…except… 

…you know…

…this…

The bus we got on to go home was kind of empty, lots of seats so I ran to the back of the bus and sat in the last seat that wrapped around the back wall, Gram came down the aisle smiling, sat down, gave me a hug and as the bus lurched forward I turned for one last look at the A M & A’s Winter Wonderland when… 

…out in front stood Santa… 

…I saw him and smiled… 

…and somehow, he saw me too. 

And then Santa raised both his hands high over his head and he started to wave back at me and the moment he did that… 

…suddenly the entire department store behind him lit up. 

From top to bottom like a huge Christmas tree. 

Santa just stood there smiling at me. 

When I turned back to tell my Gram what happened, she was staring straight ahead not looking back… 

…and she was smiling too. 

The magic of Christmas is wrapped within your heart.

I learned young it comes not in a box, nor gift card, or in stockings hung by the fireplace. 

It comes in what you DO for others, those you know and love, those you don’t, those who can just sit on a step and watch. 

May you all have a great Christmas wrapped in love and understanding. 

Know this, come Christmas Eve I will be sitting in my chair listening to Christmas music and looking at the lights on the tree… 

…and as it always happens sometime while sitting there sort of awake, sort of asleep in a whisper I will hear this… 

“Merry Christmas…Donnie…Love Ya.” 

And that is true Christmas Magic…