A Literary Life

Local grandparents reminisce about holiday traditions past and present
By Kate Jonuska

Tickle Me Elmos, video games, gift cards, batteries not included: The holiday season of today is hardly recognizable to generations before. We reminisced with visitors at the Colorado Springs Senior Center about Christmases past, what has changed, what will never change and their favorite childhood memories.

Maynard “Bud” Gallentine, age 90, five generations give him great-great-grandchildren

What kind of activities did you do when off school for the holidays?
Especially on the farm, because in the morning and in the afternoon you’d have chores, you’d only have a small window in the middle of the day … We used to find places where the snow melted and then froze and go skating. Then it would melt again and the kids would get soaking wet. We played basketball in the winter time. The cold didn’t stop activities on the farm, or anybody for that matter. We just piled on clothes. We didn’t think we had to be fashionable.

Did your family have a tree at home?
My grandfather had some evergreens, and you cut your own. It might only have been the top of the tree or even a limb. Nobody bought trees in those days. You had to know someone who had them. In those days, we never had electricity. We strung popcorn at school and then made garlands. That’s what you decorated your tree with.

Do you remember any of your favorite presents?
When I was 12, I got a shot gun. Of course, we lived on the farm. I got an erector set, too. It came with an electric motor by we didn’t have electricity, so we got a little crank to make it work.

CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article, which published in the December 2009 Pikes Peak Parent magazine.