Back in the 1950s, when my Brothers and Sisters and I woke on Christmas morning after a restless sleep like millions of other kids, there before us was a sight like no other! Let me explain, first on Christmas eve we went to bed without a tree, with just those visions of sugar plums in our heads so the saying goes.

Then  we would wake on Christmas morning with a decorated tree with those old bright-colored lights, and a couple sets of bubble lights and the gifts were laided out before us because Santa never wrapped gifts so we were told and he always carefully placed them under the tree without us ever knowing of course! Oh how I loved sitting by the tree just staring at those sparkling bubble lights! 

Over the years my father would send 2 of the older kids out on Christmas eve to a tree lot to pick out the best of what was left of them by that time of day the tree lot man wanted to get rid of what was left, and you could get a tree for $3.00! and if you were lucky a good size one at that!