Feeling Nostalgic

It’s the week before Christmas Day and yes, I’m feeling nostalgic. The definition of the word, per the Cambridge Dictionary is “feeling happy and also slightly sad when you think about things that happened in the past.” I’d say that sums it up pretty well. Christmas always does this to me. I’ve had my favorite Christmas music channels playing on Pandora both in my office and in the car, and certain songs just take me back to those days of old. The tree has been up for a few weeks now.

When I watch “A Christmas Story” for the umpteenth time, I can easily see my brother David and I living those days of Ralphie and Randy. For us, Sears was the place where Santa hung out. I never got a BB gun because Mom always thought we actually would shoot each other, and David never got the rabbit costume either. Each year, we would impatiently wait until the Sears Wish Book arrived and we basically shredded the boy’s section. Not having a sister, the girl’s section always remained immaculate.

This picture is one of my all-time favorites and as such, is framed and on a table in my living room. It captures just one of the many memories of what Christmas was when we were young. I remember waking on Christmas morning and acting like a thoroughbred horse trying to get to the packages under the tree, only to be stopped by Mom because Dad had to get the movie camera set up. There were probably moments of blindness because of that 10000-watt light bar! Needless to say, Santa (AKA Mom and Dad) always delivered!

From new bicycles to that vibrating football game with the felt football, we were always amazed how Santa knew what each of us wanted. Of course, I have to mention a couple of gifts that back then were considered amazingly safe that today would be banned from the toy stores. One was the “woodburning kit” and the other was a “Vac U Form” where we would heat up the device, put a car mold on the hot surface, and then take a piece of plastic, melt it over the mold and make a new car body to build and race. If you were a child of the 60’s, you know exactly what I’m talking about! What could go wrong?

As I have gotten older, Christmas sure has changed a lot. We still have gifts under the tree, and as always, Mom & Dad delivered. Dad finally retired that movie camera and light bar too. We somehow always picked the exact same seats for Christmas morning. We still sit in those places today, including my niece Courtney, nephew Chase, their spouses, and now including Chase’s kids, Catherine age 3 and Luke age 1. There is one chair that we leave open, and that is where Dad sat. Even though he’s not here anymore, we know his spirit is there, and that’s important to all of us. Chase still has Dad’s old pocket knife that he used to open gifts. Again, it’s tradition. I think it’s the glue that keeps our family together.

Today, Sears is gone and with it the Wish Book. Now it’s all gift cards, Tennessee Vols gear, or something to go in my golf bag. I’m not sure when we will have our family Christmas together. With a much larger family, logistics tend to determine when it will be. This Christmas day will be filled with friends, food, and of course football. I’m sure I will have plenty of opportunities to share a glass of Kentucky bourbon with them.

I hold on to these memories via the many photos that are framed and in my living room. If you’ve ever been to my home, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Maybe I hit a memory that you haven’t thought of for a long time. I hope so. If there’s a memory that resonates, please share it in the comments for all to read.

So with all of the Christmas spirit I can muster, I thank all of you reading this for your friendship, your kindness, and if you are a client, for your trust in me as your Advisor. Here’s to all of us having a wonderful Christmas or Hanukkah, celebrating with our loved ones and friends, and to a Happy New Year as 2025 approaches.

All my best!

Brian

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