As the week of Christmas approaches, I often find myself transported back in both memory and times of now, long ago.
I imagine my 10-year-old self, sprinting down the south side of Main Street to the Sears & Roebuck Co., Catalog Store, hoping that the long awaited “mystery” order form the Chicago mail-order house was there.
I remember standing patiently at the back of the West Brothers Department Store (and other stores) who has Lay-O-Way and clutching a $5 bill each month to pay on an unknown assortment of goods being held there for our holiday treasure.
The old Santa House at the corner of Cypress and Main (that has been written about before), I can’t get near this corner this time of year, I don’t hope to see the Chamber of Commerce’s little shelter there. And know a community spirit of good will stood.
Many a secret was whispered to old Santa on this spot.
I also recall one of the more pleasurable tasks of my Printer’s Devils activity at the Eagle Democrat was delivering small holiday gifts and presents to many of the business and political professionals about town. These included everything from self-embossed “scratch pads for business notes, to new fountain pens and other gifts.
There was always a Main Street filled with shoppers. Each business window had its own holiday themes and expressions of Christmas.
In my high school years, Bryan Martin of Martin’s and other businesses would hire ‘Christmas help,” a collection of good-looking school girls to help wrap presents. It was always a place “to go and hang out” and see how the tape and wrapping paper was arranged during all the flirting and giggling.
There were several “peddlers” of fruits and nuts along the street corners of Warren. Most had a lot of taste produce and always a generous display of peanuts, pecans, walnuts and other holiday nut treats for purchase.
It seemed at this time of year, all the stores and shops were busy with sales and loaded with people going over their merchandise on display.
The town’s grocers, big and small, were all doing a brisk business.
And it seemed the community had a well-defined spirit of Christmas and good will towards all. You saw pies, cakes, and gifts of covered dishes exchanged all along the city – sharing a tasty dish with other families this time of year.
One of the most unique things I can remember from my childhood were the banks and their “Christmas Club,” accounts.
A Christmas Club was a separate on-demand saving account held to be paid off or fulfilled by Christmas each year. The $5 per week or more was be a rewarding goal of the Christmas Card account holder for his or her thriftiness during the year.
Another hometown banking gesture, long since gone to way of all ancient things was a “skip a payment,” in December. Both banks, upon being asked, would allow small time monthly note holders, to simply skip the December payment – provided the interest on the note – was indeed paid that month.
It was simply another gesture between the hometown banks and the borrowers who needed a little bit of relief as the holidays neared.
There were no food banks back then.
No places were load and loads of children’s toys were collected to later be distributed to those less fortunate.
Everyone back then, sort of looked out for one another.
There are few placed in Arkansas, like Bradley County, where locals will reach down deep to help their fellow man.
They always do.
The absolute best in our communities in Bradley County always shine at Christmas.
Having a Merry Christmas is, you see, always, up to you.
Reach out to those in need.
Contribute to those less fortunate.
Volunteer your time in these short hours left before the sun goes down on a night in which we all believe deep within our heart of hearts something great indeed happened.
And maintain that this belief of Jim McMurry’s many paintings of the town with the Red Brick Streets, and all that Warren represents, it can still change your world today, if you will only allow it to do so.
Merry Christmas everyone.
