It happened on Christmas Eve, 1965...my family was singing Christmas Carols and visiting with family at our home atop the highest hill in Plentywood, where our local airport was located(my Dad, a professional pilot by trade, managed the small, but busy airport); as usual, the snow was piled high, which goes right along with the sub zero temperatures at that time of year in the far North East corner of Montana! Well...dinner was done, it was getting late, and the family had migrated to the family room where dessert was served late in the evening. During a quiet moment, when conversation had died down and there was only "the buzz" of kid noise we suddenly hear the back door open and shut very loudly! Just as quickly there was an even LOUDER HO! HO! HO!
First, I looked at Dad, then at Mom, then said(with much surprise), "MAN! THAT SOUNDS LIKE AL RUBIN!" Looking back on it now, the look on my Mom's face was priceless! It was all she could do not to blow his cover, but I found out a few years later when Mom and Dad told me who Santa really was that he was indeed Al Rubin! I was surprised that I never caught on to it...noone could ever get anything past me at that age...or at any childhood age for that matter...lol!
I even remember what I got from Santa that year; a fun and cute miniature version of a theatre popcorn popper; bright red, with a picture of popped popcorn splashed all over the front in white...
I had many grand holiday memories growing up(does anyone recognize the picture above? It's a favorite childhood movie, one of many wonderful holiday traditions!); which included not only my immediate family, but aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents all sharing in the warmth and love of the season!
