“Granddaddy! Granddaddy! Have you received the Sears and Roebuck Christmas Book yet?” I shouted as I entered my grandparents’ house.
“Of course, I got it! I’ve been looking forward to us carefully going through it together!” he replied, his excitement reminiscent of a child.
It was a tradition for me to sit in my Grandfather’s lap as we carefully turned the pages of the massive catalog, especially the toy section. We would take a pen and circle the items I loved to make my wish list for Santa.
Then, Granddaddy would show me all the new tools and equipment he hoped Santa would bring him. I remember pretending to love them all, even though I had no idea what the gadgets were used for.
The Sears Christmas Book, introduced during the Great Depression in 1933, brought a sense of magic to difficult economic times, making it a cherished tradition for many. In the late 1960s, Sears renamed it The Wish Book, and it remained a seasonal favorite until its discontinuation in 2011.
During the 1950s, every kid I knew eagerly anticipated the arrival of the Christmas Book. We couldn’t wait to see the pictures of all the new toys. Soon after the catalog arrived on our doorsteps, letters addressed to the North Pole flooded the post office.
As much as I love the convenience of online shopping, it could never replace the magic of the Sears and Roebuck catalog, or the comfort of my Grandfather’s lap.
We all have Christmas memories that remind us of a magical time in our lives. They still bring us warmth and comfort, like a cozy blanket on a cold winter day. It’s a period when life felt simpler and less chaotic, a time when we would slow down to turn the pages of catalogs and dream
“Lynn, do you think your mama would like this?” Granddaddy would ask as he showed me the gaudiest piece of jewelry he could find.
We would laugh because we both understood his daughter was the least adorned woman we knew. She wore a thin gold wedding band and a watch. She cared little for glitter but loved the tennis racket or basketball in the sports section of the book.
Once we picked out all the gifts we desired and laughed at the silly selections for our relatives, we closed the Christmas Book and waited for the holiday.
We never received everything we circled in the catalog, but that didn’t matter. We found joy in laughing, dreaming, and wishing.
One Christmas, Granddaddy bought me a sapphire ring, which is my birthstone. I thought it was the most beautiful ring in the whole wide world. One day, however, I noticed it was missing. I searched everywhere and cried for what felt like hours; I had lost the ring.
Several years later, my grandparents moved to a new house. While they were loading Granddaddy’s chair into the moving van, something fell onto the wooden floor with a clink. It was my sapphire ring. Wishes really did come true if you sat in Granddaddy’s chair.
Every Christmas brings something new and different. There’s always a state-of-the-art gadget that tempts us to make a purchase. Most of the latest toys we buy for children end up discarded or broken by the time the next Christmas arrives. Sometimes, sharing our hopes and visions for something special carries more meaning than actually receiving it.
It’s the simple things in life that bring us the greatest joy, reminding us to cherish what truly matters. It’s not the toys, tools, or wealth we accumulate that truly count; instead, it’s the time, love, and care that others show us, which we in turn pass on to others.
My Grandfather, a deeply devoted man of God, passed away when I was seventeen. I was fortunate to spend my early years with such a noble individual. He was both respected and respectful to others. As a child, I often thought that the Lord must resemble my Grandfather. Now, I realize that he was simply a godly man.
This year, let’s all strive for a similar aspiration: to become more godly, to show greater respect, and to value our time with those we treasure.
The hours we spend creating memories are a priceless gift that we cannot buy. However, we may need a new Wish Book to help us slow down and take the time.
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Lynn Walker Gendusa began her writing career as a columnist for the LaGrange News. Today, her essays are featured regularly throughout Georgia and Tennessee. Her work also appears in Guidepost, USA Today, The Atlanta Journal, MSN.com, among others. Lynn has authored two books; the latest, “Southern Comfort,” was published in 2022. She can be reached at www.lynngendusa.com. For more of her inspirational stories, click here.
