CREATIVE THINKING: A flurry of memories from Christmases past

Since I was in a hurry, as we all are this time of year, I dashed past a special tree-shaped wooden display stand I designed to hold some of our collection of snow globes. The sunlight glinted on each of them, causing all their colors to radiate with brilliance.

I put on my brakes and did a U-turn. I decided to stop and take a few minutes to enjoy their holiday-filled beauty.

I began with the top tier of the display and visually scanned each of the 20 globes just begging to be shaken. My eyes came to rest on one of my favorites.

Surrounding the base of the rather large snow globe was a train driven by a smiling, waving Santa. Behind him, various train cars were filled to the brim with a group of reindeer peeking from windows, a fully decorated Christmas tree, gift wrapped presents of all shapes and sizes and a plump teddy bear complete with a red bow.

I carefully picked it up, gave it a vigorous shake and sat it back down. It was at eye level, so I had a front-row seat for its always satisfying performance. A blizzard ensued as the water rapidly swirled around inside the glass globe. The North Pole toy shop and several elves holding presents were immediately covered with the white snow.

For a few moments, as I watched the snow fall, I became a little boy again.

I was mesmerized as the water and snowflakes swirled around inside the globe. Precious childhood memories quickly came to the surface. I could see our family celebrating Christmas over the years.

Like a deck of cards being shuffled in my mind, brief vignettes of other times and places appeared to me in living color.

So much has changed with Christmas since I was a small boy. I was born Dec. 19, 1960, less than a week before Christmas Day.

"Back in the day," as our son, Blake, refers to it, Christmas was much simpler. Christmas decorations weren't displayed on shelves at the same time as the red, white and blue ones of July Fourth.

I don't ever remember putting up our Christmas tree before my birthday!

We didn't have a fireplace or a mantle for hanging our stockings. In fact, no one in our neighborhood did. I remember a lady who lived across the street actually had her husband climb on top of the roof to place some brick-like panels in a square to create a make-shift chimney.

Back then, I thought it was a clever idea. I wondered how Santa would get inside if he didn't have a chimney.

Our decorations certainly weren't elaborate. Instead of making a fake chimney like our neighbor, Mother purchased an inexpensive tri-fold faux cardboard fireplace complete with printed red bricks and a mantle. Using a push pin, we hung our stockings with care into the cardboard.

Our stockings were created by hand out of pieces of red and green felt.

Since the stockings were usually filled with fresh oranges, un-cracked nuts and hard candy, the cardboard mantle and push pins couldn't handle the weight. Instead, when filled, the stockings were placed on chairs in our living room.

Many more Christmas memories flooded my mind than I have space to recount here. I was so blessed to have a wonderful childhood and a slew of memories that are just as grand.

As the blizzard slowed and began to settle in the base of the snow globe, I didn't want it to stop. I carefully placed it back among the others and returned to the hustle and bustle of today's Christmas.

I realize things change and life goes on, but a big part of me misses those cardboard fireplace Christmases and the much slower, simpler times. I'm so happy I turned around and shook that snow globe. I felt as if I was riding Santa's train back into time.

Even though I have been blessed with many things -- including two real brick fireplaces -- I still cherish the few belongings from my past that I have been able to keep, and the memory of those I didn't.

Just like watching the swirl of a snow globe, they bring me comfort in these times of turmoil.

I hope each of you creates some wonderful memories this season. Merry Christmas!

Send your questions or comments to P.O. Box 4232, Macon, GA 31208; call 478-757-6877; email markballard@cox.net; follow him at instagram.com/markcreates; or become a subscriber to Mark's Facebook page.

This story was originally published December 19, 2015 at 8:16 PM with the headline "CREATIVE THINKING: A flurry of memories from Christmases past ."