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The sights, tastes, and sounds of Christmas in the 1970s were indeed unique and easily identifiable. It all began with a trip to grandma's house where she proudly displayed the tree she painted in ceramics class. The one with the colorful plastic bulbs that lit up and made the whole tree glow.
I think those of us who were adolescents at the time were less than impressed, but many of us now own one, evoking those childhood memories. It is funny how that happens as you age. Various things we didn't value back in the day, now become an important part of our celebrations.
Oh, and what about the tinsel? Everywhere you looked there was shiny tinsel. The tree was wrapped in it, the stairway hung full of it, doorways outlined with it and fireplace mantels draped with it. The "less is more" adage was not practiced when it came to tinsel. If you were chosen to be an angel in the Christmas program, you might very well be wearing some as your halo.
Under the tree, if you had super cool parents, you might find an Atari on Christmas morning and by dinner you would have mastered playing Pong. If you were more of a science fiction fan, you would be thrilled to find Star Wars toys waiting there. Every little girl wished for a Barbie Dream House and who didn't hope to snag a new Huffy 3-speed bike or a bike with a fancy banana seat and high-rise handlebars? Perhaps you were more into games. In that case, you might have discovered Mousetrap, Operation or even Clue under the tree. Was it that sinister looking Profession Plum in the library with the lead pipe? The next popular 70s gift you may find hard to believe, but we also received pet rocks.
When I think back it seems more like a punishment than a gift, but we loved them. They were touted as being "live" and came in a box with airholes and straw. Believe it or not, over one million were sold in 1975. Perhaps thus the term, "dumb as a rock?" I am sure the inventor was laughing all the way to the bank.
In your stocking you might find a PEZ dispenser, a book of McDonald's gift certificates, or a storybook of Life Savers. These cardboard "books" opened to reveal 12 rolls of assorted Life Saver flavors, a real treat! I also remember the year I found a transistor radio in my stocking. I thought I was hot stuff, carrying my tunes with me wherever I went.
Then there was the food. No holiday party was complete without festive, holiday Jell-O desserts and there were limitless ways to prepare it. You could mold it, chop it, slice it, garnish it, why, you could even play with it. Yes, play with it, that is why they called it "finger Jell-O." You would add unflavored gelatin until it formed a consistency that was conducive to picking it up and eating it with your fingers. Mom would cut out Christmas shapes with cookie cutters to create these fun, jiggly treats.
That was also the one time of year my mother would spring for the spray cheese that came in a can that you artfully applied to crackers. It was a very heavily processed cheese "food" and came in American or cheddar. I am sure it had the nutritional value of cardboard, but we loved it.
I also remember traveling to my Aunt Pat's house on Christmas day. It was always a special treat because she had the best food! Her spread began with shrimp cocktail, continued with a port wine cheese ball, and concluded with the best homemade peanut butter fluff dolloped on ice cream. All unheard-of treats for me. It made this little girl feel pretty bougie!
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Christmas classic everyone loves to hate, the fruitcake. In the 1970s, this traditional delicacy was still being served every Christmas.
Notice my choice of words there, served, not necessarily consumed, but at least served. If not baked at home, they were purchased in round tins to keep them fresh, as if you could destroy one even if you wanted to.
Did you know that their history dates all the way back to Roman times? They were first produced as a sort of energy bar for Roman soldiers going off to battle. I guess that would be convenient since they last forever and if push came to shove and you ran out of ammunition, well, you get where I am going.
We have covered some of the sights and tastes of the season, now let's talk about the sounds. What was your holiday soundtrack? Mine was comprised of a wide variety of genres and styles. Which basically describes my music choices in general at the time. I enjoyed everything from KISS and Queen to Jim Croce and Bread, but I digress. Who doesn't remember Alvin and the Chipmunks? Even though they grated on my parents' last nerve, we thought they were great.
No one could make a young girl swoon like David Cassidy, who sang lead in the Partridge Family Christmas Card Album from 1971. What boy didn't melt listening to the mellow sounds of Karen Carpenter singing Merry Christmas Darling? We also learned a little Spanish along the way as Puerto Rican singer and songwriter Jose Feliciano wrote and recorded Feliz Navidad and taught us all how to wish everyone a Merry Christmas in Spanish.
That, in fact, is what I wish to leave with you -- the wish that you have a very Merry Christmas. And that is from the bottom of my heart. It has been fun looking back at Christmases past, but now it is time to look ahead and build memories for future generations. Hold your loved ones and friends close and actively look for those who might be alone and make sure they are not. Feliz Navidad!
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Rhonda S. Kelley is Executive Director of the Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce.