Further Evidence of Christmases Past.

(Note: Most of these pics are of family photos that are perfectly clear and sharp, but which I've doctored to look like grainy, murky home movies, just because I prefer them that way...)

Dad and brother Jim play basketball as the Hot Wheels Rod Runner race set goes briefly ignored...

In the background by the closet, you can also see the Fisher-Price Play Family Action Garage--Oh boy, that's mine!

Desperately trying to hang in there...

The budding writer receives his first typewriter, your basic Tom Thumb model. (That's brother Dave doing his Chico Resch impression.) Ah, to own such a fine pair of slacks again...

Here's a really bad scan of Mom and me... See that red and white thing to the right, in front of the curtain? That's a Santa pencil holder I made. I was a crafty boy! (Of course, in first grade you have no choice...)

My family's '79 Christmas pic to brother Charlie, who had months earlier disappeared himself off to Seattle (I suspect to begin a new life sans the nickname "Chip").

I still can't believe we had this cheesy fake fireplace in our downstairs den. It's where I hung my stocking, which got filled for St. Nicolas' Day, December 6th, not Christmas. The only thing I can remember getting for St. Nick's Day is a Spiderman toothbrush holder.

Cool. The best thing about the fireplace pic for me is seeing some familiar artifacts of my childhood--a bowling trophy, the gold chalice candleholder, and that wooden bull...

1972, or possibly 1971. (My family was sporadic in labelling photos.) Ka, Artie, Ma, me, Jim, Dave.

The folks, same Christmas.