American Legacies Organization, Inc.

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.

According to Paul Harvey, who retold this parable every Christmas for decades, “the story was originally published by United Press International by Louis Cassels, a longtime friend of mine and colleague. He and I tried for many years to trace the author of these words. We never could and it occurs to me that maybe some things are supposed to be written without credit to any particular individual …”

The Man and the Birds

**"Dear Santa"** letters run the gamut.

"My dad was a soldier in the World War," says one, written in 1939. "He got shot when he was a deputy sheriff by gangsters after he come home. I have a step dad but he is so mean he never buys me anything. Some day I will be a man and I want to be brave. I like books better than anything and I like boxing gloves & foot balls."

Santa's elves sort letters at the Santa Claus, Indiana, post office in 1970.

About a week before Christmas a family bought a new nativity scene. When they unpacked it they found 2 figures of the Baby Jesus. "Someone must have packed this wrong," the mother said, counting out the figures. "We have one Joseph, one Mary, three wise men, three shepherds, two lambs, a donkey, a cow, an angel and two babies. Oh, dear! I suppose some set down at the store is missing a Baby Jesus because we have 2."

I was born in the 1940’s and as you can see in the image we were able to SEE Santa Claus in the comfort of our own home.

I later learned that my Uncle Clyde Hostetter did the wonderful performance of Santa Claus for us.

***Christmas***Letter from the Editor

By Franklin T Wike, Jr.

What makes Christmas special for you?

As young children, our interest in Christmas leaned more towards getting gifts than giving them.

Mario Ruiz // Getty Images

Holiday Gift Crazes And Fads Of The Past Century

The holidays are about family, friends, feasting, and yes, if we're being honest, presents. Overall, holiday spending is expected to reach record levels in the 2023 season, up to $966.6 billion, according to the National Retail Federation's holiday forecast. (That's $37 billion more than in 2022.) The number is inclusive of gifts, food, decor, and other holiday-related purchases, but there's no doubt the first category is a hefty portion of the total spending.

A Sunday school teacher asked her class why Joseph and Mary took
Jesus with them to Jerusalem. A small child replied: "They couldn't get
a baby sitter."
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A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her
five and six year-olds. After explaining the commandment to "honor thy
father and thy mother," she asked "Is there a commandment that teaches
us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat one
little boy answered, "Thou shall not kill."

Rex K. Williams // Shutterstock

Top Holiday Toys From The Year You Were Born

Growing up, kids who celebrated Christmas always had that one toy they were hoping to see under the tree on Dec. 25—the one that they whispered about in Santa's ear, wondering if he and his trusty reindeer would come through.

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said,"Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold,silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."

Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."