Christmas memories from a grateful kid

Educator, coach and administrator recalls his holiday

Editor’s note: The following article was submitted by Dr. Dale Moore. Dale and his wife Britt are well known in the Capac community as well as in Marlette and other areas. Dr. Moore has had a life full of giving his talents to education, holding numerous titles at various school districts. They also attend North Goodland baptist church. We want to thank Dale for taking time to share his Christmas memories with our readers.

This time of year always brings back fond memories of years past. Christmas is such a special time, celebrating the birth of our Savior and enjoying the joys of the season.

Christmas was an especially wonderful time at the Moore household; it was my dad’s favorite holiday. Keeping in mind, mom did all the shopping (including her gifts) and wrapping of gifts, mom made all the cookies, and mom made all the meals.

As a coach and Athletic Director (at Capac), my dad, Harry Moore, had basketball teams to worry about, practices to conduct, games to coach, and tournaments to win.

Not many would believe me when I say my dad became a kid at Christmas. He really did exude the Christmas spirit.

It was a special time for him which made it a special time for mom, my brother, and me. It was a time that Dad would relax and enjoy visiting with people and taking some time for our family, away from the demands at school.

Dad even was known to unwrap and rewrap his presents when he thought no one knew because he couldn’t stand the excitement of wondering what he was getting.

Any year we were home, we went to church for candlelight service. This was always my favorite tradition; hearing the story of Jesus’s birth, passing the light, and ending the night singing “Silent Night”.

Dad on the outside, my brother and me between him and mom. It was a great feeling as a kid to be with mom and dad and I know he felt the same way.

You could see the pride on his face as he showed off his family. Both my brother and I fondly remember the one time on Christmas Eve, after church, it started snowing and Dad took all of us cross-country skiing across the Village to visit the Carl Lang family.

Boy, do I remember the spread Mrs. Lang had ready when we arrived. I still try to make some of those hors d’oeuvres to this day.

Dad grew up in Wyandotte; his parents and sister continued to live there when I was a kid. I can remember spending Christmas there but one in particular hits me in the heart. I was six years old and believed I knew where the presents really came from.

It was probably the year I found them, wrapped in the basement, that is until I followed Dad’s example of unwrapping and rewrapping presents.

Anyway, we were in Wyandotte for Christmas Eve and the adults decided we were going to go for a ride to “see the lights.” I got into my pajamas and we all loaded into my aunt’s car.

When we returned home all the lights were off except the holiday lights inside the house. We sat down to cookies and milk when all of a sudden, from upstairs, I heard sleigh bells and a loud “Ho, Ho, Ho.”

I’m sure my face showed the shock I felt. How was this possible, nobody was in the house when we left. How did Santa get here?

I ran to the staircase and looked up… and there he was….and I believed again!

That became my mantra for the night, “I believe!” My aunt never let me forget that. My favorite childhood toy came from that night; a hook and ladder fire truck, called Long John.
It was a four-foot-long plastic truck that you could hook a hose to and water would shoot out the top of the ladder. What a gift for an unbelieving kid!

Sometimes even not-so-good experiences become wonderful memories at Christmas time.

Like the time Dad decided since wrapping paper was in essence paper, it could be burned in the fireplace.

However, as the paper burned it traveled up the flue, smoldering and eventually starting a chimney fire which we discovered hours later when flames spouted from the chimney like a volcano. It even sounded like one; talk about a roaring fire!

The fire prompted an unexpected Christmas day trip to our house by the Capac Volunteer Fire Dept.

I am sure this isn’t how they expected to spend their holiday and it was a great source of embarrassment for my father who had coached and taught some of them in high school and was friends with many others who visited that day.

So why am I sharing all this with you, the reader?

To encourage you this Christmas to remember the things that are important. First and foremost, remember the birth of our Savior and the wonderful gift He gave us.

My dad always said, “You should put yourself third, behind God and the other guy.” He had it right and I strive to remember that every day.

We could make a real difference in the world if we all tried to live that way more often.

Next, keep your memories alive; share them with others, and reminisce.

The good times with friends and family were what made Christmas as a child so memorable.

But while you are doing that don’t forget time is fleeting. Savor the moments we have with family and friends now.

Don’t waste a second because lost time is lost forever.