To reiterate, what once was is no more.  The local remembrances and recollections are surmountable regarding the Holy Season.

Christmas holds many formidable recalled remembrances for the various past and current residents of DeKalb County, Tennessee.  Its arrival is a manifest occurrence throughout the hills and valleys, which incorporate the vast terrain named DeKalb County.  The memories have never faded among many of the native and visiting townspeople.   Many of their responses are listed below.

It is a holiday never to be forgotten.  It is a day always to be loved and cherished.  It is a day whose major celebrations center upon religious and church community services.  It is a day filled with anticipation, laughter, and excitement for every person in every walk of life.  It is a time that most of us will never forget.   As further evidence below, it is a memory that can be recalled while always remaining foremost in our minds eye and close to our hearts:

Vanessa Braswell Murphy recently recalled, “Around 1960, someone in town taught Baton twirling lessons.  All little girls, including me, who were enrolled in this class marched in the Smithville Christmas parade.  We got to wear little red outfits with silver sequins on the top, along with nude tights, which kept us warm.  Such a special memory…”  Along with Vanessa, Lucy and I performed in the same Christmas parade while twirling our batons.  There was something exciting about wearing sequins at such a young age.

Judy Adcock remembers searching and finding the right cedar tree to decorate for Christmas.  For most local families, the choices were either pine or cedar Christmas trees.  No artificial trees were used during this time.  However, the first artificial tree in the window of Fuston’s 5 & 10 store was the white flocked or metal tree.  Ugly.

Beki Mullinax Morgan recalled, “I remember watching Daddy (Jimmy Mullinax) riding his bicycle in the Alexandria and Liberty Christmas parades.  For one brief shining moment, adults became children again.

Attorney Jim Judkins remarked that the ambiance of the Christmas season was his favorite cathartic aspect – and always has been – and always will be.

One of the favorite Christmas memories for Gina Jennings Denman and Mary Ann Puckett was watching “Mr. Lloyd Conley being Santa while he was sitting on his house roof near today’s Bert Driver Nursery on Highway 70.  Mary Ann remembers him throwing candy from the rooftop to the children below, who stood in amazement.  She also remembers Conley using a microphone while dressed as Santa.  Mrs. Conley always gave cookies to those in attendance.  Wonder how many heads were hit by the flying candies?

In response to Billie Evins Hodges question concerning if Santa is still a part of today’s Christmas Parade while throwing candy from the firetruck, Denman answered, “Yes and for the past two or three years, the parade is held during the late afternoon/early evening and it is so pretty.”  For many past years, the parade was held at 2 p.m. on various December days.

Nashville resident Bobbie Nixon Murphy remembers working at “Fuston’s 5 and 10 and wrapping gifts, especially on Christmas Eve.”

Smithville native, Ricki Lafever Helton remembers “When Cantrell’s Jewelry was located in a small shop on Main Street.  Every Christmas Eve, they would have a drawing for a nice prize.  People would be outside standing on the sidewalk and the street – hoping (to win the prize).”

Billie Evins Hodges only remembers by writing, “I must have been in a parade.  I just remember that it was cold.”  Today, she and her husband, Greg, are long-time residents of the U. S. Virgin Islands, where she stay’s warm 24/7.

Bill Shaw, Jr. remembered another funny instance, saying, “Once, my dad played Santa (in the Alexandria Christmas parade).  My uncle dropped him off at home afterwards.  He was locked out of the house wearing his Santa suit.  He said that kids would pass in cars and begin pointing, so he had to hide behind a tree in our yard until mom got home with the keys.”

Barbara Hibdon was an active member of Banks Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Smithville and remembers “The young people working on and riding the float (during Christmas).  We had so much fun.”

“How could we forget going to the Sears’ store to see Santa Claus?” wrote Andi Turner.  My children did.  And don’t forget the annual Sears’ Christmas Wish Book – a child’s dream – a parent’s easy shopping list.

RoAnn Jay (Moorehead) Romines can’t forget “the big snows.  So pretty.”  There were several white Christmases in DeKalb County throughout the years.  A snowfall of 8 inches was not uncommon.

“…The adults would cut down a cedar tree to decorate,” said Carol Denson Williams.  “My cousin, Terry, and I would string popcorn, Nandina berries, and make garland with colored paper.  With the adults, we would sing Christmas carols and pass out presents (gifts).  Wonderful memories.”

Emily C. Williams remembers walking in the local Christmas parade, while wearing her Girl Scout uniform.  “It was always so cold, but we had such a good time.”  I’m not sure if we wore insulated underwear, but I do remember wearing mittens and toboggans.

Janie Spencer said she remembers “Santa coming to Dowelltown and giving out candy and little wooden cars and trucks.  This would have been in the mid-1950s.”

“I remember working at Bratten’s Studio and Jewelry and wrapping the many lovely gifts during Christmas.  It would not have been the same without a gift from there,” recalled Peggy Scott.

As most fathers/husbands did, Melanie Nistad hit the nail on the head: “My dad would wait until Christmas Eve and take my sister and me with him to buy mom’s clothing gift.”  She added that her dad would just point to what he liked and the sales clerks would wrap it for him.

Dawn Fuson said, “Both my husband’s family and my family are from Smithville.  After we married, we always spent Christmas Eve at his grandparents (Jim and Clara Fuson) house.  Until our children were grown, we were lucky enough to spend Christmas Eve with them every year.  I sure miss those Christmas Eve gatherings.”  

Personally, I remember Christmas was, and has always been, my favorite family celebration time.  Including when I gifted Santa Claus my favorite book, which I never saw again, and my inquisitiveness at why Santa Clause always left the fireplace screen in the center of the living room floor.

Just as with the earlier remembrances, dad always took Lucy and me to Cain-Sloan’s or Harvey’s in Nashville on Christmas Eve every year.  It was a two-fold journey – to have our picture made with Santa Claus and to get Mom’s gift from Dad.

Growing older, I don’t know why I arose earlier than my children to see what Santa Claus had left underneath our Christmas tree.  When the sun came up, I did too.  Today, this same identical legacy has been passed to my granddaughters.

As Dad always reminded us – “When you stop believing in Santa Clause, he’ll stop coming to see you.”

Maybe that’s why Santa never missed a Christmas at our houses and why Dad never forgot his unique yearly version of The Story of Santie Clause.”