THE FRIDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING...

...or Black Friday, as it's known to retailers, brings back grand childhood memories.

For as long as I can remember, that day represented the beginning of the Christmas season, the day for shopping, the day for all of the magic of the holiday.

On his way to work that morning, Dad would drop off Mom, my brother and me at Grandma's house and we, together with Grandma, would walk to the Fox Chase train station and take the Reading to downtown Philadelphia.

As was customary back then, we were all dressed up in our Sunday best...after all, it was a special day that warranted special dress up clothes.

Our first stop was Wanamaker's...a 12 story department store that was so elegant and opulent...and not only to a small child...I worked there when I was in college and it still appeared that way to me.

There were several special things about Wanamaker's.  First, there were the the huge display windows just filled with color, lights and animated Christmas figures.  To a child, that was pure magic...pure bliss.  I can remember going from window to window, being totally in awe of the fabulous displays and fun animations.

The next best thing about Wanamaker's was the tree lighting ceremony.  The first floor of Wanamaker's was just filled with marble...marble columns, marble flooring and marble counters on the displays.  The ceiling was high and there was a balcony on the second floor that could be seen from the grand courtyard area.  Every hour on the hour, starting at 11:00 a.m., the organist would begin playing the enormous pipe organ and the immense tree in the balcony would be lit up.  There was a great light display...the first of its kind.    I'm guessing that if I saw the display now, I would be less than impressed, especially after seeing numerous light parades at Disneyland and Disneyworld, but then...it was a huge WOW.

We usually ate at the Wanamaker's cafe...also a treat because we just didn't eat out much.

After lunch, we headed down toward Strawbridges and Gimbels but on the way, we detoured down one of the side streets off Market Street.  That street housed all of the notions stores...imagine store after store of ribbons, laces, buttons, trims of all sorts, zippers...total eye candy.   I hung out with Grandma in those stores and we would excitedly open the little drawers of the massive oak pieces that housed all of these treasures.  Grandma would stock up on her trims and lace and we would both leave the stores with huge grins on our faces.

A couple more stores, many sales and purchases later, we would be heading back to the train station and grandma's house. 

It's amazing how vividly I remember the day after Thanksgiving.

I don't shop on Black Friday anymore...I think that current day experiences just can't compete with my memories of the day.  Maybe it's silly but I guess I don't want to cloud those memories.

Do you have memories you want to remain vivid and bright?

Comments

[Your friend Tina Mac]

I, too have some memories that I want to remain vivid and bright. My mom passed a few years ago. I can still hear her and feel her rubbing my face or my hair. Even when I became older and I was troubled, I would go see her, and lay down with my head on her lap. She would help me to calm down so I could then put things in perspective. She always had a special perfume and how I loved that smell. There is a wonderful lady who goes to our church. She wears this perfume and knows it reminds me of my mom. She give me the biggest hug on Sundays and say just smell. I do an those warm feels come to my mind.

Sorry I am rambling but your question really made me start thinking of this. By the way - that picture of you is absolutely gorgeous. I could just hug that little one.

Happy belated Thanksgiving & take care.

[Nicole LeBlanc]

Well weren't you the cutest little thing :) I have so many memories of this time of year but the one that sticks out for me is my Godmother would move to Florida every October for the Winter and she would send us a case of Florida orange for the Holidays it would arrive the week before Christmas so we were able to enjoy them throughout the season and when she passed away on Christimas Eve (which was always her favorite day of the year) we kept that last box of orange and now have keepsakes in it, I don't think I can ever part with that box because the little holiday message is still on the box from her.
Thanks for always making think of the many blessings in my life, knowing you is surely one of them :)
Luv Nicole

[Cathy Vargen]

Loved your post - my memory is quite similar to yours. I grew up 1/2 hour from San Francisco so my mom, dad, brother and I would always spend one day Christmas shopping in the City. My favorite store was City of Paris where the Christmas tree in the store would span up to three levels in the center of the store - it was breathtaking! After a day of shopping we would have dinner in the Tonga Room in the Fairmont Hotel - it would "rain" inside in a large circle in the center of the restaurant and it was the most exciting thing to be eating my fried prawns with the rain coming down! :D Special, special memories!! :D ~Cathy

[Cathy Vargen]

Loved your post - my memory is quite similar to yours. I grew up 1/2 hour from San Francisco so my mom, dad, brother and I would always spend one day Christmas shopping in the City. My favorite store was City of Paris where the Christmas tree in the store would span up to three levels in the center of the store - it was breathtaking! After a day of shopping we would have dinner in the Tonga Room in the Fairmont Hotel - it would "rain" inside in a large circle in the center of the restaurant and it was the most exciting thing to be eating my fried prawns with the rain coming down! :D Special, special memories!! :D ~Cathy

[Shirley Karnos]

Is Wanamaker's still around? Or is it now a Lord & Taylor's? I seem to recall having training for work in downtown Philadelphia in a building called the Wanamaker Building with architecture very similar to what you're describing . . . During breaks we'd hear an organ playing!

[Peggy Lucas]

What a wonderful memory - thanks for sharing it.

[Heather Ferris]

It's so good to hear the names of those old department stores! I was born in Philadelphia and grew up just outside of the city. I loved going to Wanamakers w/ my grandmother for lunch. I always ordered the "Texas Tommy" - a hot dog, slit down the side w/ cheese melted in it. Lord & Taylor had a restaurant upstairs that they called "The Bird Cage". My g.m. took me there too. I miss her so much. I also remember having my picture taken at the photography studio in Strawbridges, wow, talk about a blast from the past. Thanks for reminding me of these places. Happy Holidays to you & yours.

[Heather Ferris]

It's so good to hear the names of those old department stores! I was born in Philadelphia and grew up just outside of the city. I loved going to Wanamakers w/ my grandmother for lunch. I always ordered the "Texas Tommy" - a hot dog, slit down the side w/ cheese melted in it. Lord & Taylor had a restaurant upstairs that they called "The Bird Cage". My g.m. took me there too. I miss her so much. I also remember having my picture taken at the photography studio in Strawbridges, wow, talk about a blast from the past. Thanks for reminding me of these places. Happy Holidays to you & yours.

[Leslie McF]

Carol, thanks for the memories - I loved taking the train downtown, especially at Christmas. I had many a lunch at Wanamakers with my grandmother. What a fun post.
Leslie, your Olney buddy

[vicki]

Thanks for sharing your memories. I too have great memories from little excursions with my grandmother. Do you think that dressing up is what made so many things "more special"? Because I too remember trips to Lord and Taylor where we would lunch as well and everyone always dressed "to the 9's" (as grandma would say). And the Lord and Taylor (or was it Garfinkles?) here too was multi-story with Marble and chandeliers and a magnificent tree..... hmmm I think I need to call Mom to remind her of those trips... thanks again for bring back those great memories..

[Barbara Harmor]

This brings back memories too...I lived in Phily when the kids were young and Wanamakers was and is a magical place. Thanks for refreshing my mind:-)
Barbara