A couple of weeks ago I had a few days off,my wife and her sister took my sisters grandchildren off to Disney.I went to the attic to reterieve the many Halloween decorations stored up there. Looking around in a dimly lit attic I noticed I was surrounded by Christmas. So many things that have come my way over the years not each thing sees downstairs every year. Some things are rotated over several years.I noticed sitting in a clear plastic bag a stuffed Santa all of two feet tall looking back at me. I drifted back in my memory of some fifty years ago when at the age of five I saw that very Santa doll in Woolworth's Five and Dime I remebered how big a two foot santa of red plush and the face of the Coca Cola Santa looked to a boy of five.It brought back warm memories of my grandmother who when I told her about this big Santa I had seen said to my grandfather "Billie give Tommy five dollars to get that Santa" Well I could not get my mother to drive that 55 Buick fast enough to buy Santa.For fifty years now over many addresses I have lived that Santa holds the Christmas memories and anticipation of Christmas for me. Every year I bring him out carefully unwrap him and sit him in a wooden sleigh I bought and give him a place of honor in front of one of my Christmas trees. I have carefully preserved this little guy kept him clean and neat. He holds dear the many happy Christmas memories of Christmases past and those grandparents, parents and family who are alas now gone from us.