Believe in Santa Claus....100% while in elementary school. It was quite a low blow when I found out the childhood truth.
As a child I did write annual letters to Santa and I remember going to downtown Pittsburgh to visit Santa at Joseph Horne's. We would take the car or the streetcar in town. Lunch was always at Stouffer's and then on to see Santa. Following our visit, we would wander around town looking at the wonderful holiday animations in the three department store windows.
As Christmas drew near, there would be carolers wandering about in our neighborhood from the various local churches. Any child that might be close to doubting, would quickly change their minds on Christmas Eve as a "real" Santa Claus would be out walking up and down the streets of our neighborhood with his "Ho Ho Ho". Upon hearing that, the three of us Hughes kids would quickly jump into bed.
I don't know if it was a great time to be a child (the 50's) or if we were just fortunate to live in a very special neighborhood. It certainly did lend itself to some very exceptional childhood memories.
Santa rides up and down the streets of our neighborhood in a fire truck some time close to Christmas and some years we get carolers. Some of the simplest touches really lend a warm atmosphere to a neighborhood.
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