That opening scene from "A Christmas Story"
could just as easily be a scene from my days as
a kid. The area's big Department Stores always
had fancy Christmas displays with animated
characters and some of the merchandise we'd
be seeking from Santa!
In my case that was usually a Lionel train!
The days of those elaborate window displays
are long gone for the most part. So are most of
those Department stores!
You can still find a few in places like New
York and Chicago. Or, you can go to the town
of Newfoundland in Wayne County!
Newfoundland doesn't have a Macy's. But
it does have Joe Spinelli!
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Joe's
Dad used to take him to see a big Department
Store window display every Christmas. He
loved it.
Years later his wife, whose birthday falls
on Christmas, bought the whole display for
Joe! I have no idea how she wrapped all that!
Anyway, now, he's sharing it with the rest of
us!
Joe told his story to me and Rusty Fender
on a weekly show I do for Electric City
Television. It's his "labor of love!"
His display is back in a windows again.
But now those windows are set up in a trailers
parked in his front yard!
Every year, starting at Thanksgiving, he
invites visitors to drive up to view the colors
the animated characters and the music. He
adds a little each year and is constantly
searching for more of the classic display
equipment you used to see in every major
community.
There's no charge. Joe just wants others,
especially the kids, to enjoy the sights he
used to love in Brooklyn back in the day!
All the fun and nostalgia without New
York traffic and tolls!
If you're in the mood to take a trip to
"Christmas Past" just head for Newfoundland
and look for Joe Spinelli's place at 391
Crestmont Drive. He keeps it up till "Russian
Christmas" on January 6th.
Hope you'll enjoy the memories and that
all your NEWS is good!
Asa kid in Dunkirk, NY, the Geo. Graf furniture co always had the "Official" Santa on their second floor and after school, we would all rush down there to see the toys and put out list together and make sure Santa knew what we wanted. Looks just like the scene in the Christmas Story, except there was no chute to send kids down when Santa was finished with you. I never got a gun for Christmas because "Youll shoot your eye out" and out Christmas meal was never at a Chinese restraint. But we, like all, can relate to it!
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