A Very Special Christmas!

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By Pete Frecchio, Groovy Reflections Team Member

Originally published June 18, 2012...because now this one fits the holidays to a t!

I was lucky that Santa thought enough of me to bring me nearly everything I wanted. That’s just part of my fond memories of Christmas time during my youth. Reflecting on those Christmas memories today I now realize my parents had to make many sacrifices to make sure that my sister and I had a very special Christmas. 

A particularly special memory is from the Christmas of 1970. My mom, sister and I lived in Tempe, Arizona. At ten years old and no longer believing in Santa Claus, Christmas was still a very magical time of year for me. I was looking forward to seeing two big items I wanted by the tree on Christmas morning: My own stereo and a Sears multi-colored three-speed bike. My old bike was purchased at a police auction three years prior and my sister didn’t like it when I tried to use her mono RCA phonograph. 

My dream stereo, a gold General Electric record player with two attached speakers, was at the local TG&Y variety store. After school or when shopping with my mom I’d stop by the store to look at the grooviest music machine I had ever seen. I kept the issue of getting my own stereo on the front burner, though my mom never seemed too excited when l showed her the stereo. That worried me. 

And the 3-speed stingray bike I wanted? It was in the 1970 Sears Christmas Wish Book. It had a boss looking chrome gearshift and small front tire that made it look really cool!  The paint job was a combination of metallic yellow, orange and red! And to make it COMPLETELY cool, the bike had a black imitation leather banana seat and chrome sissy bar just like Peter Fonda’s chopper did in Easy Rider!

My folks were divorced; I knew that if my mom bought the stereo, I’d have to work on my Dad in Michigan to get me the “street machine.”  In my Christmas letter to dad I included the page from the Sears catalog featuring the bike. 

As the big day drew near I wasn’t completely convinced that I would get either of the items on my wish list, but the odds were more likely that my dad would come though with the bike.  Money was a bit tight and my mom had other financial obligations to think about. Would this be the best Christmas ever? Time would tell.

When Christmas morning 1970 came, I was not disappointed. 

There, in our living room, next to our aluminum Christmas tree, was a stereo and a “street machine.”  And, an added bonus, Meet The Beatles and Let It Be LPs!! 

I couldn’t wait to call my dad and tell him how groovy my new bike was. Being that we lived in a mild climate I was able to head out the front door immediately and show off my new bike to the neighborhood.

We can't promise everything on your wish lists, however, we do have some pretty darn GRoovy hand tie-dyed t-shirts! Also GRoove with us at our website, on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest! 

Why Me?

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By Paul Dugan, Groovy Reflections Team Member

When I was but a wee lad the world was such a wonderful place! I had it made, being the youngest child and as such was Mom’s spoiled brat. Not that I was ever a brat mind you.

I had an older brother and sister that went to something called school but since I was only four I didn’t have to go; so the days were all mine and Mom’s. Sometimes I’d help with baking. Most of my “help” consisted of licking the icing off the mixer blades. Tried my hardest to get them clean enough so Mom wouldn’t have to wash them but I must have missed spots ‘cause she always did.

I also got to watch television with no big brother or sister to change the channel on me. I watched Howdy Doody and wished I could be in the Peanut Gallery. Tried my hardest to be a Good Do Bee so Miss Nancy would look through her magic mirror and see me, but she never did!

Mom and I used to go picking evergreens for making wreaths. She’d sell the wreaths for extra Christmas money. This I never understood. Why did she need extra money for Christmas; wasn’t that Santa’s problem?

We’d fill paper grocery sacks with fresh evergreens that would shoot up in the woods under the larger trees. Well, Mom did; I’d get maybe half a sack. After an entire morning out in the woods there was usually a treat, like an ice cream.


Life was good. Then one day Mom said these horrible words: “You’re going to have a new brother or sister.” Nooooooooo! We don’t need one! In fact we got a couple too many now! She assured me that she would still love me just as much and we’d still do things together. I asked if we had to get one, could I pick it out? Apparently it’s different than kittens.

As luck would have it Mom picked out a girl! Whyyyyyyyyy! They’re no fun. I won’t even be able to steal her toys! Well, I could but why would I? She’d have dolls and girl junk!

Sure enough the baby came and Mom still loved me, but the doing stuff together thing? Sure, if she wasn’t too tired after feeding the baby and burping the baby and changing the baby….woah! Changing? You could change them! Wow, gotta see what Mom’s gonna change her into. “Mom, what are you changing…oh Gross! Mom! Phew!” So THAT’S what change means; did not need to know that.

Anyway things, while still not ideal, were pretty good. I still did things with Mom, just not as much.

Then came that fateful day when the other shoe dropped. Mom woke me early and said “Get up and get dressed for school.” Whaaaaaaat? Me? School? What happened to me and you Mom?

“I don’t want to go!” I think those were my last words as the doors to that big yellow bus closed on me and tore me from the only life I’d ever known.

I was going to get educated whether I liked it or not. Who knows, I might even amount to something someday! My bus drove down the street, and with tears in my eyes I looked back and saw little sis waving bye bye to me. The smile on her face said it ALL; there’s a new youngest child in town!

As I look back I realize one thing. Mom loved all us kids and she put me on that bus so I would get an education and eventually make her proud. I hope I have, but there’s one thing Mom couldn’t do and that is …..make me grow up!

Gotta go now. Popeye is on!


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A Creepy Crawler Christmas.

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By Gerry Wendel, Groovy Reflections Founder and Team Member

Our Christmas tree stood proudly in a corner of the dining room. Not sure why that was, since the living room was about twice as large. Watering was never required. No groovy aluminum tree with a color wheel, just a green, somewhat realistic tree. I vaguely remember one year when we had a white one; wonder what happened to it?

My favorite holiday decorations resided on top of the fireplace: 4 felt covered small boxes, most likely homemade, one each in turquoise, red, green and white. Each box sported a felt letter with sequins in corresponding colors, spelling out NOEL. When I was old enough to reach the top of the fireplace mantle, that all changed and the letters usually read LEON, the name of one of my brothers. I rearranged them as often as I could; because I'd giggle every time. The rest of the family tired of my little joke after the first few switcheroos. Too bad.

I also loved the pixies that resided on the mantle, each with their arms locked together in a ring so you could stuff their legs through; optional of course. Their faces had a very strange smell to them, which was worth taking a little sniff of now and again; must have been all the chemicals in the plastic that gave off their intriguing scent.

We had Christmas dinner twice. Well, sort of. A ham on the eve, then off to bed for us kids. Who could sleep when we knew that Santa was coming any minute? I did my usual and read a book and fell asleep with the light on. My trusty pink bathrobe with blue, green and brown flowers was hanging over the chair by my desk, ready for wearing. That same quilted Sears bathrobe was my costume for the third grade play where I played Cindy Lou Who in How The Grinch Stole Christmas. I wouldn’t be caught dead in that color combination today!

Finally, the time was here! We’re heading downstairs! At seven years old, I still believed in Santa Claus, but not for much longer.

The presents were always so big! And there were always so many. I remember getting a Chatty Cathy one year, and graduated to my first Barbie not too long after. Barbie acquired lots of friends and relatives, Skipper, Casey who had one groovy earring, Truly Scrumptious from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Scooter and Maddie Mod. Many of these dolls sported mod styled clothing which I understand is worth a lot more than the dolls nowadays! Oh, and Barbie’s boyfriend? Ken? Fuhgeddaboudit. She was into that man in uniform, G.I. Joe, in the days before his hair was made of fuzz.

Back to ripping that wrapping; I was always curious about my brother’s gifts. THEY got a lot of cars, which I guess my parents thought was not appropriate to give to little girls. Humph. Then I saw it; a big box that said “Creepy Crawlers” on it. THAT grabbed my interest. I grabbed the box and looked at the artwork and was fascinated by all those bugs on the box. I turned the box on its side. And then I saw it. An orange sticker that said “Grand Way $9.99”. WHAT? Santa shops at Grand Way? No, he and his elves make the toys, right? Uh oh.

I didn’t even have to ask. I knew. But the clincher that completely drove it home came the next day when I heard my Dad say to my Mom “I got the Creepy Crawlers for $2.99; they rang it up wrong.” Oh dear.