BOOK REVIEW: Cleveland Christmas Memories – Looking Back at Holidays Past

Author: Gail Ghetia Bellamy

Reviewed by Claudia Taller

Gail Ghetia Bellamy looks back at holidays past in her new book Cleveland Christmas Memories: Looking Back at Holidays Past. Those who grew up in Cleveland in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s will exclaim over what they remember, and those who did not, like me, wish we had experienced the Higbees windows, the holiday-bedecked Halle’s Department Store and Euclid Avenue sparkling with lights.

Anyone who lived in the area saw Mr. Jingeling with his keys and a direct link to Santa Claus on television. We can relate to making up our wish lists from catalogs, attending performances of The Nutcracker, and playing board games like Concentration. Bellamy did a great job of collecting photographs of the people, places and things that made Christmas in Cleveland special. And some of those things — the tree on Public Square and A Christmas Carol — remain Cleveland traditions.

Cleveland Christmas Memories, published by Cleveland’s Gray & Company, was released just in time for the holidays. The book can be found all over town, but if you want to make sure you get a copy, you should go to Gray & Company’s website . The softcover book, which is similar in design to Cleveland Food Memories, also by Gail Bellamy, and Cleveland Rock & Roll Memories by Carlo Wolff, retails for $17.99. The book contains black and white as well as color photos.

The front cover of the book showcases what’s inside: a wrapped Higbee’s giftbox, a picture of Mr. Jingeling with his keys, the Christmas Story house in Tremont, the Sterling-Lindner Tree, and a black-and-white photo of kids sitting in front of a icicle-laden real tree holding their presents on their laps. Bellamy starts the book by writing, “Nostalgia is all about the things we loved and the things we miss today.” That’s what she tries to capture in the book.

It’s not always clear what year the photos were taken — for example in the first chapter, which covers Christmas shopping, there’s an image of Higbee’s Silver Grill stove, but when that stove produced lunches is unknown. And maybe that doesn’t matter, but I was often curious about the dates, like when Chatty Cathy was a popular doll.

The book is interesting because there’s so much going on. The pages are graced by quotes in large red script, sidebars of objects like a Higbee’s Twigbee Shop bag, and quotes from people Bellamy interviewed for the book, in addition to images with captions. For example, John Awarski shares his memories of the Silver Grille at Higbee’s on the same page on which appears a photo of noses pressed against a 1955 Christmas window, and a copy of the Children’s Holiday Luncheon menu at the Silver Grille where kids could choose from a number of items, including Teeny Tiny Wieners on Baby Buns or Tunafish Salad Sandwich Triangles. Awarski liked the chicken pot pie.

The book continues with other things that make Christmas in Cleveland special, like the floats in the parade. At home, we had aluminum Christmas trees lit by revolving light wheels and bubbling lights and angel hair on our real trees. Christmas cookies were a big deal, and we had special plates for Santa’s share. Toys included Beatles dolls, Strawberry Shortcake and Lionel trains.

The last few couple of pages of the book are devoted to how we can revisit Christmases past. Find Mr. Jingeling at http://MrJingeling.com. Get out to Big Fun, Flower Child, Hixon’s, the Christmas Story House, and Archie’s Lakeshore Bakery (started by the head baker of Hough Bakery’s catering department).

And get a copy of Gail Bellamy’s Book, Cleveland Christmas Memories, for those who lived in Cleveland in the 1940s through 1970s, and those who wish they had.

Claudia Taller is the author of Ohio’s Lake Erie Wineries and has been a Cool Cleveland contributor for many years. She helps writers and other creative people discover possibilities for their lives through Igniting Possibilities events, including Word Lovers retreats. She has written articles for numerous publications over the last decade and blogs at http://ClaudiaTallerMusings.blogspot.com. Her book can be purchased at http://OhioLakeErieWineries.blogspot.com and makes a perfect gift for history buffs and wine lovers.