JERRY PERSON
Have you noticed how all of a sudden the weather has turned downright
cold, signaling the coming of winter here in Huntington Beach?
It has felt as if it could snow at any moment, and as I walked
along Main Street I reached the conclusion that it must have snowed.
For hanging on the light poles Downtown were the biggest snowflakes I
ever saw and they weren't melting in the midday sun.
The snowflakes are our city's holiday decorations, very
politically correct, very plain and very ho-hum. But Main Street in
the past was anything but dull for the celebration of the holidays.
Garlands of colored lights straddled overhead along Main Street while
large red bells hung down on each garland along with lighted stars,
candy canes or wreaths, and in the center would a symbol of the
Christmas holiday.
Times sure have changed, and so is the price of postage to send
out greeting cards to loved ones and friends.
In 1955 our Postmaster Martin G. Murray reminded us that to send a
sealed greeting card would require a 3-cent stamp and the post office
would forward it to a new address. Murray would have the post office
remain open until 5:30 p.m. on the three Saturdays before Christmas,
with full window service so everyone could buy stamps and send
packages.
The Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce sponsored a contest of
who had the best Christmas-decorated house or business.
Judges were sent to all parts of the city, and after careful
consideration awarded the best outdoor decorated Christmas tree to
Roy and Frances Smith. The best indoor tree visible from the street
went to Lucille Allaire at 1015 12th St. The best outdoor Christmas
shrine of 1955 came to a tie between Charles and Barbara Rothert of
1112 Pine St. and Lee and Patricia Lauer of 805 Alabama St. The best
outdoor religious shrine went to Eber and Edna Flaws of 1011 12th
St., with a second place awarded to Lawrence and Hazel Whittaker of
306 3rd St. The best commercial window display for that year went to
the Southern California Edison Co. at 309 Main St.
It would be a happy Christmas at the home of Herb and Millie Day,
for on Dec. 4, their son, Jon Allen Day, was born. On Dec. 10, our
pioneer baker, John Eader, celebrated 45 years at his bakery.
Celebrating the holiday season with a beautifully lighted
Christmas tree and an old-fashioned country-style turkey dinner were
the ladies of the Huntington Beach Woman's Club at their 10th Street
clubhouse. Cora Cook and her committee decorated the clubhouse for
their Christmas party.
