Hey, look at the calendar! Hard to believe that in about six months, most of us will have been out of high school for 45 years. Hell, 45 years ago we didn't even know anyone who was 45 and we sure never thought we would be that old.
Fifty years ago this Christmas, some of us would be in Sun Valley. Probably near or below zero. Standing around the huge pine tree in the Challenger Inn courtyard in front of Pete Lane's with our breaths making smoke in the crisp night air. Most likely while we were there it would start to snow. God always had a way of making his country beautiful like that every Christmas Eve. Through the snow, we could see the ski school instructors, in single file with railroad flares ablaze, carving a red snake trail down Dollar. At the same time we would be listening to our fathers singing Christmas carols from the various balconies between the Inn and the Opera House. Larry and Hap and Lou were the voices of Christmas. The tourist and native kids would be waiting anxiously for Santa to come through the tunnel in his horse-drawn sleigh. We didn't even care that there were supposed to be reindeer and not horses. Throngs of excited kids, oblivious to the cold, were waiting for his entry and straining to get to the front of the crowd to make sure we got one of the green net stockings filled with hard candy ribbons and nuts that he threw to us all.
All too soon the evening was over. The crowds would dissipate and the night would once again be still. At this time, my family and I would go to Apartment D, one of the four apartments assigned to the hotel managers. In this case, it was the apartment of Adolph and Betty and Wendy and Holly Roubicek. (Sally and Susan lived in two of the others). There we would warm up, have a late-night meal and open the presents swapped between our two families. I would sit for hours and watch the aquariums full of fish that reflected the most beautiful Christmas tree ever. Betty and Adolph knew how to make a tree come alive. Before Christmas Eve was over, we would go home, and I would go to sleep, secure in the knowledge that Santa would be there soon, but not really caring, because Christmas Eve had already happened.
After ripping apart all the gifts, it was a must to take my one favorite and run to Paul's house. There we would share Christmas that only best friends can understand. Treasured moments for sure. But all the gifts that Santa and friends bestowed upon me those mornings would soon fade from memory, Boots, Lady and Toko being exceptions. But the memories that will never fade and will never be duplicated took place 50 years ago on Christmas Eve in Sun Valley.
Merry Christmas, everyone! May your favorite memories bring you peace and joy in the coming years.
Louis Holliday
Vacaville, Calif.
