by Noella Noelophile
The elements of magic at Christmastime.
When you were small, what were they?
Before I tell you what mine were, San Pedro Art Association is beginning, today, to create some magic for local kids for Christmas, 2021.
Their annual Harbor Interfaith Toy Drive runs from noon today, right up through Christmas week.
If you’re out and about, shopping, celebrating or simply enjoying the season, please consider donating a new, unwrapped toy to any of SPAA’s three drop-off locations, from now through Christmas week.
And, here are the locations and hours!
12 noon to 8 pm, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from now through Sundsy, December 19th, at SPAA’s booth in CRAFTED, in San Pedro. (CRAFTED is located in Warehouse 10, 112 East 22nd Street, west of Miner, in San Pedro.)
9 am to 2 pm, Saturdays through December 18th, at SPAA’s location at Buena Park Farmers Market, located on La Palma and Stanton.
OR, 9 am to 2 pm, Sundays through December 19th, at SPAA’s booth in Melrose Trading Post, in Los Angeles. (Melrose Trading Post is locatedf at Fairfax High School, at Clinton and Fairfax.)
Any questions? Here’s the number to call: (310) 831-2928.
Now–about those magical Christmas memories.
Mine started when I was five, with a 99-cent bos of ornaments from the local five-and-ten. (That was the 1960s version of today’s dollar stores.)
We had a very small artificial Christmas tree, which I still have today. Along with the glitter-sprinkled white plastic reindeer, the cardboard gnomes holding miniature pine cones, and the plastic Nativity scene, with a stable roof dusted with glitter “snow”, which always sat directly in front of the tree when it was trimmed.
Every year, I was allowed to trim that tree. Every year, it felt like stardust being sprinkled on my imagination.
Christmas was coming. Santa was on his way. The sparkly feeling was almost palpable.
I’ll never know how “Santa” managed to hide the toys and games that magically showed up under the tree on Christmas morning. The board games that became favorites, the fashion doll with a wardrobe that wouldn’t quit, even an electric train, one year. (How do you hide those from an inquisitive, excited child who was–ahem, angelic (read “into everything”) at Christmastime?
But I do recall that Christmas Eve night was a veritable Sahara of time–the longest night of the year, during which sleep was impossible!
And one Christmas Eve when I was seven, I was convinced–absolutely convinced–that I heard jingle bells outside, as I lay tucked up in my grandmother’s upstairs bedroom. It happened at two separate intervals. So did a man’s shout outside, that sounded like, “Whoa!”
Somehow, all that magic melds into today–when you and I get to create some of it. And to pass it along for future magic creators.
Have fun creating the magic, be sure to adhere to the COVID protocols (masks, social distancing, hand sanitizing and stay home if you don’t feel well, please!) and have a very Merry Christmas season!