In my hometown of Mexico, Missouri, the large tree of lights is up again at the old AP Green brick plant.  I think they’ve done it again for several years now, even though AP Green company is long-gone from the old town.  There was no tree for many of those years after “the plant” shut down.

The fact that it’s back up again just makes me happy, and I smile from the inside out thinking about it.  It brings back so many personal memories. It is comforting to know that some traditions can come back, especially when they occupy a place in the collective memory of a town. The photo here (by Amy Munford) is from this year’s version of the tree, but it’s just the way I remember it from almost fifty years ago.  The star at the top is mounted on top of the very tall flagpole, and the lights all cascade from there.  It’s a striking sight for drivers on Green Boulevard, and for many of us who grew up there, it’s just not Christmas without it.  I can remember exactly what it looked like and felt like and sounded like to be UNDER that tree, laying flat on my back on the cold ground, bundled up in a warm coat to cut the chill in the air, and looking up at the lights.  What it felt like to stand on the steps of the “Main Office” and throw the switch to illuminate it.

You see, as I have previously written elsewhere, my dad was supervisor of the “Electric Shop” at AP Green when the tree was first erected, and his department was responsible for putting up that tree every year, right out in front of the big main-office building.  Once it was up and lit,  I would  go “down to the plant” at night with him often during Christmas Season to check on the tree and the music that played through the PA speakers they’d mounted on the top of the columns on the front entrance to the main office building.  Many times, he’d let me flip the switch to light the tree.  I even got to do it once during the “official lighting” ceremony…  quite the thrill for a youngster.    I also well remember making the trip downtown with dad to Peck’s, our local “record store” to buy that Christmas music.  Elvis, the Mitch Miller Singers, Eddie Arnold, Bing, Perry Como, Patty Page, The New Christy Minstrels, Andy Williams, and so on … we picked out quite the selection.  The lights were on an automatic timer, as was the music, so it didn’t continue to play into the wee hours.

The “tree” was always such a great part of Christmas for many of us who grew up there in Mexico.

However, another of my favorite holiday memories from growing up were the downtown Christmas lights, and once again those have a very special personal connection for me. Dad’s guys at AP Green also put up all the downtown Mexico Christmas lights for many years.  For some reason, (probably because dad found it convenient to do so), ALL of the lights, tinsel stringers, decorations, etc. were stored in our basement.  This included big plastic bells and stars that hung on the light poles and around the courthouse. We lived in a big older house on South Clark Street, next to the Cities Service gas station, which would later become the “Chat ‘n Chu”.  That old house had a very large basement; including a big storage area that I think originally HAD been a coal storage area when the house was heated that way. That “coal bin” area was large enough to hold the many boxes that were used for storing those lights, Santa Claus heads, Bells, etc.

So, each year on the day AFTER Thanksgiving (my how times have changed!), dad’s crew would come over to the house, and begin the job of hauling out all those tinsel stringers of lights, Santa Claus heads, Stars, Candles, Bells, etc.   Bill Parks, Dick Henage, Elwood Crum, Jim Doyle, Walter Wright, Ed Dubbert, so many others. They’d string them all up to test out the bulbs, replace any dead ones, and repair any frayed wiring, etc.  Right there in OUR back yard.   So along about dark on that Friday after turkey day, my entire back yard would light up with the entire town’s Christmas lights and decorations, all jammed into one spot.   I’m sure that planes flying overhead could see it from miles and miles away… this one little blip of silver tinsel illuminated by thousands of red and blue and green lights.  Kids would come from all over the surrounding neighborhood to see what all the fuss was about.   (Maybe some of you reading this were there?).   Memories are triggered by so many things, and one of the most powerful triggers is the sense of smell. I find that even today, when I smell electrical tape, hot transformers, and warm light bulbs, I think of Christmas.

After getting everything operational, they’d pack up the stuff on trucks, and the next morning his crews would be downtown, stringing the lights one more time all over downtown.
Of course, once everything was up, there was the night of the big Christmas parade downtown. I loved watching that parade and hearing the bands play. The MMA Band, the 9^th Grade MHS Band under Bob Murta, and of course the Marching Dixie Grey Band under the direction of John Willer. In later years, like so many others, I got to march and play with the last two of those bands. And then, as culmination to the parade, there was the appearance of Santa Claus. I think at least a couple of years, he would show up by descending a firetruck’s ladder from the roof of the courthouse. Usually though, he just rode on a float in the parade, ending up at his little “Santa House” down on the courthouse square. All us kids would line up, go in one at a time, tell Santa our fondest desires, and get a candy cane, then exit the other side of the house.

The controls for the Christmas lights on the court house itself were in the basement there. One year (when I was still a little fella) I was down in that basement with my dad ahead of the big event, to make sure that all was ready to go.  I had to use the bathroom, so I went into the one down there in the courthouse basement. As I walked in, what do I see? …..    Some DUDE in “Long Johns” getting dressed in a SANTA suit!!!   He hurriedly turned around away from me and said, “Ho, Ho, Ho. Hey there little guy! Can you give old Santa a few minutes please?”  Ha!

Well….   you might think I would be bewildered and shocked and disillusioned forever. Scarred for life? Oh no. See, I knew already THAT guy was just a “poser” hired by the REAL Santa.  All us kids knew that.  Our “Santa” was hired by the REAL Santa as sort of a messenger/ambassador, just like he did over in Fulton, in Centralia and Moberly, etc. Not in Auxvasse though. Never in Auxvasse.  Auxvasse kids had to come to Mexico if they wanted to see Santa.

So no, I wasn’t upset at all. As we kids ALL knew, the REAL Santa appeared on “Showtime” every afternoon on Channel 13, straight from his workshop at the North Pole, reading our letters!

 “Here’s a letter from Little Johnny Shouse in Mexico.   Johnny writes,  Dear Santa, this year for Christmas, I’d like a Duffy’s Daredevil set, a Matchbox Garage, and a Disney filmstrip projector, and anything else you’d like to bring me.  I’ll be listening for you Santa, and you try to stay warm, and be sure to look for the cookies and milk I’ll be leaving for you by the tree, and some carrots for the reindeer.  And Santa, when you fly over our town, be sure and look for the giant Christmas Tree of Lights at the AP Green brick plant, my dad’s guys put that up!!   And all those lights downtown?  Don’t worry Santa, after Christmas we’ll pack them away in boxes, move them to my basement, and take good care of them so they’ll be ready for you NEXT year.”   

I know it’s been said many times, many ways, but I wouldn’t trade the time and place in which I grew up for anything in the world.

Peace & Love and Warm Christmas Memories,
John