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Despite the overwhelming task of fulfilling wish lists, Santa did a darn good job most years of my childhood. It started on Thanksgiving Day when we would put the names of all the siblings in a hat and each of us pulled a name.
We would try to keep it a secret whose name we picked, but that often fell short before Christmas Day.
My favorite gifts of my youth included Barbie dolls, Nancy Drew books and records.
One year my sister Denny wanted a pair of expensive penny loafers. That was pretty much all she got due to the expense, but she was happy. Plus, I shared my Nancy Drew book collection with her.
We spent many hours reading those books, even by flashlight late at night.
My little sisters had baby dolls complete with strollers and cribs. My brothers had toys popular during the 1950s-70s including enough trucks to build Interstate 70, toy Army guns and outfits, model tanks and cars, sports gear and more.
We had the Rock'em Sock'em Robots, punching bags, G.I. Joe, Monopoly and other games. My parents kept Marx Toys in business.
After days of baking cookies, trips to G.C. Murphy's five and dime to buy gifts for one another and secret wrapping sessions, we tried our best to get to sleep.
What occurred in the House of Children on Christmas morning was nothing short of a miracle each year.
We could only descend the staircase in that old Victorian home after both parents were up and ready to go downstairs.
Our Dad always went first to light the Christmas tree and open the pocket doors to the Christmas room.
Only once did he have a mishap and step through a toy drum as he ventured into the front room where Christmas awaited. But there was no greater joy for my Mom than watching us open the gifts she and my Dad worked so hard to give us.
Then it was off to Mass at St. Michael's Church to celebrate the real reason for the season.
The best gifts were those each of us kids picked out for one another. Whether it was perfumed powder or a pair of goldfish, we tried to make these exchanges fun.
If I sit and think about those days, I can almost hear the sounds of those Christmas mornings and the memories made in The House of Children. I wish you all a safe and Merry Christmas.
Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net or 1500 Main St., Wheeling, WV 26003.