THE MICHIGAN DAILY lollywood Boasts Own Santa; nonymous Donor Gives Cash St. Nicholas Reigns in Toy Stores Small Towns, New York Prepare for Festivities HOLLYWOOD (/)-- Hollywood, here everything is supposed to make-believe, has a real, live anta Claus who has brought bristmas cheer to thousands of ersons throughout the country. He has another name and an- her identity, but to those start- d persons who find checks signed Santa Caus" in their mail boxes ach Christmas he's the genuine rticle, right down to the last hisker and the last jolly laugh. For the 10 years during which e has conducted his one-man ift-giving campaign Hollywood's anta has zealously guarded the ecret of his identity. A few years go, however, a writer tracked him own and found behind the white eard and the rumpled red suit a im, youngish radio executive with big salary and a novel idea of ow it should be spent. Gets Idea' He got the idea back in 1947 rhen he was staying at a hotel nd by mistake received a tele- hone cah' intended for a famous iovie actor in another room. The aller was a woman who said her aughter was dying and had made last wish for a puppy. She had een one that cost $25. Would he ive her the money? He did, and the child recovered. "That really started me think- ng," he recalled later. "I saw for he first time how much good you ould do with a few well-placed ollars." In the decade since then, Santa has sent checks ranging from $20 to $5g0 to nearly 3,000 persons, most of them what he calls "pres- sure cases." "They're people with specific needs," he says. "When you take care of these needs, you put them back in operating condition." And so each year the checks go out, usually accompanied by a note specifying what the money is for-a wheelchair for a cripple, a typewriter for an invalid who wants to be a writer, a train ticket to reunite families. Friends Help He has friends in all parts of the country helping him find the most deserving cases. And he has set up a corporation to handle the distri- bution of funds, with "Santa Claus" as the official check signer. Besides doing good with his dollars, he has another major aim -trying to get others to follow his lead. With each check goes a letter telling of the joy of giving which the recipient is asked to copy and send to "a few outstand- ing men with big hearts in your town." ' That's an apt description of Hollywood's Santa - an outstand- ing man with a big heart. "People might misunderstand if I used my own name," he said once in explaining his reluctance to disclose his identity. "In this town they'd think it was all a publicity stunt." -Daily-Makler SANTA, BABY, A '59 TOY CONVERTIBLE-Children waiting in line in a large Detroit department store to see Santa were chewing their nails, the handles of their mothers' handbags, and the red velvet cord that restrains the crowd. The room was noisy, but, para- doxically, a hushed expectancy filled the air as children carefully thought over gifts to request when they reached the Regal Lap. Mothers interrupted the boredom of waiting for hours on end in order to wipe dripping noses, chase wandering tots, and break up family fights. n' By SANDRA JOHNSON Carols In the air, brightly deco- rated pine trees, and gaily wrap- ped packages-these are the tan- gible signs of Christmas. They are the same everywhere. One may find them just as readily in a small community as in New ,York City itself. Of course, things are done on a larger scale in New York; but that is only natural because there are more people to do them. The tree in Rockefeller Center is and should be bigger than the tree in a small town city park, because it must represent Christ- mas to more people. More Decorations In New York there are more things to decorate and more deco- rations. Their parades are longer and more elaborate. Their throngs of last-minute shoppers are larger and more frantic. All their Christ- mas celebrations are greater or bigger or more exciting, because there are more people celebrating. But for the individual, Christ- mas involves the same preparation and the same rituals whether he lives in a small town or in the heart of New Ycrk City. Everyone everywhere follows similar cus- toms. In the days preceding Christmas members of every family ambi- tiously decorate their home. First comes the Christmas tree. Then they bedeck the mantels, coffee tables, and window ledges with scenes of the Holy Child or of Santa and his reindeer. Transform Interiors After they have transformed the inside of their home into a Christ- mas wonderland, they then pro- ceed to do the sanie on the out- side. Up on the door goes the wreath. Through all the evergreen trees (and sometimes even through the bare limbs of the deciduous trees, if the residents become very en- thusiastic), they twine strings of multi-colored lights. Then one night they go for a drive to see how everyone else has decorated his home, and how it compares with theirs Each year they hunt out old address books and from them make out lists of people who really should receive Christmas cards. It takes at least a whole evening to sign all the cards, address all the envelopes, and paste a stamp on each. Seems Chore At the time it seems to be a horrid chore, but it is a Christmas custom, and it would be breaking a strong tradition not to do it. Christmas shopping is probably the most frustrating part of the preparation for the holiday. Each shopper is plagued by endless problems: Did Aunt Martha say she preferred green or blue? Now if Uncle George is this tall, what size would he take? The store's all sold out; what am I to do? Finally he finds a suitable gift for each person on his shopping list. He takes the presents home and hides them in all sorts of odd places. (He should realize that they are discovered by the 'other, members of his family long before December 25; but, of course he does not.) The surprised but pleased look upon the faces of all those to whom he gives gifts makes all this effort seem worth- while. Explain Santas V By BEATRICE TEODORO Special to The Daily DETROIT - Santa Claus -the only man with a beard who isn't termed a beatnik - is reigning over the toy departments of thou- sands of stores across. the country. Someday, visit the "Santa's Starland" of any large depart- ment store. Watch the line as it winds its way slowly through Toyland. There are the mothers who wait wearily for hours and begin to doubt the merits of "together- ness" while their young offspring meticulously shred (with their teeth) the red velvet cord that re- strains the crowd. Listen to the last-minute in- structions of that mother two sons approach the. throne. Bobbie Asks as her fateful "Bobbie, you ask for the scoot- er, and Tommy, you ask for the wagon." Bobbie and Tommy climb into the Exalted Lap. "What would you two like for Christmas?" Santa asks, smiling, because the feathers of his pad- ding are tickling his stomach. Tommy pipes up first, "I wanna. scooter." "No," screeches Bobbie. "I want, the scooter. You want the wagon." "But I don'. wanna wagon," Tommy returns the screech. The two grapple to the ground, forcing Santa Claus to get up and separate them. He attempts to pacify them with his gift story- book and then pats them gently on their . . ,way. Look at the next harassed mother, setting her daughter, noisily sucking a lemon lollipop, on Santa's knees. "I wanna doll that (slurp) cries, and a kitchen (smack) set, and a red (lick) dress. "And do you want my sucker?" she asks, offering Santa a drip- ping yellow lump. Notice how Santa accepts the gift with great aplomb, and calm- ly pushes the sticky mass through his beard to his mouth. And just swallow hard, and praise him for service beyond the call of duty. Small Boy Comes Watch the little boy who is coming now, a trifle defiant as he swaggers up to Santa Claus. He refuses to sit on Santa's lap, and instead leans on Santa's knee,. arms crossed, a miniature imita- tion of the Angry Young Man. He asks for only one thing -- a ray gun that really works. Then Santa asks him if he will be leav- ing candy under the tree on Christmas Eve for Santa and his reindeer. . The boy eyes him arrogantly. "Whaddya mean, candy? On Christmas Eve, I have to drink milk. And what's good enough for me is good enough for you." C '1 'f f 3 I t 4 I r 1 1 'V i i ' "' i7 tTiiiTT l 1 iT ' i ' T _ Tii7 i7 h.! '4: I I Gift Suggestions from The Music Center Quality diamond needles Transistor radios Records-mailed for you I .V 11 Hi Fi components. Stereo record players Tape recorders V.. Gift certificates SHOP EARLY at the Music Center Inc. 300 South Thayer NO 2-2500 . "" . " " " ............ ...... . ..Y,...:. " vu r. n n"as ..V ' i i S30 a a You con always find -something new and original if you shop at Jri.a wYMi "iY r7 iM 7A11M Z 1'77P7N7'27'M'1A. iz One difficulty common to every- one at Christmastime is explain- ing to little children why there are so many men who look like Santa Claus. Every child knows there is only one Santa Claus, but y'et there seems to be one on every street corner and in every department store. This causes him to ask many embarrassing questions. Adults must resort to an explanation such as, "They are all Santa's helpers. The real Santa Claus is at the North Pole busily making the toys that he will bring to you on Christmas Eve." After all, much of Christmas is for little children. Associate Parties Parties of all sorts have come to be associated with the Christ- mas season. These vary from friends quietly gathering in their homes for dinner to the huge Christmas balls. Young people often gather in small groups to go caroling. After several hours of singing the fa- miliar Christmas songs and hymns to their friends and neighbors, they return to a home and have hot chocolate (with a marshmal- low in it) and cookies. They are cold, excited, and happy. Finally the long-awaited day arrives. Everyone rises early be- cause they are too excited to sleep. Presents are opened and carefully examined There are many ooh's and ah's and thank-you-so-much's floating through the air. Al Dress Up Everyone dresses in their holiday finery, and then families set off to grandmother's for dinner. Turkey with cranberry sauce (this year?) and innumerable kinds of salads, vegetables, relishes, and desserts will be served. At the end of the day everyone is tired and happy. These are the visible signs of Christmas, and they may be found in communities of all sizes throughout America. Through these decorations, celebrations, and rituals, people express the joy and hope which the Christmas sea- son arouses in the hearts of men. rr r :a.": "rr::"rr." ,:r"nn"vr.".".v."ns:t<+."Xd}:!r."YrY":+:{.}yr K '-". ^??::e{"?:4fi:H"Y.ti"""rr"?"";t""{t{)vti " 4.r :".},;. ; "rvA:X+.?vSv::: r"";;r .;}ir.^."rrr r{'"'+.v.;p!F, r S ie r,.; ;:.;.?".}rnv * ? rvr". ".: r r ''}" ?'.Gi:aa . '' sb°+nssar " "s'y ' srr vr+ :: n ". ";; .: . yry a*£"a3 }. . i 1 S. ' S sy" r F:. tir n..eCid."ar'.94St'r::- ... :".roi.3uiiAS . itisSx:.'u3'" ?25. ?.. ' scr. si "sc. TUX COMBO TUXEDO $4500 When you buy your tux here, we will give you 33 OFF on shirt, tie and cummerbund, ti {. !; ""h ! 1$ y li F? r,.; }, '.~.L :{ ..p '''; 1;; "'} ti }; Y: fti ' ; r. ..' :,6 .", . ":ti .x ti, F: :fi: :S$ { { : 'r: : ;:;: :v ' :: 4{% i ; tl f . . 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