When Santa Was My Grandpa

Kathy Riordan

Location: Florida, United States
Birthday: April 27

Bio: One woman's view of life and the universe. Follow @katriord on Twitter.

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DECEMBER 5, 2009 8:38AM

Rate: 21 Flag

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There was something all too familiar about the ho-ho-ho under the beard that year as my Aunt Becky and I sat on Santa's lap at the local American Legion Hall. Turned out it was her dad, my grandpa, doing the duty. From left to right, my Grandma Lawrence, my Aunt Becky, Santa, me, and my mother.

Author tags:

open call, patent leather shoes, old photographs, how cool was it to have an aunt the same age, everyone should grow up next to their grandparents, american legion hall, wyoming, grandparents, memories, santa claus

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Comments

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Considering it was likely as cold as 40 below zero outside on that winter's day in Wyoming, appreciate the bare kneecaps, and check out those patent leather shoes. . .

Kathy Riordan

December 05, 2009 08:40 AM

Lovely memory this must be.

AtHomePilgrim

December 05, 2009 08:45 AM

Your grandpa was Santa?? How cool was that!?!?!

I bet downright cold!! EEK!! Bare knee caps in Wyoming during winter?

You rebel you! :)

Tinkerertink69

December 05, 2009 08:51 AM

terrific picture, Kathy!

Catherine Forsythe

December 05, 2009 09:51 AM

Oh, my goodness. That is as beautiful as can be. (My grandpa would have looked like Don Knotts in a Burl Ives suit if he'd ever tried to be Santa.)

Frank Indiana

December 05, 2009 10:25 AM

Tink, that was before they invented pants.

Kathy Riordan

December 05, 2009 10:27 AM

Bare knees for a Wyoming girl in winter? You must've been a tough little girl! Not wimpy like the California girl I know, (me!),

Debbs4

December 05, 2009 11:08 AM

Wow! you could have been one of the campbells soup kids! Sooo cute!
Lovely pic!

Andy Heizeler

December 05, 2009 11:16 AM

Oh love this!

My own Aunt Becky was older but her youngest sister, my aunt Robbie only 7 years older than me. I can relate!

Deborah Young

December 05, 2009 11:25 AM

That's classic.

iamsurly

December 05, 2009 11:30 AM

Even older than your vintage recipe cards, surly. Fortunately, it's black and white. The color probably wouldn't wear well.

Kathy Riordan

December 05, 2009 11:31 AM

great photo. R.

Bernadine Spitzsnogel

December 05, 2009 11:32 AM

At least Santa had nice tall boots! Very cute. Did you realize it was him right away? Did you alert the other children that this Santa was a fraud?

I'm surprised but glad that Tink didn't make any naughty comments about patent leather shoes!

You and your mom really looked alike. Looks like a happy day was had by all.

Ablonde

December 05, 2009 11:45 AM

I love these kind of memories. You were styling big time in Wyoming. ~R~

Chuck A. Stetson

December 05, 2009 11:45 AM

That was great!
R~~

scanner

December 05, 2009 11:46 AM

Ablonde, no I didn't realize it right away, but knew something was amiss. It was the beginning of the end of the illusion. The patent leather shoes were a gimme, and he passed. Fortunately.

Kathy Riordan

December 05, 2009 11:50 AM

What a great photo! I love old family photos. We lost a lot of them when my Mother's basement flooded a few years ago. She managed to save a few and they're more precious to us than ever.

Michael Rodgers

December 05, 2009 12:14 PM

What a great picture of a Christmas memory!

Owl_Says_Who

December 05, 2009 12:18 PM

Very cool! (I came back to visit OS just for your post, Kathy)

Bob Eckstein

December 05, 2009 12:35 PM

Aw, thanks Bob. I'm honored. Hope all is well with you in snowmanland.

Kathy Riordan

December 05, 2009 12:51 PM

makes me remember and smile. *r*

Lady Dove

December 05, 2009 01:31 PM

How sweet! xox

Robin Sneed

December 05, 2009 01:51 PM

What a great picture!

mypsyche

December 05, 2009 02:32 PM

Don't tell those cute kids in the picture, but that Wyoming cowboy in the middle is NOT Santa Claus. I KNOW Santa Claus, I've met him, and if anything he looks a whole lot more like my Uncle Lenny.

Jeff L. Howe

December 05, 2009 02:45 PM

...and all these years, I thought Santa live at the North Pole,

Not Wyoming...

Leepin Larry

December 05, 2009 02:50 PM

I love this picture. Wow... what a treasure.

My grandpa would have made one cranky, emphysemic Santa.

And, by the way, you were one cute little "pee-poo," as my pop would say.

C.K. Dexter Haven

December 05, 2009 04:41 PM

Jeff, he was an oil man, not a cowboy. . .but close!

Thanks all of you for stopping by and for your kind words here. It's a great photo, and a happy memory.

Kathy Riordan

December 05, 2009 10:55 PM

Idyllic.