Page 4 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, December 13, 2019 8 Norwood St. Everett (617) 387-9810 Kitchen Hours: Mon-Thurs: 12-10pm Fri-Sat: 12-11pm Sunday: 1pm-10pm $12 Lunch Menu! Come in and Try our New... Choose from 16 Items! Served Monday thru Thursday until 3:30 PM Grilled Rib Eye Steak! Book Your Holiday Parties Early! Catering & Party Platters to Go! A Delicious Deal! Santa Claus is Coming to Town “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” By Virginia Ruane I t is getting near that time when Santa arrives in Malden from the North Pole. Pretty soon the sleigh bells will be ringing. The city of Malden and all its children will be singing. When my children were young in the 1950s, Santa arrived the day after Thanksgiving. He came from the North Pole on a train which stopped at the depot on Summer Street. There was plenty of excitement. The Malden High School Band played. A big fl oat was made for Santa with a very colorful throne for Santa to sit on. It was so beautiful with Christmas lights. The elves, Santa’s helpers, were throwing candies out to the children watching the parade. What a happy time it was! Only $22.00 includes Two Sides www.eight10barandgrille.com SABATINOINSURANCE AGENCY Call for a Quote 617-387-7466 Or email Rocco@sabatino-ins.com We cover: * Auto * Home * Boat * Renter * Condo * Life * Multi-Policy Discounts * Commercial 10% Discounts * Registry Service Also Available Virginia Ruane The parade would travel through the city until it got to Joslin’s (which became Jordan Marsh and then Macy’s). Santa would leave the fl oat and go into the store. Joslin’s had a big throne ready for him on the second fl oor. Whoever made the arrangements for Santa’s arrival had the gift of choosing the best-looking Santa. He was jovial, round and friendly. The kids were thrilled. The City of Malden always had the best celebration for welcoming Santa and the Christmas season. Virginia Ruane’s son, Frankie, then four years old, with Santa Claus in 1961. (Courtesy Photo) The preparation for Santa reminds me of a letter written more than 100 years ago by an eight-year-old girl named Virginia O’Hanlon to the editor of New York’s The Sun. Some of her friends had told her that there was no Santa Claus. She wrote to the editor and asked, “Is that true?” The editor turned the letter over to his assistant, and he wrote a letter to Virginia saying, “Virginia, your little friends are wrong….Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” Everything he wrote to her was true. It is also like believing in the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy. You can’t see them or touch them, but they are real. We feel them in our hearts. Childhood is for such a short period of time in our lives. Let us not take away those precious moments from our lives and our expectations. It would be a dreary world if we didn’t have our dreams and hopes that Christmas brings to the young and old, yes, old too. The hope, love, happiness, peace and all those wonderful feelings which Christmas gives to us are precious to all. Thank God for these gifts. When I was the age of that 8-year-old girl, on Christmas Eve my siblings and I would go to bed at about 4:30 in the afternoon waiting for Santa to come down the chimney. One of the gifts I received at the time was a Shirley Temple doll. It was as beautiful as was Shirley Temple. My happiness was complete. I am so grateful for the memories of all those wonderful Christmases I had as a youngster. I pray that everyone hangs on to those memories of long ago. Life is sweet, and Christmas helps to make it so. So, as the assistant editor said, and please believe, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” JOY, PEACE, LOVE, HAPPINESS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! —Virginia Ruane is a lifelong Malden resident. Please send comments and suggestions to virginiaruane@aol.com. http://www.sabatino-ins.com SABATINO 564 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 617-387-7466 Hours of Operation are: Mondays - Fridays 9am to 5pm Saturdays by appointment only Like us on Facebook advocate newspaper Facebook.com/Advocate.news.ma
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