12-21-2008, 12:29 PM
Christmas, when I was little, appeared magically on Christmas morning, and lasted for twelve days. While my fondest memories aren't of trains, other than hearing the train whistle the crossing at Great Neck Road in Copiague, N.Y., there was another tradition, that got me started in modelbuilding, which then lead to model railroading.
As said in the opening, Christmas, didn't "exist" in the house, until Christmas morning.
My parents would spend the better part of the night setting up the tree, and putting up all the other decorations. The result was, getting up early Christmas morning, and there it was!!! Tree, and lights, and presents,......and my parents sleeping late?!?
What torture!!! all those presents and we had to wait for our parents to wake up !!!
There was a small "plus" though, the stockings had also been hung, and they were full of goodies, AND, we could take that loot to our rooms and open it, and play with it.
My brother and I usually got some kind of model kit. A small plastic sailing ship, or airplane kit, or a Strombecker wood kit, with the powdered glue that had to be mixed with water to use. My beginning building skills were developed in those early Christmas morning hours, and because of the variety of models, I gained an appreciation of building all kinds of things that has lasted all these years. Model railroading became my hobby, because it allowed the variety of things to build, trains, buildings, trees, vehicles, etc. that I had come to enjoy building.
Christmas no longer appears magically, but that hasn't lessened the joy of the season, and, there are still model kits to build.
Merry Christmas!
As said in the opening, Christmas, didn't "exist" in the house, until Christmas morning.
My parents would spend the better part of the night setting up the tree, and putting up all the other decorations. The result was, getting up early Christmas morning, and there it was!!! Tree, and lights, and presents,......and my parents sleeping late?!?
What torture!!! all those presents and we had to wait for our parents to wake up !!!
There was a small "plus" though, the stockings had also been hung, and they were full of goodies, AND, we could take that loot to our rooms and open it, and play with it.
My brother and I usually got some kind of model kit. A small plastic sailing ship, or airplane kit, or a Strombecker wood kit, with the powdered glue that had to be mixed with water to use. My beginning building skills were developed in those early Christmas morning hours, and because of the variety of models, I gained an appreciation of building all kinds of things that has lasted all these years. Model railroading became my hobby, because it allowed the variety of things to build, trains, buildings, trees, vehicles, etc. that I had come to enjoy building.
Christmas no longer appears magically, but that hasn't lessened the joy of the season, and, there are still model kits to build.
Merry Christmas!
We always learn far more from our own mistakes, than we will ever learn from another's advice.
The greatest place to live life, is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve.
Lead me not into temptation.....I can find it myself!
The greatest place to live life, is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve.
Lead me not into temptation.....I can find it myself!