Clyde’s Corner

One special Christmas: Wow! I got a watch, a real watch!

by Clyde Whitaker

In this photo, Clyde Whitaker (in back) was two years from receiving his special watch. Sister Juanita holds their brother Jerry, while their parents look on from the shadows. Photo provided by Clyde Whitaker

Here we go marching into December, meaning 2023 is coming to a close. It also signals that Christmas is not far away. With that thought in mind, I set out to recall some of my Christmas memories.

One of my fondest occurred when I was 11 or 12 years old. At that time, I was working summers with my dad and my buddy Harry Krummrey on the Krummrey Farm. My dad was the supervisor there, overseeing the labor force. He was a strict taskmaster, even with Harry and me.

On more occasions than I can count, when Harry and I were working in the hot sun, we’d wonder how much time was left in the day. So naturally, when Dad walked by, we always asked him, “What time is it?” The days seemed to last forever to 12-year-old kids out in the field, so knowing the time was very important to us. But it never failed, when we asked my dad what time it was, he would always say, “It’s work time.”

Well, at the time, it wasn’t funny hearing this, and I complained to my dad that I needed a watch so I could know what time it was. But I wasn’t able to convince him. When I finished working that summer, I still had no watch, only a hand-held transistor radio that announced the time occasionally during the day.

Christmas at the Whitaker house back then consisted of board games, books, candy, clothes and orange slices in our stockings. On Christmas Day that year, my brother and sister and I sat on the floor next to the Christmas tree, opening our presents and looking in our stockings.

I dumped my stocking on the floor, and the orange slices I so enjoyed came tumbling out. Also, a small box wrapped in Christmas paper landed on the floor. I whipped the paper off and opened the small box. Inside was my very own wrist watch! I took the watch out of the box, held it up to my ear and heard it ticking! I then proceeded to yell out, “I got a watch, a real watch!”

It was a magical Christmas, for sure, and it has made for a lasting memory. Looking back, Mom and Dad always gave us kids great Christmases, filled with love. We were so blessed.

As we look ahead to Christmas 2023, my wife Mary and I are wishing each and every one of you a safe, blessed Christmas. Don’t forget the simple joys!

Clyde Whitaker is a 1973 Stockbridge graduate. He and his wife, Mary, raised four children in Stockbridge, and they still reside in the Stockbridge area.