A Mid-Century-Modern "Happy Holidays" sign

Happy Holidays! – One-Shot Story

By Dave Powell

25 December, 2024

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One Shot Story
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Growing up in the 40’s and 50’s, I developed an enduring love for everything Mid-Century Modern. Including Christmas decorations. During the 31 years that Kate and I lived in Winchester, Mass., I passed the above holiday display every December night on my way home from work.

Today’s colored LED strings wrapped around bushes, trees and houses are great for brightening long dark winters. But that wacky sign on an old stockade fence exuded colorful Mid-Century quirkiness and joy. Yes, it was missing a few bulbs! But I still loved it to pieces.

It was also the first beautiful thing I saw one cold winter night in 2011– after a huge, out-of-control, 1970’s, Cadillac “boat” ran a red light, sheered off two trees, and then rammed my old Subaru Outback head-on (spinning it a full 360 degrees and pushing it backwards 60 feet more) before continuing on its own down the road another 200 feet (where a third tree finally stopped it). Its driver had experienced a fatal medical emergency, and his car had crushed mine into a washing-machine-sized block– from which I crawled with nothing more than a bruised knee.

At this writing, Kate and I left Winchester ten years ago. And if we’re ever again in town around Christmastime, and the sign is still there, I’ll try to recapture the above image with a better camera. But if it isn’t, that’s OK. This memory from a great low-light Fuji FinePix F31fd can still brighten any dark winter night.

Happy (and Safe) Holidays Everyone!

–Dave Powell is a Westford, Mass., writer and avid amateur photographer.

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About The Author

By Dave Powell
Trained in mathematics, physics, cosmology, computer programming and science journalism. Retired mathematician, award-winning technical and journalistic writer. Past winner of an international business-journalism equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize. And past author and editorial advisor for Sesame Street... where I regularly worked with Jim Henson and Kermit!
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Louis A Sousa on Happy Holidays! – One-Shot Story

Comment posted: 25/12/2024

Thank you for the story Dave! The sign will always be there from your picture. Happy Holidays, Louis.
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Dave Powell on Happy Holidays! – One-Shot Story

Comment posted: 25/12/2024

Thanks Louis... you too!
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Daniel Castelli on Happy Holidays! – One-Shot Story

Comment posted: 25/12/2024

Merry Christmas Dave.
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Dave Powell replied:

Comment posted: 25/12/2024

Thanks Daniel... and to you as well!

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Russell Rosener Jr on Happy Holidays! – One-Shot Story

Comment posted: 26/12/2024

That's a fantastic sign! Full of fun and hope. I hope it's still there. That old Fuji Finepix camera did a pretty good job. Glad you survived that crash! That sign must have looked better than any sign before.
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Dave Powell replied:

Comment posted: 26/12/2024

Thanks so much, Russell... The sign certainly DID look great! And for more reasons than I had mentioned (I feared they would "slow the flow"). But here they are! ***** One year earlier, the same car was rear-ended by a phone-distracted driver who didn't notice I was stopped in traffic. She was doing something like 50 in a 30-MPH zone, and ended up folding the frame of my Outback into a slight "W." (The entire engine compartment of her Honda Odyssey, ended up scattered cross the road.) But my insurance company chose to unfold my car's frame, rather than total it. So it was "pre-weakened" before this story's incident. ***** I was in such shock after that second collision, that I just leaned against my car and looked at the Christmas sign until a policeman arrived. He asked where the driver was. And when I said "That would be me", his jaw dropped. "You're one LUCKY bastard," he replied. "Someone 'up there's' sure looking out for you." ***** The Cadillac's driver had experienced a medical emergency, floored his accelerator, and before reaching me, had felled two trees and a street sign, and knocked out the Caddy's headlights. I didn't even see his car-- still accelerating out of the darkness-- until it crossed into my lane right in front of me. And sadly, the Caddy driver didn't survive. ***** The day after, my wife went to the impound lot to collect what she could from the Outback, and returned in tears. Didn't even recognize the vehicle at first because it was crushed into such a cube that the only space left inside was shaped like the driver sitting in his seat. Something had indeed stopped the car from intruding into my body (both front and back).

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Brian Nicholls on Happy Holidays! – One-Shot Story

Comment posted: 26/12/2024

Merry Christmas Dave, and looking forward to your wisdom in 2025.
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Dave Powell replied:

Comment posted: 26/12/2024

And a Happy New Year to you, Brian! I had a bit of an absence due to issues at home... but will commence writing again in January. Cheers, Dave

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