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Faye Graves
Faye Graves, a native Wichitan, attended school at Friends and Wichita State, concluding at Midwestern Theological Seminary. He has been active in media for many years with Channel 12, KIRL, KFDI, KOOO AM & FM (Omaha), KFRM & KICT 95, as an owner, manager, producer, director and announcer. He has served as President of the Haysville Board of Education. He has also served on several national boards of the Southern Baptist Convention. Faye currently serves as Executive Pastor and Director of Administration and Education at Immanuel Baptist Church, 1415 S. Topeka, Wichita. You may contact Faye by e-mail fmgraves@amenibc.org, or by phone at (316) 262-1452.
Nostalgia
2007-12-01 09:11:00
Remember
Can you give us a few Christmas memories from the 40’s? We lived them but we like to hear them.
Answer: Christmas in Wichita has always been great. Perhaps it’s because our town is more of a blend of a big town and small town…even though the population has risen to big city status in the last few decades. My Christmas memories in the 40’s of course began in the World War II years and everyone, along with the joy of the season, was also enduring rationing. Downtown Wichita was the hub of shopping for the major trade area. The city was all trimmed up with large evergreen garland with lights hanging over the streets in the downtown area. The stores were all trimmed out with seasonal regalia. I remember one of the high points of this time of year was the unveiling of the windows in the large department stores. The window decorators for these retail giants would hood the windows for days before the unveiling of their masterpieces designed for each display. I remember Bucks…at the corner of Broadway and Douglas…had a large Santa Claus in the center window…with elves surrounding his throne. Lots of toys everywhere and glorious bright seasonal colors throughout. The SANTA…was B I G and laughed constantly with his chest rising and falling with each laugh. When he would go, “HO HO HO,” it looked as if he was having a heart attack. Many years later I mentioned this particular Santa….while Terry Burford and I were on KFDI on Saturday morning. A lady called in and informed us and our audience that she had that exact Santa in her living room as part of her Christmas decorations. Bucks at Main and Douglas…had created a way through the use of mirrors. This was before television to show their Santa, which was in their toy department in the basement through a window in a model house. You could actually talk with him from the sidewalk and give him your list of things you wanted. It was pretty clever. Innes, later Macys, always had the entire corner windows decorated with toy trains and life size elves…set in a Santa’s workshop. Folks from all around came to Wichita to shop….and hear the ringing of the bells from the Salvation Army booths and street musicians singing. I remember one man who had lost his sight…playing his accordion. Then one could go to the various department stores, like McClellands, and have a live pianist play the Christmas song you were wanting to buy. Remember these? Kress Store, Sears and Roebuck, Grants, Woolworths and Montgomery Wards? The crowds downtown were huge. There was a police officer on every corner directing traffic. People with their presents all over the place, and of course all the churches having special services reminding us all of the real meaning of Christmas…the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Have a Safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
 
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