What made Christmas extra-special to a Cleveland kid? Come relive some of your fondest moments … Seeing Mr. Jingeling (the keeper of Santa's keys) on TV or in person at Halle's. Gazing at the giant Sterling-Lindner tree. Stopping at Higbee's downstairs Frosty Bar for sweet relief after the long line to see Santa. Ice skating on Public Square. A dazzling and elegant Cleveland Orchestra concert at Severance Hall. Mouthwatering treats from Hough Bakery and traditional ethnic flavors from the local market. The brilliant holiday lighting display at GE’s Nela Park … Join in as dozens of Northeast Ohioans share their personal stories of Christmas past; includes recollections of people who made Christmas happen, too: former Santas, retail window dressers, entertainers, and of course parents. Gail Ghetia Bellamy crystallizes the memories of Christmas in Cleveland . . . an amazing job . . . the pictures alone are worth the price . . . If you are from Cleveland, this book will be an exciting trip down Memory Lane. I highly, highly recommend it. -- Tim Lones ― ClevelandClassicMedia.com Published On: 2012-12-11 Every year that passes, the Christmas memories of our youth grow sweeter and more perfect. A 1965 photograph of holiday shopping at Higbee's or an original Atari 2600 box can momentarily transport us to times as treasured as they are impossible to revisit. That's the emotional territory author Gail Ghetia Bellamy covers in Cleveland Christmas Memories. The photo-heavy, 120-page book not only documents the city's bygone retail traditions, but also steps inside our homes to look at how we celebrated the holidays. . . . What resonates are the photographs of artifacts from Christmases past, be it a kid's shopping bag from the Higbee's Twigbee Shop, a WMMS advertisment with the FM rock station's iconic buzzard pulling the sleigh or Frankie Yankovic's 1964 album Christmas Party. -- Jim Vickers ― Cleveland Magazine Published On: 2012-12-01 Filled with great Cleveland holiday nostalgia reference, imagery and stories . . . I would recommend each CLE-lover have a copy on hand for those nights sitting around the fireplace with a mug of hot cocoa and holiday tunes in the air . . . Magical stuff in this book! -- Book Reviewer ― IHeartCleveland.com Published On: 2012-12-12 A nostalgic guide to the Christmas experience for the Boomer Generation living in Northeast Ohio However, the book may have an interest to those beyond Northeast Ohio residents from the 1940s to the 1980s. The many photos in this book will stir Christmas memories whether you've ever lived in Cleveland or not! -- Joanna Wilson ― ChristmasTVHistory.com Published On: 2012-12-14 What made Christmas extra-special to a Cleveland kid? Relive some of your fondest memories: Seeing Mr. Jingeling (the keeper of Santa's keys) on TV or in person at Halle's; gazing at the giant Sterling-Lidner-Davis tree; stopping at Higbee's downstairs Frosty Bar for sweet relief after the long line to see Santa; ice skating on Public Square, a dazzling and elegant Cleveland Orchestra concert at Severance Hall; mouthwatering treats from Hough Bakery and traditional ethnic flavors from the local market; the brilliant display of lights at Nela Park . . . Dozens of Northeast Ohioans share their personal stories of Christmas past; includes recollections of people who made Christmas happen, too: former Santas, retail window dressers, entertainers, and of course parents . . . Gail Ghetia Bellamy is a Certified Culinary Professional with a Ph.D. in creative writing. She is the executive food editor of Restaurant Hospitality magazine, has written about food and drink for numerous publications around the country, and has contributed to more than a half-dozen books about food, dining, and the arts. She is also an accomplished poet whose work has appeared more than 80 publications and has been published in two books and featured in several anthologies. She is the recipient of a Creative Workforce Fellowship in Literature grant from the Community Partnership for Arts & Culture, funded by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. Gail is a native Clevelander. Used Book in Good Condition