Out of the past: Dec. 25

1995

A drive through town today -- Christmas Day -- is a drive through a retail and service wasteland as commerce comes to a virtual standstill; however, there are a few scattered outposts at which the neon "open" signs remain on; Bessie's Restaurant and Smörgåsbord on Route K near Interstate 55 in Cape Girardeau remains open, a fact not lost on -- or unappreciated by -- the throng of customers who keep the establishment packed all day long.

The doom and gloom stories relating to national retail sales during the final quarter of 1995 aren't reflected as much in the Eighth Federal Reserve Bank region, which includes the Cape Girardeau area; there are some exceptions, but overall, the district economy continues to grow at a moderate pace; retail sales were up during the holidays -- slightly better than 1994; residential construction slowed slightly during the past couple of months, but multi-family construction picked up, non-residential construction is a bright spot throughout the district, and a survey of small companies reveals they expect business conditions to improve the first quarter of the new year.

1970

Approximately 2,250 individuals in 375 area families feast on Christmas dinner thanks to the $11,500 in donations from area residents to the Salvation Army's Tree of Lights; each family received baskets from the Army Wednesday, which included 120 pounds of candy, 1,800 toys, canned goods, milk, bread, oranges, coffee and meat.

Although it appears early in the day Cape Girardeau might be in line for its snowfall of the season, that doesn't prove the case, and the clouds only usher in colder weather; churchgoers pay their respects for the sacred day, with most churches reporting large crowds Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

1945

Prewar normalcy returns, at least in part, to Cape Girardeau homes for one of the merriest Christmases in years, despite war-born shortages and absences of some men yet in service; religious services are particularly well attended; soldiers and sailors, either discharged or given holiday furloughs, add the happiest note to festivities; it is the first Christmas at home for many of them since the start of the war.

Christmas is everything it is intended to mean at the home of S-Sgt. and Mrs. Harold J. Parker, 401 Minnesota Ave.; it is the first time the Parkers and their six children have been together since Nov. 7, 1944; surprising his children, Harold Parker walks into their dwelling Christmas Eve night, more welcome than Santa Claus at his best.

1920

Christmas is made an occasion for widespread observation by Cape Girardeau churches; worship services begin early in the morning and continue at various times throughout the day; beginning the celebration is Mass at midnight at St. Mary's Catholic Church,

R.T. Coney, 538 N. Pacific St., parks his automobile in front of the Bynn Yann store in Haarig and runs in to purchase a pound of butter, necessary for Christmas dinner; the purchase made, Coney comes out to find his Ford gone; it is believed two well-dressed young men may have appropriated the auto for a ride to Illmo.

-- Sharon K. Sanders