10 years ago — December 25, 1981

As reported in the Bangor Daily News

The finance committee of the Bangor City Council has given its approval to a proposed consulting agreement between the municipality and a nationally known development corporation for the redevelopment of the downtwon area. The approval will allow City Manager John Flynn to sign the agreement formally once one-half of the consulting fee is matched by private donations from business people throughout the city.

While other 16-year-olds were asking for home-videos, televisons or other expensive Christmas gifts, Chuck Foss was asking for something most of us take for granted: to be at home, surrounded by family and friends. “This,” he said, “was my very best gift.” For a while it looked as though his wish would not come true when the snowstorm of Dec. 23 postponed his trip home from a Connecticut hospital.

25 years ago — December 25, 1966

The Hampden Jaycees and Kiwanis Club completed their annual holiday project, packing and distributing boxes of toys, clothing and food to needy families in the Hampden area. The joint club project provided Christmas cheer for more than 100 children in the area. The early part of the evening was spent packing the boxes at the town hall. Distribution was made later in the evening.

What will be the population of Bangor in 1985? How many jobs will be available? Consultants working on Bangor’s comprehensive planning program the past year are trying to come up with educated guesses to these questions and many others. Some basic components of the widespread planning survey are population, economy, traffic and parking. Now being issued is a preliminary report on those components.

50 years ago — December 25, 1941

Bangor Lodge of Elks, under the direction of James E. Mulvaney, exalted ruler, did fine work this year in bringing Christmas cheer to the less fortunate. It supplied many Christmas dinners; and it didn’t do so haphazardly, for every effort was made to see that those really deserving received them. Names were first obtained from the Anti-Tuberculosis Society, the Family Welfare Society, the Bangor Fuel Society and every recognized church. Then the baskets were made up. There were 100 of these baskets, containing approximately 600 dinners. And there was everything necessary for a good old-fashioned Christmas treat, including 800 pounds of poultry.