Christmas came storming in 1961

Everyone in the Bangor area was dreaming of a white Christmas in December 1961. But 9 inches of new snow that fell Dec. 24 turned that dream into a nightmare for those who had promised, “I’ll be home for Christmas.”

Northeast Airlines canceled all flights into Bangor, and Logan International Airport in Boston was closed. Air traffic was shut down until noon Christmas Day.

A nasty wind came up, and Bangor Public Works crews expected to be out all night and into Christmas Day sanding and plowing the city streets. The roads were slippery, but none was closed because of the storm and crews were able to get their work done.

Just in time for winter weather, Sears in downtown Bangor was holding a cloth coat sale. Every color and style cost $16 to $26, about $10 off regular prices.

At Freese’s department store, that bastion of downtown Bangor commerce, the fur salon was planning an after-Christmas sale that included squirrel stoles, muskrat coats, mink stoles, mink paw coats, let-out muskrat jackets, mink paw jackets, black-dyed Persian lamb coats with natural mink collars and natural let-out mink stoles, ranging in price from $81 to $381 – no down payment, up to two years to pay.

If Mom needed to get her hair done for the holidays she could make an appointment at Paul’s and Kitty Shay Beauty Salon, 11 Main St., and get the works – cold wave, haircut, shampoo and finger wave – for $6.95 complete. After that she could drop by the First National store and buy beef liver for 29 cents a pound and Armour bacon for 59 cents a pound. She would get S&H green stamps with her purchase.

At least one person, 91-year-old G. Sanford Seavey of 270 Fourteenth St., could take satisfaction in knowing that he had done his part to make the season bright for a few elderly people in Bangor. He spent the fall in his cellar workshop building small flower boxes which he filled with artificial flowers and delivered to Bangor’s Home for Aged Women.

Over at the Bijou Theatre, the Walt Disney film “Babes in Toyland,” starring Annette Funicello, Tommy Sands, Ray Bolger and Ed Wynn, promised “movie magic” with a musical score by Victor Herbert. The price of admission was 50 cents for children, 90 cents for adults.

A slightly better deal was on at the Opera House. It cost 35 cents and 70 cents to see “The Wonders of Aladdin” starring Donald O’Connor.

Old Town residents could go to The Strand and see “the holiday hit” “Tammy Tell Me True” with Sandra Dee and John Gavin.

A report came at 12:17 Christmas morning to police dispatcher Phil Jameson from a patrolman calling from Box 14, Washington and Exchange streets.

It went like this, “Hey, Phil, I think that Santa Claus just came in off the river. He usually comes in that way every year, circles a couple of times around the old Union Station clock and then starts his deliveries in the city.”

Apparently, some of those deliveries were made at Bangor hospitals where four sets of parents received Christmas Day bundles of joy.

Melissa Ann was born at Eastern Maine General Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Anthony M. D’Amico of Bangor. Also giving birth at EMGH was Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Gallant of Bangor, who had a daughter.

Leroy and Betty Sabine of Hudson became the parents of a daughter born at the James A. Taylor Osteopathic Hospital in Bangor. Also at that hospital, Lori Ann Demmons was born to Mr. and Mrs. Gene Demmons of Hampden Highlands. Each baby weighed, on average, about 7 pounds.

In Rome, Italy, Pope John XXIII offered hope for world peace and for the first time in history, midnight Mass from the Vatican was telecast over a Europe-wire television network.

Former U.S. President Herbert Hoover, in his Christmas message to the American people, warned that they must rally to preserve their religious beliefs from “the tide of atheism,” which he linked to an increase in violence.

But things in Bangor were peaceful, despite the storm and the usual uncertain state of world peace. Families, as they had done for generations, gathered to open gifts and enjoy the blessings of family.