Sandy Mctire is the fictional character on Canadian Tire money. I was recently in Canadian Tire (a fine store) and got to thinking about how to me, they represent Christmas.
Sounds strange I know, but to a kid that was from a small town (it was small back then) Canadian Tire was Christmas.
Canadian Tire was the major retail store in town and come Christmas, out come the toys and decorations. Back then, they did not carry toys outside of the Christmas season, so when they started to come in, it was a huge event for local kids. You knew that when Canadian Tire put out the toys, Santa Claus couldn't be too far behind. It was all so exciting. Imagine that...look at the catalogues and dream...then go down to the Canadian Tire with my little sister, look at all the toys and get excited.
I remember one year I badly wanted a Steve Austin "Six million dollar man" action figure (doll) and they had one in real life display! I told my sister how badly I wanted one and made sure that she could describe it to my parents and tell them how badly I wanted one. (Yes, I did get one...if you are curious)
Back then, Canadian Tire also took the time to display and sell Santa Claus Parade fund raiser buttons.
There was just something so magical about it. Maybe I am looking at it from the rose coloured glasses of old age, but it seems like Christmas wasn't quite so over-done back then. Maybe that's why the memories of it are so vivid and pleasant.
People broke out the same old decorations year after year and didn't just run out and get whatever was in fashion that year. It was so exciting..the decorations would come out, my older sister would make some fudge and we would decorate. It was hilarious. My younger sister and I would "decorate" and put things in the most unusual places. Once we went to bed, Mom would just change them around so they had some type of flow to them and didn't look ridiculous.
Then for the "shopping". Dad made a point of giving us his Canadian Tire money to go Christmas shopping with. He also supplemented it with some "real" cash of course, but it amazed me how much you could get with your Canadian Tire money "back then".
We would run home with our presents and wrap them, while playing Christmas carols using tape and paper bought from......Canadian Tire.
I still enjoy going to Canadian Tire to see the Christmas displays, walk around and spend some time with my memories. And great memories they are....
God, I yearn for simpler times...and a tiny, innocent hand that's full of scrunched up Canadian Tire money.
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