The holiday season is upon us and as retailers scurry around to make the most of the traffic and shoppers while they are there, I thought back to what the holiday season was like when I was young. The memories may remind us of what we’ve lost and maybe what we might regain.My father had a men’s store called Art’s Men’s Shop in a small town. Everyone in the family pitched in on the floor during the holidays but my father especially spent long hours completely engrossed in the business. That dedication was key. His focus and drive was the motivation for everyone at the store to put in long hours and work harder to make the holiday season a success.

Holiday shopping was about seeing decorations, walking around to take in the Christmas tree in the town center, the lights and the attractions like Santa, elves and carolers. The windows were full of creativity with each one being more fun than the next. Shopping was a part of the season’s excitement and fun as the total experience was created. It was not about discounts and promotions as that never occurred until after the 25th.

During the holidays, it got dark early, the skies were always overcast and the temperatures were cold in the suburb of Cleveland where I lived. Even so, people had smiles on their faces, they had extra patience and a cheery attitude to match the season.

As we all work hard to make this season successful, let’s not forget the little things we do each day to enliven our staff, offer shopping fun to our customers and create a holiday season full of excitement and joy.