From the Archives: Christmas Memories from the 80s, Part II

1983 Last Minute Shopping

It happens every year.

Some folks are just going to wait til the last minute to buy their holiday presents.

In 1983, that meant crowds downtown (where there still were department stores), at Eastgate and the newest mall called Northgate!

Mark Grimm has our story.

My favorite part is the last shot from The Record Bar showing those albums on sale for $6.99!  Those were the days.

Can holiday lights get out of hand?

That was the debate in a Fort Oglethorpe neighborhood in 1988.

Several neighbors joined together to turn their homes into blazing Christmas tributes.

It was bright enough to draw visitors from all over the area.

And that's where the trouble started.

Neighbors wanted to shut the holiday show down for a little peace and quiet.

Reporter Stephen Ruf has the controversy.

1983 Troop Homecomings

It's been an American tradition since we established a professional military.

During the holidays, our troops get last minute furlows to visit the folks back home.

25 years ago, our military focus was once again on the Middle East.

President Reagan dispatched U.S. Marines to Beruit in Lebanon to help broker a peace following the Israeli invasion.

But in October, terrorists drove trucks loaded with explosives into the barracks, killing more than 240 American military personnel.

By Christmas, our troops were still on the ground there, and in the minds of the folks back home.

This is video of some of the emotional homecomings from that year, set to the song "Celebrate Me Home."

The annual Christmas party at City Hall was quite festive this year.

We get holiday greetings from the elected officials of the day (2 mayors & 2 commissioners) and Jim Eberle even dresses up as Santa Claus.

But you can see in the story that the troops are on everyone's minds.

Of course, Christmas parties were quite a different thing in 1983 than they are now.

1988 Christmas Morning

Now let's take you to Christmas morning in 1988.

One of our photographers got up early to show us a family Christmas around the tree.

This photo feature gives us vintage lights, music and presents from the era.

Enjoy.

I like to end these Christmas memories with a look behind the scenes here at the TV station.

This time, I've got the raw tape of a Christmas promo we shot in 1985.

Our evening studio crew is trying to wish you all Happy Holidays.

But as you can see, they are not quite as good on camera as they were behind it.

The crew, is from back left, clockwise... John Zeran, Darrius Robinson, Joe Harp, Kevin Billingsley (long before his sports career), and Wayne Sandifur.

Hey, you think looking excited on camera is easy?

Not for these guys.

Of course, you'd never see the studio crew on screen these days.

We're so much more professional now. (says the bitter producer who works behind the scenes!)

But back then, stations considered themselves more of a family operation.

So they would show off the family during the Holidays.