A very Roseland Christmas

In this past year, I’ve met up with many former St. Anthony parishioners and when we’ve gotten deep into conversations about Roseland, the topic of “The Ave” always comes up. When we make our way to Gately’s Peoples Store, we invariably begin talking about the memorable shopping experiences that became the hallmark of many of our lives. From shopping to working there, Gately’s made a major deposit in our memory banks.

When conversation turned to Christmas on the Ave, someone usually describes the 9th Ward workers in a bucket truck going up and down the street hanging the huge red-and-white candy canes with lines of red Poinsettias cascading down their sides. The stores would all have holiday decorations and themed sales to stimulate our gift-buying appetites.

As kids, those decorations got us looking forward to our Christmas presents and, to please our parents, the birth of Christ. But the best part of Christmas — the one that all of the Roseland kids looked forward to — was another Gately’s sponsored event: the Michigan Avenue Merchant’s Christmas Parade!

The Ave was a crowd of families from Roseland, Chicago’s East Side and surrounding towns like Calumet Park, Riverdale, Dolton and South Holland. The big draw was the float with Santa Claus and his elves, who drove the kids crazy as they tossed candy in every direction and we scrambled to pick up. Those were the good old days on The Ave, but there was always the religious side of Christmas that genuinely brought us the most joy.

In keeping with that sense of joy, one tradition I continue to embrace is the Christmas story told by Mario Avignone, the founder of this column. Fr. Pierini asked him decades ago to start writing Petals as a way of keeping Roseland alive in our hearts as the St. Anthony Bulletin written for the men and women in service had done during the war years.

In my 16 years as the author of this column, my goal has been to maintain the traditional sense of belonging to the larger community of those who grew up in Roseland, Pullman and Kensington. As we are all getting up in years and our childhood drifts farther away from us, I hope this link to our past brings joy and happiness to all.

Mario’s Christmas Tale

Years ago, when Fr. Joseph Chiminello was pastor of St. Anthony, he had a beautiful manger scene set up in front of the old church altar. It cost a lot of money to import from Italy, and it was his pride and joy.

On Christmas morning, Fr. Joe went into the church between masses to pray in front of the imported crib. He was shocked to see the Baby Jesus had disappeared! He looked everywhere in the church butcouldn’t find the beautiful little statue.

He phoned the Kensington Police Station, then located at 115th Street and Indiana Avenue, and talked to Commander Tom O’Brien and reported the Baby Jesus was missing and someone had stolen it.

Commander O’Brien and his best detectives rushed to the church. Judge Alexander Napoli, who lived in the neighborhood, heard about the Baby Jesus being missing from the Nativity crib and rushed to help find it.

Someone phoned Alderman Dominic Lupo and reported that the Baby Jesus had been stolen from St. Anthony Church. He too, joined in the search but to no avail.

Fr. Chiminello, Commander O’Brien, Judge Napoli and Alderman Lupo stood at the front of the church in front of the Nativity discussing who might have stolen the beautiful statue and why. They had no clue and were at a loss as to why anyone would commit such a sacrilege.

Just then there was a sound in the back of the church of a door opening. As they watched in disbelief, a 6-year-old boy walked into the church and up the main aisle pulling a little red wagon with a blanket in it. As the wagon drew close to the group of men at the front of the Nativity, the boy stopped and opened the blanket to reveal the beautiful, imported statue of the Baby Jesus. The men were dumbstruck. Finally, Fr. Joe timidly asked: “Why did you steal the statue?”

The boy looked at the men with a smile on his face as his eyes lit up in innocent wonder and he said: “I didn’t steal Baby Jesus. I prayed to Jesus last night for a red wagon for my Christmas present. When I woke up this morning — it was there — my little red wagon was under the tree. I was so happy, I wanted to give Baby Jesus the first ride in my red wagon to say thank you for answering my prayers.”

A grand Pullman tradition

Every year when the seasons change, Pullman is abuzz with activity. This year, we Pullman residents held the 51st annual Pullman House Tour. With eight residences and three civic buildings on display, along with Mother Nature’s cooperation and an overflowing Sunday Classic Car Show, Pullman was the place to be. Visitors could be seen walking through the neighborhood from one end to the other and always deeply involved in conversation about Pullman’s beauty and history.

When autumn comes to Pullman and the leaves begin to fall from the trees, the architecture of Pullman emerges. The beautiful red brick Queen Anne-style houses become visible as the trees become barren. This is just one of the many wonderful results of the preservation of Pullman. The Pullman Preservation Area is bounded from 103rd on the north, 115th on the south, Ellis Avenue on the east, and Cottage Grove on the west.

While the majority of Pullman’s house fronts resemble the original 1880s designs, many of the interiors have achieved a level that could easily get them a layout in a home decorating magazine. Walls have been totally or partially removed, recessed accent lighting and first-floor powder rooms have been added, and kitchens boast exposed brick and new cabinets.

Columbus Day Parade

This year’s parade was special for many reasons. My fond memories came to me by way of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, particularly the Tinley Park chapter, of which I’m the vice president. President Mario D’Antonio worked hand-in-hand with other chapters to have a float in this year’s parade. That teamwork has allowed us to have more of our members who would have issues walking in the parade route to take part by riding on the float and enjoying the Columbus celebration.

With more 100 floats and the marching units, the ABC 7 emcees had their hands full identifying each group as they came into range of the TV cameras along State Street. Following the parade, a number of participants were able to attend the afterparty on the Casa Italia grounds. Many superb Italian vendors from throughout the Chicago area donated their time, talents and dishes in honor of their heritage.

My book “Petals from Roseland: Fond Memories of Chicago’s Roseland, Pullman and Kensington Neighborhoods” is available from me at $20 + $5 s&h. Contact me at petalsfromroseland@gmail.com or 11403 S. St. Lawrence Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60628; res: 773-701-6756. My book is also available at D & D Foods, 1023 S. Halsted, Chicago Heights, at Bookie’s New and Used Books, 10324 S. Western Ave, Chicago and at Miles Books, 2819 Jewett Ave., Highland, Indiana.