Happy New Year! A time to remember the good old days and the days ahead

Gerald Smith
·4 min read

Happy New Year’s to all of our readers. Thanks to all of you for your constant support and continued assistance in giving me ideas for columns over the last nearly nine years.  Consider this, when I began writing this column, I was worried that I would run out of ideas for things to write about the history and heritage of the Broome County area.  Now, over 450 columns later, I still find stories that I need to tell. The arrival of 2023 only gives me the impetus to continue that work – and all of you are a part of that.

In previous columns about the arrival of the new year, I have discussed making resolutions. It is something that many of us do, and few of us follow through with those resolutions. In looking at some of my earlier resolutions, I have actually had some success. In the last few months, I have lost 30 pounds of weight. Some of that was dedicated to healthy eating habits, and some because of medical issues. But never mind that, I am on my way to my personal goal before my 50th high school reunion in August. I have tried to make fewer errors in the columns – and there seems to have been fewer irate readers telling me what I wrote was wrong. I will try to do that once again in 2023.

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All-stars:Meet the Binghamton area's best: Here are your 2022 Elite Fall All-Star teams

The Strand Theatre saw the opening of the Story of Joseph in 1962.
The Strand Theatre saw the opening of the Story of Joseph in 1962.

In looking over some of the stories from the newspaper from 1950 to 1975 for this column, I found several common themes. First, there was the ubiquitous story of the New Year’s baby in the area. Many families and many babies made their way into the newspaper – especially during the baby boomer period of growth in our region.

Of course, there were the yearly mentions of the various parades that would be televised – from the Tournament of Roses to others tied into a sports game. I will admit (and don’t hate me for this), I do not watch football very often.    But watching the parades connected with those games, was always something of a family tradition – made even more exciting after 1971 when the Smith household got its first color television.

Some stores, like Westons, were open on New Year's Day in 1969.
Some stores, like Westons, were open on New Year's Day in 1969.

Another activity common for New Year’s Day was a family outing to go see a movie in one of the many theaters in the area. Like Christmas, New Year’s Day was a common connection to the opening of new movies. I cannot say that all of them were blockbuster hits, but it provided an open venue and safe activity for the family.  Looking over some of the movie ads during this period, I saw the names of theaters long gone from the area, such as the Strand in Binghamton, the Lyric in Endicott, and many others.

Another New Year’s Day tradition was the family meal. In the Smith household, it was one made by my mother – usually ham with potatoes, vegetables, and something freshly baked for dessert. We did not go out to eat – usually the cost was prohibitive, and our grandparents and great-grandmother would come to visit. In looking over the newspapers for the period, though, it was a common occurrence and many of the restaurants also had some form of entertainment for the diners.

The ad for the Jerry Fontana Quartet performing at Camillo’s in Endicott in 1950.
The ad for the Jerry Fontana Quartet performing at Camillo’s in Endicott in 1950.

It was more common, though, that the musical entertainment was reserved for New Year’s Eve, when many would go out to celebrate the arrival of New Year’s.  Maybe it would be watching Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians playing from the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, or later, watching Dick Clark and the crystal ball fall in Times Square.

So many years, so many New Year’s, so many traditions. Every family seems to have them, and at this time of year, we should take stock in what makes us stronger as a family and as a community. The country remains divided over too many things, and the arrival of 2023 gives us a moment when we should pause and realize that we are stronger together and more alike than we are different. Enjoy the day and the moment – it all comes and goes too soon.

Gerald Smith is a former Broome County historian. Email him at historysmiths@stny.rr.com.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Binghamton New Year's from the past and a look to the future