Diane Smith
Sherrills Ford

The winner: This shot had it all–It’s sweet, it’s old, and it looks like Christmas. Prize was a gift card to Flatiron Kitchen + Taphouse, Davidson

Tea on Christmas morning. I’m 13, with curlers in my hair and that’s my little sister Maralee, 3, wearing her Dr. Dentons. Santa supplied the table and tea set for her third Christmas in 1960, at our home in Fords, N.J. As it happens, she’s moving to live near my husband and me early next year.

Sandy & John Elliot
Charlotte

This photo was taken in 2011 and our twin granddaughters were 18 months old at the time and terrified of Santa Claus. As you can see, Santa wasn’t having any fun, either. Allison is on the left and Isabel is on the right.

Maureen Hlavacek
Lake Wylie

With squeals of delight, we opened our gifts in 1953 to find these cowboy outfits of real cowhide complete with play guns from our grandparents. From right: my brother Paul, Dan and myself. Later that year our grandparents were able to visit and we excitedly “captured” them and showed them our cowboy hideout in the woods.

William Spivey Jr.
Huntersville

This is me with Santa at the old Sears store, where the Hal Marshall Center is located today. It was 1951 and I still remember the many toys they had at Sears.

Sandi Langdon
Charlotte

My family did not have much money and presents were normally inexpensive. But in 1964 I woke up to find at the age of 3 to find a fire chief Kiddie Car. I could not believe Santa could bring me such an extravagant gift. When I was older, I learned my mother had saved green stamps for years to get this car. I will never forget it.

Teresa Spoelstra Enos
Charlotte

My favorite photo was taken when I was 13, in 1967 in Hanford, Calif. I was the next to youngest of nine kids and older siblings had kids of their own. My mother, Nell Spoelstra (blue dress), wanted to make things special for her grandchildren, so she’d have a visit from Santa, played here by my older brother, Frank. He died in August, which makes this photo even more special. Santa Claus still comes for the grandchildren. We’re keeping that tradition alive.

Genie Hufham
Charlotte

My sisters on Christmas morning 1960 in Charlotte. From left, Emma, 10; Genie, 7; Johnsie (JB), 15, and Beth, 11. Daddy surprised me while the others were already posed. Typical chaos on Christmas morning!

Suellen Delahunty
Charlotte

My brothers and I always looked forward to the annual Christmas children’s party held at my dad’s office in Arlington, Va. We sang carols until the elevator opened with Santa Claus. Oh, so exciting! This was taken in 1948. I am on the front row, first child on the right (with a plaid collar on my dress) and my brother, Hugh Clarkson, is next to me.

Chris Elder
Lake Wylie

Our 5-year-old son, Jake, napped peacefully while chaos ensued last year when our tree fell over. (See Jake in far upper left.) He slept through the crash, the clean-up and woke up only when it was back up and secured to the wall. Then he asked why we undecorated the tree!

Michael Maxwell
Charlotte

Christmas was very special to my family. My dad was always the photographer. Christmas music was always playing loud, Mitch Miller was my favorite. It was such a joyous time. The year of the photo, around 1964, I got a Tony The Pony!

Janis Mosier
Concord

My sister (left) and I checking out our stockings, 1975, in Sumter, S.C. Stockings were always exciting because Santa always put very special things in them. My sister is no longer with us and I miss her Christmas spirit every year.

Barbara L. Simmons Reeves
Weddington

This was Christmas 1957, in Tucson. My dad was ill and we had moved to Arizona for his health. It was a lean Christmas but look at the happiness on our faces. We were 6, 8 and 12 years old. Charles Simmons, Juanita Simmons, Barbara Simmons