On This Day In History: December 20, 1960

20 December 1960

Let's Travel Back In Time...

Today is Tuesday, December 20th, 1960. My mother, Annette, is born to Vidal Lopez and Lydia Horacio, who are Puerto Rican natives that moved to New York City in the late 1940s. She is the second youngest among five surviving children. They had lost one son during the Polio outbreak in 1955.

As Christmas Day quickly approaches, excitement is growing throughout the city. Department stores are bustling with holiday shoppers. Homes and streets are adorned with glowing lights, evergreen trees, and mistletoe.

Magazine stands display yesterday's headlines, featuring John F. Kennedy Jr.'s Christening on the cover of Life Magazine.

Republican Dwight David Eisenhower serves as the President of the United States.

The Chevrolet Corvair, Dodge Polara, and Nissan Cedric adorn the streets. Tailfins on cars are in vogue, with their futuristic design resembling a rocket ship poised for launch!

Radio stations are featuring hit songs from artists like Percy Faith, Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Connie Francis, and Johnny Preston. "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" by Elvis Presley is topping the singles charts.

The film Ben-Hur is leading the Box Office.

The American Heritage Picture History Of The Civil War by Bruce Catton is among the best-selling books.

On television, audiences are tuning into popular programs like "The Ed Sullivan Show", "The Andy Griffith Show", and "The Twilight Zone". Children and teenagers are enjoying "Looney Tunes", "Tom and Jerry", "Felix the Cat", "Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks", "My Three Sons", and "The Flintstones".

The children are playing with toys like Play-Doh, Frisbees, Hula Hoops, Troll Dolls, Tonka Trucks, Etch A Sketch, and Barbie dolls.

In fashion, women are wearing tailored skirts, short boxy jackets, and shift dresses, trousers are also becoming popular. Men are wearing polo shirts, argyle socks, sweater vests, loafers and Harrington jackets.

Interesting Fun Facts!

• The Holly and Narcissus are the Birth flowers.

• Tanzanite, Turquoise and Zircon are the Birthstones.

• Zodiac sign is Sagittarius.

• Native American Zodiac falls under the Owl.

• A person born on this day has lived a total of 22,645 days, 3,235 weeks and 1,956,528,000 seconds. And have taken approximately 168,261,408 steps. That's about 74,783 miles!

• Since this date, 23,478,336 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere!

Let's Travel Back To Now...

My mother, Annette, lives with me now in Illinois. She has three adult children and five grandchildren, with two, Joshua and Daniel, in heaven. She shares her home with our family cat, Mitzki, my youngest son, brother, and our roommate. Her hobbies include cooking, taking long walks, reading, and watching entertainment, with a specific genre scheduled each day. She also enjoys listening to Christian radio stations. She loves attending church and spending time with family, close friends, and our community. If you are a stranger passing by, she'll acknowledge you and greet you with her warm smile and genuine kindness.

A photo of Annette, in East Orange, New Jersey, from December 1999, where she is carrying Joshua (1998-2022), who has since passed away.

A Legacy Continues

As you look at this photo of my mother, radiant and full of love, holding her first grandchild, my late son Joshua, you see more than just a moment frozen in time. You see the beautiful continuation of a legacy—a testament to the enduring power of family, the joy of new life, and the unbreakable bonds that stretch across generations. It’s a reminder that even as time marches on, the love we share and the lives we touch leave an indelible mark, shaping the future in ways we can only begin to comprehend.

"A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take."