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Post by Adam on Dec 19, 2023 0:25:06 GMT
 For this final week heading towards Christmas Day, we celebrate Brian and Elizabeth by simply sharing Christmas stories. Christmas was truly all year long for them and their enthusiasm for it was infectious. Brian loved to make up stories about his layout especially around Christmas time. CT Balsam was usually the central character and an important person in his city and the premier Christmas Tree salesman. He may have even been the mayor and if he wasnt I sure would vote for him, as you will see below, CT is very smart and generous! Here are some excerpts from some of CT Balsam's previous exploits. If you have other CT Balsam stories to share or a Christmas story of your own, please share!!
"Sure sign of the upcoming Christmas season, CT and his crew are out in the fields marking Christmas Trees to be cut for the upcoming Christmas season. He is very particular and only those trees that are 100% ready are marked. First step in getting ready for the upcoming Christmas season. CT's trees have become so popular that he added additional cold storage this year for trees cut and getting ready for transport to the City." "the word on the street is CT is looking at a new line of Artificial Christmas Trees to add to his growing offerings. What is "driving him" (with his fleet of red pickup trucks) is free delivery and set up as some of these trees weigh over 100 lbs. and senior citizens could use the help in setting them up and storing them. Only CT would think of this." "CT is first and foremost a real Christmas Tree guy. But market conditions dictate that he must recognize a growing segment that for a variety of reasons need and artificial Christmas Tree. His research tells him that green is the most popular color by far. His results in the ranking of colors is as follows: 1. Green Christmas Trees (by far, the largest number) 2. White Christmas trees. 3. Blue Christmas trees. 4. Pink Christmas trees. 5. Red Christmas trees. 6. Orange Christmas trees." "The CIC Car Show Committee had it's regular monthly meeting last evening. The T-Bird Club, part of this Committee, brought up their upcoming Parade. T-Bird Club President Bob Styler asked for input in naming a Parade Grand Marshall. A lively discussion followed, but after several names were presented, an overwhelming favorite came to the forefront. And that name, none other than a good friend to the OGF, CT Balsam. CT's generosity is well known and in particular, he has given strong financial support to all of the CIC Car Show Committee activities. President Styler will drive the Grand Marshall's vehicle in the Parade allowing CT to be comfortably seated waving to the crowd." "How did we know that CT would be the grand marshal?? The locals in the City have known CT's kindness and generosity for years. Here are some of his accomplishments: 1. Free delivery and setup for all Christmas Trees. Many customers are senior citizens and this service is a great help to them. 2. Free delivery of groceries and pharmaceuticals for the City's senior citizens if they are not already delivered by their store. 3. Generous senior citizen discounts for all senior citizens. 4. The CT Balsam Foundation that gives annually and generously to many worthy causes. CT as Parade Grand Marshall, a very fitting honor." Our next Founder's Favorite will be on or around December 31 and will be published by a special guest! As a reminder, if anyone would like to take a turn to honor Brian and Elizabeth by starting one of these regular threads, please send me a private message.
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Post by Country Joe on Dec 19, 2023 18:18:24 GMT
Each Christmas season Brian would start a thread about CT Balsam. There were some members who took the position that CT was a bad guy and others who said he was a good guy. This was all in good fun. In a thread 2 years ago such a debate was raging and a newer member asked about CT so I wrote this short biography. Brian loved it and told me that CT was very happy to have his story told. The following is what I wrote.
"You'll hear a lot of nonsense about CT Balsam from naysayers but here is the true story.
He is a first generation American. His parents, Pasquale and Maria Balsamo emigrated from Italy to the United States early in the last century. His father worked a variety of manual labor jobs but dreamed of owning his own business. When CT was little (everyone called him by his initials CT rather than his name) his dad started Evergreen Christmas Trees selling Christmas trees. Being a good businessman he invested his money back into his business and over the years bought trucks to transport trees and eventually land to grow trees. Since he didn't have to pay for trees and transportation he was able to sell top quality Christmas trees at lower prices than his competition. Evergreen Christmas Trees became the premier Christmas tree company.
To sound more American Pasquale and Maria became Pat and Mary Balsam. As CT grew up and began working in the business he adopted Balsam as his last name. Like his father he proved to be a very good businessman. He kept the family tradition of investing in the company buying land on Long Island, upstate NY and in New Jersey to grow trees to meet the increasing demand. He invested in a fleet of trucks to transport and deliver trees. Because of his and his parents hard work the company continued to grow and the Balsams became very wealthy. Other Christmas tree dealers, trucking company execs and other competitors became envious of the Balsam's success and began to spread lies hoping to bring Evergreen Christmas Trees down, thus the naysayers.
CT and his family are upstanding citizens providing top quality Christmas trees at affordable prices. CT is also a philanthropist often donating anonymously to worthy causes. A Balsam Christmas tree is proudly displayed in Grand Central Terminal, donated by CT himself.
People often ask him what the CT stands for and he always answers, "Christmas Tree," however his closest friends and family know that his real name is Carmine Tomasso Balsamo.
Now you know the rest of the story.”
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Post by Adam on Dec 19, 2023 18:27:02 GMT
Such an awesome back story to CT Joe! Some of those debates were the most fun on this forum that I’ve ever had.
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Post by Traindiesel! on Dec 20, 2023 4:54:42 GMT
Each Christmas season Brian would start a thread about CT Balsam. There were some members who took the position that CT was a bad guy and others who said he was a good guy........
.......People often ask him what the CT stands for and he always answers, "Christmas Tree," however his closest friends and family know that his real name is Carmine Tomasso Balsamo.
Now you know the rest of the story.”
 
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Post by Adam on Dec 20, 2023 11:29:28 GMT
Each Christmas season Brian would start a thread about CT Balsam. There were some members who took the position that CT was a bad guy and others who said he was a good guy........
.......People often ask him what the CT stands for and he always answers, "Christmas Tree," however his closest friends and family know that his real name is Carmine Tomasso Balsamo.
Now you know the rest of the story.”
I love it!
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Post by Country Joe on Dec 20, 2023 13:07:50 GMT
Each Christmas season Brian would start a thread about CT Balsam. There were some members who took the position that CT was a bad guy and others who said he was a good guy........
.......People often ask him what the CT stands for and he always answers, "Christmas Tree," however his closest friends and family know that his real name is Carmine Tomasso Balsamo.
Now you know the rest of the story.”
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Post by Country Joe on Dec 20, 2023 13:09:29 GMT
Each Christmas season Brian would start a thread about CT Balsam. There were some members who took the position that CT was a bad guy and others who said he was a good guy........
.......People often ask him what the CT stands for and he always answers, "Christmas Tree," however his closest friends and family know that his real name is Carmine Tomasso Balsamo.
Now you know the rest of the story.”
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Post by atsda on Dec 20, 2023 16:06:15 GMT
Brian was a talented individual in many respects. Got to like those CT stories. Alfred
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Post by harborbelt70 on Dec 22, 2023 10:08:43 GMT
CT Balsam was a much-maligned entrepreneur who brought joy to the hard-pressed citizens of his city through his public-spirited enterprise and talent for entertainment. He organised many public spectacles and was one in his own right. Who could criticise his fun-loving use of happy red and green Christmas Tree Trucks? Sadly, these days the spectacle is of woke Californians, not representative of the majority, trying to impose their alternative version of reality on the rest of us, a form of villainy that I cannot abide. But in the spirit of Christmas I will, uh, ignore that. If CT Balsam had the Mayor in his back pocket, well, it's a dirty job but somebody has to do it before somebody else does!
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Post by Adam on Dec 26, 2023 20:30:21 GMT
My early years were spent in NJ and we had a big extended family around us. My mother had 4 brothers and sisters that lived nearby. Also since my mom was the youngest we had 2 young families from my oldest cousins joining in any gathering. My grandmother’s home wasn’t very large but we managed. Upwards of 30 people filled her home with love on Sundays and holidays. It was loud, fun and crazy at the same time. Christmas started on Thanksgiving. Adults would pick a name for Secret Santa.
Christmas Eve was the best!! The food, laughter, gifts and sense of God and Family was very strong. Aunts and Uncles would pay us in quarters to sing carols. The dads would ways sing the “Five Golden Rings” part of 12 Days with some extra gusto. The older cousins, in turn, would pay the younger cousins to wrestle in the living room. Not sure if that ever landed us on the naughty list or not but it was fun!
I remember those days with great fondness.
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