1. SAFONTE CHILDREN – In 1952, the Safonte children awoke on Christmas morning to find all the gifts Santa left for them. The family resided on North 5th Street in Newark, New Jersey then. They had the most fun playing with their Lionel trains! Pictured are siblings Anthony Safonte of Nutley, Georgeann Safonte Radice of Toms River and Joseph Safonte of Florida.
2. MARY DE MEOLA SAFONTE, back right, is photographed here on Christmas morning with her three children, as they open their presents. Big smiles all around are Joseph, Georgeann and Anthony, who submitted these pictures.
3. LET THE FIGHT BEGIN – Yvonne Sarcone Cali, wife of the late John Cali, grew up in Newark’s Forest Hill section, where there were kids in every house on the block. When it snowed, and it snowed feet not inches fifty years ago, the neighborhood became the scene for a snowball fight – the girls against the boys. Today, Mrs. Cali resides in Florham Park and is the principal at Kearny High School. She is the daughter of former New Jersey Senator and Mrs. C. Robert Sarcone.
4. NAUGHTY OR NICE – Little Joanie sat on Santa’s lap back in 1954 at Kresge’s Department store in downtown Newark. All she wanted were some dolls and a sled! The store had a real train circling the ceiling of the store as part of their beautiful Christmas display and each child received a gift as they disembarked. Today, the K from Kresge’s became Kmart.
