This Day in Greenpoint History: Very Merry

Though holiday spirit may not always be easy to come by, especially recently, if the December 22, 1961, issue of the Greenpoint Weekly Star is anything to go by, the neighborhood used to have plenty to go around — from eggplant to Eagle Street. See a brief roundup below.

The reason for the season

Surveyed Greenpoint residents both young and not-so-young give different significance to the holiday — from religious origins to anticipation for a dog — but the warm feelings were evident. To quote Santa Claus himself (portrayed by local John Bennett for the Greenpoint Lions Club), “It means a lot to me … and it makes me very happy to see all these children smile. As for me and myself, it’s nice for me and my family to be together for the holidays. There’s nothing better.”

Making spirits bright

Literally. Dunne’s Polemost Liquors (which still remains at 698 Manhattan Avenue today!) shared a spirited ad wishing both happy holidays and serving as a reminder for any last-minute gift givers. Plus, $3.99 for a quart of imported gin doesn’t sound too bad.

A token of your affection

Touted as gifts for “someone who has everything,” the NYC Transit Authority launched a campaign suggesting gifting subway tokens for the holidays, including employing creative methods like stringing them up on your tree or making them into a necklace. Seems like a lot of effort to ride the G shuttle.

Cheese on earth, goodwill to all

While Greenpoint is rich in Polish history and culture, few can resist the call of a cheesy, hearty eggplant parmesan. So for anyone still stumped on their holiday menu (or for anyone hosting a vegetarian), the Star graciously provided a recipe for inspo.

A gift for Greenpoint

And when it came to grabbing ingredients for the aforementioned eggplant parm, the neighborhood was gifted another option — a shiny new A&P Supermarket. The store celebrated its opening that week at 131 Driggs Ave and boasted over 4,000 items and an automatic entry door. The address previously served as the Consolidated Democratic Club (three Polish-American Democratic Clubs) headquarters and is now home to Met Food Market.