NEW YEAR'S BABY

I've seen many articles over the last few days about the "First New Year's Baby" for various cities. I believe I saw one in New York that said the baby was born 'seconds' after the turn of the year. Of two Indianapolis hospitals I saw, one had their baby after 2:00am and another after 3:00am.

I was the "First New Year's Baby" of 1954...in Princeton, Indiana. I was born at 12:09am. Ten minutes sooner and I was born in 1953. I've had lots of comments over the years about how upset my dad must have been that I could've been a tax deduction for him if I 'had' been born 10 minutes earlier.

One thing most of those articles I've seen over the years never states, is what (if any) gifts are won by those 'first' babies. Maybe they just get a little certificate...or a blanket or trinket from the hospital gift shop.

I'll almost bet, they don't clean up now days, like I did in 1954. Here's what I, or mom and dad, took home.

From:

Morgan Shoes, a pair of Polly Parrot baby shoes
Green’s Cleaning Service, pop’s suit cleaned and pressed
Kroger’s, dozen jars Gerber’s baby food
Val-U Dress Shop, pair nylons for mom
Shaw’s Gift & Baby Shop, rompers
Miller Hardware, baby car-seat
Shoptaugh’s, serva-tot hot plate
Monroe’s Jewelry, silver spoon
The Model, a new tie for pop
Thackers, a pin-up lamp
Derbyshire’s Pharmacy, Playtex layette
DeMoss Drug Store, set of Stork nursing bottles
Princeton Appliance Store, a check for $5 to be added to a savings account to be started by the Gibson County Bank
Rechter Bros,. one dozen Birdseye diapers
Sears & Roebuck, JC Higgins sanitary insulated jug
JC Penney Co., three-piece sweater set
Wolf Chevrolet, tank of gasoline, oil change, chassis lubrication and car wash
Gibson County Bank, $5 savings account
Tip Top Creamery, one quart of milk per day for two weeks

Being the baby of the family...number 6 of 6...mom and dad probably appreciated everything they could get.

Happy Birthday to all my fellow New Year babies.


Dan