Some in the older generation may say that the Christmas holiday has evolved from when they were little kids waiting for Santa Claus.

Whether its the gifts, the commercialism, or even just the meaning... WBKO asked one Bowling Green resident for his take.

59-year-old Jerry Wells remembers his favorite part of Christmas as a kid.

"That is a childhood memory, the shopping itself. The excitement leading up to family members and getting them Christmas presents and then watching the joy of the celebrating the opening of those on Christmas morning."

He did like the toys he got too... even if they were made differently than the ones nowadays.

"One made out of, as we would say "oh wow, its made out of real steel metal. Or its made out of real wood," he recalls with a smile.

Christmas tales about Santa and other holiday legends weren't broadcast through a TV as it is now.

For many growing up when Wells did, televisions were not a part of everyone's home life.

"What a child learns about Christmas is specifically from his parents or his brothers and sisters or his church or even his neighbors in a farming community," says Wells.

Ever since Wells was a young he says he can recall many debates over the commercialism of the Christmas season.

Maybe that's why Wells chooses to only use simplistic decorations to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus.

He believes the true meaning of Christmas is still in tact.

"What I still see is that you still people who believe in the purpose of Christmas, who still celebrate Christmas.You see many churches who have Christmas eve candlelight vigils and different types of services," Wells notes.

As Wells readies to celebrate Christmas 2009, he's happy with the direction the holiday's headed.

"We all have memories of Christmas and when we see it in our children and grandchildren we think back to reflective times of ours and thinking, I think they get it and if they grow up in this type of feeling... they'll grow up to be mature men and women and they will carry on the traditions."

Although Christmas for this year hasn't even officially begun, Wells says he's already anticipating Christmas 2010.