Back in December, classmates were asked to take a moment, pour a glass of “cheer,” and answer the question, “If you were Magic Santa and could give any gift to anyone, what would you give and to whom would you give it?” John Lobitz would have Magic Santa “give my wife and me an Antarctic cruise.” Joe Alviani hoped that Magic Santa would bring “health, longevity, and peace of mind to all my class of ’67 mates!” A lot of classmates wished Magic Santa would think globally, such as Dean Ericson, who would have his Magic Santa bring “peace in Ukraine and Israel/Middle East, diminished political extremism and threats to constitutional stability, and a reduction in climate change risks.” Marshall Levine would have his Magic Santa “convert the purpose of the fund-raising of all elite colleges and universities to the provision of cheer-inducing beverages for all, including extra cheer for certain government officials. I hope everyone would attain a calmer, happier mood and focus on communicating to solve problems in a realistic way.” Bill Reilly would have his Magic Santa support his “passion for helping inner-city schoolchildren by supporting the obvious long-term solution of competition: charter schools.” Some classmates wanted Magic Santa to think politically, such as Bill Yaggy, who wanted his Magic Santa to “give the American people a country in which Donald Trump does not exist”; while Bill Eggling wished his Magic Santa would give Donald Trump “the gift of humility.” Ed Kern would have Santa give “guaranteed lifetime retirement together for four: Haniyeh, Netanyahu, Putin, and Trump.” Jack Halpern’s Magic Santa would “go back in time and give my grandmother and grandfather a gift for being the best and most loving grandparents a boy could ever have and then give my parents a gift for bringing me into the world and raising me as best as they could.” Mike Ryan just wants Santa to bring a “reliable truck for my 45-year-old son who has fought numerous medical struggles.”

Remember: Boston dinner April 6 (contact Bill White or Curt Anderson) and the D.C. dinner April 13 (John Isaacs or Bob Burka).

—Larry Langford, P.O. Box 71, Buckland, MA 01339; 1967damnotes@gmail.com