Christmas Eve, Apollo 8, and the Tree Lot Lights

Good evening, friends, Jack here. Christmas Eve always makes me think of 1968, when we watched Apollo 8 circle the Moon on a snowy night. Funny how one night can still warm your heart. A little later I will tell you about a Christmas tree lot memory that smells like fresh pine and cold air. Brings it all back, doesn't it?

On December 24, 1968, I crowded around the TV as the Apollo 8 crew slipped around the Moon and shared a live Christmas Eve broadcast. Folks back home saw our blue Earth hanging in the dark, and nearly a billion people watched. I still get goosebumps. Click for the full broadcast story and that first Earthrise view.

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6 in gold was the Chevy you circled twice. Stickered around $3,800 new, it packed 450 horsepower and mid-13-second quarter miles. Only about 8,700 SS 454s were built, and roughly 4,500 got the LS6. Today nice ones sit in six-figure territory. Click for the specs and the full LS6 story.

How AI Is Reshaping Banking—And What You Can Do

Financial decisions are increasingly being made by machines. Will you still have control over your banking, credit, and financial choices? Our free guide explains what’s changing, and how to stay resilient in the AI age.

By following the link above or using any of the links provided below, you're choosing to opt in to receive insightful updates from The Wealthiest Investor plus 2 free bonus subscriptions! Privacy Policy

Fresh snow on Leabrook Lane in Princeton, New Jersey, and you can hear kids crunching across new lawns. The house went up in 1962, and the family watched the street get paved. Today Trulia says it is $1.6 million after a $975,000 sale. My dad paved streets like that. Click for the photo, map, and a look at the addition.

“You deserve a break today” had every kitchen humming in 1971 as McDonald’s showed crews cleaning up and singing their hearts out. The jingle ran into the early eighties and Ad Age later called it one of the century’s great campaigns. I still tap my foot. Click to watch the original spot and hear that jingle again.

Back in the mid 1970s, Lynda Carter was our TV Wonder Woman, twirling from Diana Prince into that star suit every week. She earned about $3,500 an episode at first, later near $6,000, and today her work is worth around twelve million dollars. My dad admired that steady grace. Click for her full journey and what she is doing now.

Tonight’s ‘Your Memory’ comes from Evelyn in Oregon, thinking back to the Christmas tree lot of 1962. She remembers cold boards under her boots, bare bulbs strung on poles, and her dad handing over five dollars for a Scotch pine. These days the same tree runs ten times that. My heart smiles at that simple joy.

Tonight’s Quote comes from Paul Harvey, who reminded us that “Self-government won't work without self-discipline.” I hear my dad in that line, talking about paying bills on time and telling the truth even when it costs you. You can learn more about him here. His story will feel like sitting by the radio again.

See you tomorrow. Same time, same station.

– Jack

Images are AI-generated or sourced from public-domain archives. Reader photos used with permission.