In that mix of commiseration, happy memories, and mutual encouragement, I am presenting each of our friends' tributes in the sequence that I received them. We hope this will bring back great memories, and help each participant appreciate Christmas just a little more like Ted. - Paul

Kathi M:

It can't be possible that it has been a year since our friend Ted Althof passed away, but it is. I have missed him so often and wish he was still with us.

I spoke to Tom Hull last night and we are so grateful that Paul Race had taken over Ted's website so that his knowledge and wit and love continue.

I just wanted to pay a small tribute to Ted's memory, and would like to let his family and other friends know how much he meant to all of us. In fact we came to know each other through Ted, and I am happy to be part of that legacy.

Kacey, please let Lauri and the rest of Ted's family know that they are in my prayers, and I sincerely hope that all is well with them.

Remembering Ted - Kathi

Paul Race:

And remember that a childlike love of all things Christmas was at the center of everything he did. As Dickens said of the reformed Scrooge, Ted honored Christmas in his heart and tried to keep it all the year.

That's quite a legacy in itself, if you think about it. - Paul

Antoinette S:

I woke up sad this morning and couldn't think why -- until I remembered the date. What a poignant anniversary. The one thing that makes it a little less sad is remembering the good times: how excited Ted would get as traffic on his website built, day after day, between now and Christmas. Who among us can't remember him ticking off the milestones of hits to his site? He loved it. Loved the season. And appreciated that Christmas was and would always be a complex of emotional highs and lows. Here's to you, Ted. I miss you dearly.

My sympathies, still, to Lauri and Kacey and Ted's family - Antoinette

Thelma:

Thank you for reminding that Ted's passing is already a year. All the emails I had with him are still in his file in my email program. Not so long ago I was thinking how I missed his dedicated and committed opinion and comments. - Thelma (Belgium)

Tom Hull:

I especially miss Ted now - we had all hoped he would make it through Christmas if selfishly for ourselves perhaps more than him. I was easily encouraged to let him go as he came to be in such extreme pain. I felt all the more for Lauri who was very much beside herself and we all know how hard it is to loose a loved one. However even with all that I know I will see him again.

When I visited him about a year before he died he talked about eternal things and I am convinced that though perhaps in an unconventional manner he loved and believed in Jesus Christ the savior of us all. I will see him again and if you believe as well you will see him too. Love to all and as Ted would repeat "God bless us everyone!" - Tom Hull

Robby Lucke:

Joy K

Ted would begin his broadcast a week or so before Christmas. At that time, the radio stayed on in the living room until Ted would stop broadcasting--he would normally shut-it down each night when he went to bed. At some point the next day, he would start broadcasting again...sometimes it took a phone call like, "hey! where's the music?" He loved that call. I really don't have a strong affinity for Christmas--however, with Ted around, how could I not? Ted really provided me with a new love for the season--the joy that it brought him and the simplicity that he found in a holiday that has become everything but simple, was contagious.

On X-mas eve, Ted knew to let the music run all night. That is when I do all of my wrapping of the children's presents--My brother comes over every year and watches me wrap while Ted's sweet sounds would dance in the background. Although my brother and Ted had their fair share of their charged political debates, this was one night in which there was no debate. This night, became magical--just like the stories of Christmas eve. The elves, that have been in our stockings since the 1950s truly became alive when I turned the music on. The lights on the tree would shine brighter. And life felt more simple.

There is so much to miss about Ted--but I miss the simple joys that he held so close to his heart, the most.

Warmly - Joy

Kathi M (again):

Ted brightened my life every single day. I am remembering so many stories. And one in particular will give everyone a laugh.

Joy reminded me of it when she wrote about Ted's pirate radio station.

Ted had a particularly noisy neighbor who lived behind his house. The neighbor erected an above-ground pool with a wood deck around the perimeter, which was right up against Ted's back property line. These folks would be out by the pool with a big boom box blaring their "music" which included the non-music known as "rap." (can you tell I am not a fan?)

Ted was tired of the intrusion. He gathered some electronic parts from his stash in his basement and produced something that has a name that I can't remember, but that interferred with the reception of nearby receivers like a radio.

He set up the equipment in his back Kitchen window, and in the middle of the night he strung the wire for this thing all the way to his garage, along the eaves, and disguised by foliage. The wire limited the range of the interference to the neighbor's back yard.

When he heard the boom box coming out to the pool, he'd turn on the interference-producer, and the neighbors would comment how crazy it was that they couldn't get the radio signal out by their pool.

Ted told me that story as he was making and then setting up the equipment. We laughed often through the summer as the neighbor's radio reception remained zero, and the peace in Ted's house was maintained.

He was a genius with electronics.

Did you folks know he has a patent on a fingering system for an electronic saxophone that he built? - Kathi

Brian Bloodgood:

Connie H:

Love the story of Ted, Kathy, thank you for sharing. He was indeed a very special person and will always be in our hearts. There was only one Ted. The world is an emptier place without him but his memory fill our hearts with joy and a smile. And he made Christmas even more special to us all. Always loved his web site and still go there thanks to Paul! I am so honored to have known him if only on line. My brother Tom was blessed to have gotten to meet him before he left this earth to his heavenly home.

Take care Kacey. Keeping you and all Ted's family and friends in my prayers.

Love and Hugs - Connie

Pete Oehman

I remembered that today was the anniversary of Papa Ted's passing because I lost my Father one year ago today on Halloween evening. The autumn has always been my favorite time of the year but for the moment it saddens me. These two passings make me pause and reflect. Make each day better and enrich it with family, friends, faith and fun.

So here's to you you old Curmudgeon. May we meet again with smiles on our faces in a hugging embrace and cheer in our hearts. Merry Christmas Papa Ted! (In case I get caught up in the holiday Season and forget to say Hello). - Pete

Howard Lamey

You all have such a way with words...i've read everyone...but i do have one thing i wish to say...

I feel certain Ted would approve of the "state of the hobby" . . .

It's strong and doing well...you can't ask for more than that...

My very best regards - Howard

Janet W:

I as well am thinking of Ted on this day, with sorrow at his leaving us but with joy that I had the privilege to have him in my life. Thank you Kathi for starting this day off with your tribute and to everyone who has written a remembrance.

I have attached excerpts of emails that he sent me back in 2007. My part of the conversation is not important but his reply was worthy of saving and sharing with you on this day.

I miss you Ted - Janet

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Ted Althof
In his own words
Friday, March 9, 2007
I have had some very plaintive letters about ?The Magic Window.? I don?t really collect anymore: enough is enough. My inner child has had his Christmas questions answered and I grow weary of running the site sometimes. But I hear things like you have said more than you could know.

I had one letter from a lonely woman some years ago that I cannot forget: - a salesperson ? always on the road with her laptop from one motel to the next ? who told me that the website was her home. She had no other really. A house, I guess, but, but she was seldom there and there was no one there to greet her ? just a place to keep things and get mail. The website was her refuge and solace on those endless, impersonal highways?.her only feeling of belonging anywhere.

I never dreamed the site would become a thing like that, but it has. It?s a bit scary that way. I have incurred a compelling responsibility about it that I can?t shrug off. It?s made of me a sort of ?Christmas Flying Dutchman,? and I guess I?ll just go sailing on and on?. What else can I do? Truth be known, it?s like that for me too.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

I think at times we are all selected to be temporary ?angels,? ? and shouldn?t miss those opportunities when they come. You never know when just the right word or tiny little deed you hardly even notice can make all the difference. Most times, we never even know when that has happened.

I didn?t know at the beginning ? or even for the first few years ? what a powerful effect the site would have. I though it was fairly trivial, even kind of silly thing in this world with all it?s huge problems ? but something made me do it and kept me at it. I only know that simple putz that Mom set up had never left me and I loved such things all through my life, even secretly behind the young man?s years of worldly cynicism and ambitions. I have only recently begun to realize what an important early influence it was ? how it started my pre-school child thinking about how the greater world outside was put together?. Sort of a ?Head Start ?ca. 1943.?

The tree and little world beneath was the sparkling ground and center of family love and community awareness from which the seed of me grew. I would see the homes of kids that didn?t have that and feel astonished and sorrowful for them. I think the custom is so important for young kids in the beginning of their socialization. Kids that have missed out on it have missed out terribly, I think, and may grow crookedly or be delayed in reaching a healthy spiritual maturity if they ever do at all.

I was so glad to see the site struck such a chord with so many others! The love of the custom has by no means died out, and if I can promote and expand it that is good in a world of violent video games and movies that threaten to distort our children. It is a gentle, loving thing ? and most kids will prefer that if it is available to them in the crucial years.

And the site has connected people! ? some of who may get to be ?temporary angels" for each other. Who knows where ripples will expand?

My website is a little thing, but big things are made of little things. The universe is made of atoms, and human beings from a single cell. Not many of us will build empires, but we can all do little things. The sum of all those little things makes up the world.

Your friend - Ted

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Thelma

I had a good laugh over the picture that came to mind when reading what Ted did to quiet his neighbors. It's always been this way when it came to Ted: in the midst of tears, we grin and laugh. God bless him, God bless us all, every one. -Thelma (Las Vegas)

Antoinette S:

G'night, Ted. Sweet dreams - Antoinette

Dianne G

As always, I'll be thinking of you, Ted, each year when I set up my wee Christmas Village. Thank you for bringing us all together - Dianne