Christmas gifts in the attic
The magical window of my childhood belief in a Santa Claus was only a brief one. Even at the young age of five, I remember wondering how it was possible for all of the department stores and malls to have Santa Claus at their specific location at the very same time. I couldn’t imagine how one man, even if he had an army of supposed helper elves, could possibly deliver presents to children all over the world in one night. I also noticed how my wealthier friends often got more expensive gifts than our family did. Why did the poor kids end up with nothing at all? Was Santa only catering to the wealthy? Santa was supposed to come down your chimney and leave you your Christmas gifts. We had no fireplace in our house at all, yet we still got presents. And even if we did have a a chimney, how could such a fat man fit down one in the first place? These and similar thoughts started extremely early for me, and I wondered why other kids bought all of this malarky.
The observation that nailed the door closed on idealistic fantasies about Santa Claus and solidified my realist-cynic approach to Christmas was because my parents were not very good at hiding our presents. I would often see many of our gifts unwrapped at the bottom of Mom’s closet, or in the attic. I also saw Easter candy long before the “bunny” arrived, so that illusion was blown early as well. When I was six years old I remember being awoken on Christmas eve by the sound of the attic stairs opening. My father built the pull down stairs to our attic facing the bedroom my brother and I shared. He had to open the door to our room to get up into the attic. I clearly heard my mother’s and father’s clumsy attempts at putting out our presents most years. They were often punctuated by their usual irritation with each other. “Frank don’t forget the ones for Kathy.” “Hurry it up, I want to get to bed already.” “ What are you trying to do, break my arms.” “Wait for me to put these down first!” I would have had to have been a complete imbecile to still buy the magic Santa Claus story after all of these theatrics.
While I was solidifying my recognition of the un-truths of Christmas, many of my dopey friends still believed in Santa Claus. Apparently they were not “blessed” with the mind of a detective and happily enjoyed their delusions. I found myself feeling it was my duty to burst their bubbles early on. When I told them the truth they would often disagree at first and be mad at me. Eventually they would realize I was right. Still, I often reminded them that it would be wise to play along with the charade. The benefits of pretending to believe in all of the Christmas crapola were numerous. A good, sweet, oblivious child performance could bring tremendous rewards. I had no issue with pretending to be a dumb, naive little kid for adults and I made sure my friends were smart enough to do the very same thing.
While my parents didn’t do an ideal job of giving us the illusions of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny when it came to the holidays, they did a great job in other ways. While a lot of the presents Mom (Santa) bought us were mediocre, lame stuff from church bazaar's and clearance sales and not what we really wanted, she put in some real effort. She had seven children and that was a lot of presents to buy. She always got us at least one or two things that were on our Christmas lists. Opening our presents on Christmas morning was always really fun. Even when I knew what half of the gifts already were because I saw them or snooped around, I always enjoyed the process of opening the presents just the same. The excitement of opening gifts was really fun and my parents made a point to make sure we had the experience.
We had some wonderful Christmas traditions we always followed. For many years we got a real tree (until I was about 17 when they finally opted for a fake one). We baked cookies and decorated the house, and some years we made gingerbread houses. We decorated our tree together weeks before actual Christmas and sometimes made Christmas ornaments and even strung popcorn. We hung lights outside, listened to Christmas albums, watched Christmas specials like Mr. Magoo’s Christmas, A Year Without a Santa Claus, and A Christmas Story. We did Christmas up in a big way every year. There are still boxes of Christmas pictures and hundreds of great memories and funny stories associated with all of them. December was a really cold time in New York, but we had warm traditions in our home.
While I missed out on believing in Santa Claus and many of the other holiday illusions, I got to experience elements of family and holidays that really mattered. The cohesiveness of a family and celebrated traditions were priceless. We learned about giving and receiving and developed a healthy sense of the importance of all of it. When I was a kid, and even into my teen years, I would often get up in the middle of the night and look at the presents under the tree (the Christmas eve gifts we bought for each other were often wrapped and left out under the tree weeks before). Some nights I would clear a space and lay underneath the tree for an hour or so. I would turn on the lights on the tree and feel the soft white sheet we placed underneath it. The smell of the tree, the twinkle of the lights and the excitement of things to come were only a part of why I loved doing this. Some wiser aspect of me knew I would only be a child for a short time and I wanted to fully allow myself to feel every moment of it. I was safe and loved in a family and I knew I was blessed. I sensed that I had lived other lives in different families, times, and places that were not as wonderful when it came to my experiences in this family. I also knew that there were people all over the world that did not get to experience many of the things I was so blessed to have. I had friends with more “troubled” families who would have been thrilled to have what I had. So I savored those moments underneath the colorful lights of our Christmas trees. I allowed myself to be happy and I completely immersed myself into childhood and the magic of Christmas. The great things connected with Christmas were never about believing or not believing in Santa Claus. They were all about honoring and enjoying one of the best parts of my childhood.
Jim Ventura 10-2011
An extra new story from my upcoming book My Cast of Characters. Some of the stories are already posted over on my BuyMeaCoffee.com site!
Cast of Characters/42 Smashing Great Art
While it wasn’t as frequent as we have liked it to be, on occasion my mother would come up with an afternoon where the three youngest kids would do something together. She would get inspired by something she read in Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, or similar magazines and we would do something fun and creative. Generally it would be a project that could be made inexpensively with materials already in the house, or easily acquired. She once found a recipe for creating home made clay and suggested we could lay out newspaper all over our dining room table and make little animal sculptures or whatever we wanted out of it. Especially for me, already a budding artist, it was really exciting that she was encouraging us to flex our creative muscles.
I was about ten, my little sister was eight, and my brother Franklin was about twelve. Ruth and I were excited, but as usual Franklin did it begrudgingly and held tightly to his preteen angst and hatred of our family. Still, I could see that he was happy to be included in the project and to get any acknowledgement from our busy mother. It probably made him a little happy even if he was stubbornly set on not showing it.
We sat around all afternoon and sculpted little dogs, cats, squirrels, turtles, and other creatures. Franklin was really into reptiles so he exclusively made snakes, lizards, frogs and other similar creatures. It actually was really fun and just knowing mom put it together for us felt like love. We listened to seventies music on the radio and sculpted happily for hours. The next step was to put our sculptures in the window sill to dry faster. Ruth carefully put hers in her bedroom window. Franklin and I were sharing a bedroom that had two windows so we each used one windowsill and placed our amazing art to dry. The plan was that we could paint them if we wanted to the next day.
My brother and I hated sharing that room and each other though. We had endless arguments about space and his live reptile tanks were everywhere and it did not smell good in our small room. I haven’t any clue what I did or said to my miserable brother but a few hours later I noticed one of my animal sculptures was deliberately smashed on my windowsill. There was no doubt about who did this, so I retaliated and smashed one of his about an hour or so later. This inevitably went back and forth with him smashing one of mine and then me sneaking in and smashing one of his. This continued all day until all of our artistic afternoon’s work were completely destroyed.
When Ruth found out she was very fearful that one of us would smash hers. But not only was she not part of this feud, her stuff was crap, after all she was only eight. The whole thing was really idiotic. Neither of us knew how to handle our anger and both of our actions were childish, but we were kids. My brother and I inevitably learned to get along as we got older. Still, no surprise, he at times just gets angry with me and cuts off communication for a few months, sometimes even for a few years at a time. Thankfully he doesn’t live close enough to me to come over and smash things in my home, so my creative skills happily flourish.
5-2025 Jim Ventura
“If you made a list of all the things you could be thankful for, the list would undoubtedly be linger than your misfortunes.” Catherine Pulsifer
Notes
The early fall was truly a season of tests and challenges. Fortunately there were far more times of notable bliss for me than actual challenges. I see it as a similar refection of the world at large for many, although many might see my perspective in reverse! I completed a refi on my condominium home with the help of a hard working, reliable loan officer (Contact me for his info if you are thinking of this or similar, truly excellent skills and he can work in many states) here in Phoenix. Most of the summer was a rough ride to get this refi (rarely easy for those who are self employed, banks are not fans of this) but it ended in success. I was able to keep quite a bit of my home’s equity while also able to pay off all of my other debts. Like so many people in the last few years, credit card debt was an issue for me but that has now turned around. This has put me in a far better space financially and energetically (Taurus rising; any limits on a sense of security are very uncomfortable!). Letting go of credit card debt with insane almost thirty percent interest rates was life changing. I am not only dealing with more ease but also beginning to slowly look into investing again. This current positive energy feels a bit like my life in the mid to late nineties, and a number of other times when the economy was strong and life was far easier for me financially. The main testing part of the late summer was relentless rain for two weekends here in Phoenix that caused roof leaks in two of my rooms. While inevitably covered by the HOA’s insurance policy and other built in safe guards, the level of hassle with this was extremely uncomfortable, and really tested my patience. Thankfully it is in the process of getting resolved.
An added benefit to my current more solid space in life, is I am also now able to start slowly building for my long time plan of either opening my own animal rescue in a few years, or to help fund one that already exists. This is in part to honor my mother who truly loved rescuing animals, and helped to feed that that selfless joy in me as well. A portion of every payment for sessions beginning in 2026 will start going to this fund.
As I begin my personal “4” year combined with the universal year of “1” in numerology I am going to make other stable changes. The year ahead involves putting more energy into fixing up my home and expanding my reach on social media to bring in new clients, subscribers, and those interested in classes. While I am for the most part not raising my session rates for 2026, I am going to be a bit more firm even strict about a few areas where I have been far too accommodating, at my expense. While I on occasion make human mistakes with screwing up session times, having to change session times, billing, etc... these are for the most part rarities for me. Unfortunately I have noticed some clients in the last few years that got excessive with things that are a hassle for me to deal with: far too many missed appointments, reschedules, clients taking to long to pay for sessions, not answering emails with calendar options for weeks and even months at a time when regular clients are due for their next scheduled sessions, and the extremely annoying endless requesting calendar availability and never actually booking. This is just a few things that have been become tiring and just too commonplace. Everyone at times may have to do some of these things (life can get hectic) but this is directed to people who do some of this stuff far too often!
I will require prepayments for clients who are too excessive with these types of actions. I will no longer offer Regular Client discount rates to clients who have signed up for the program unless the schedules are actually reasonably followed. The services and commitment to the program are valuable and need to be respected. Unless there is an understandable reason for a missed session, prepaid sessions will simply be lost. Non- regulars who still have sessions approximately once or twice a year will continue to get a $10 discount off current rates, and can also use birthday special invites. Added note: I have purged quite a few people from birthday special invites already though. If you have not booked a session for yourself (birthday session year overviews are particularly a really great time to get a session for many different reasons!) or thoughtfully purchased a gift session for a friend or family member during the notably discounted gift option period in the last five years, you have or will be taken off future invites. I am prioritizing healthy boundaries for myself in my life and my business. This is part of helping to teach others to value themselves and the work they do as well!
There will also be some added perks ahead. Current Regular Clients will not see any rate increases. Joining this program has so many benefits, so ask for info about doing so if interested. I am keeping the added $5 cash or check discount for in-office clients, and while email is still the best way to book, texting is now also an option. I know that some people prefer a few more options for booking. I have also added a full audio tarot interpretation series to my BuyMeaCoffee.com/Venturawora site. I have recently started adding audio files of the Michael teachings! I cannot overemphasize the benefits in learning a little or a lot about these teachings, it will change your life. About sixty five percent of everything on the site is free. The added purchase of “buying me a few coffee’s” ($5 each) every few months or even once or twice a year, gives access to so much more. The other option is to become a supporter. This is only $60 a year, and gives access to everything on the site. It also includes the ability to book personal sessions. You may book as many or just a few and still receive the quarterly regular rates. This is a good option for those who have difficulty keeping on a specific schedule! This other perk is the ability to buy (up to four a year) gift sessions for friends and family.
I took some time off from work on my Patreon site Patreon.com/MyCastofCharacters. I am creating new material again and posting both new material, and stories from my archives. Similar to my “coffee” site it has a similar structure of about sixty five percent free material, and with purchase or support gives you full access. This is where I post funny stories (written and audio) of childhood, crazy, and wonderful friends, family theatrics, and a host of other humor stories. I also (while still being built) have created my new website at JVentura44.com.
I am offering a December special (begins on Thanksgiving 2025) after any session booked for yourself you can purchase an added (up to three) gift sessions for yourself or friends and family to use anytime in 2026 at a $20 discount for each purchased session.
Wishing everyone a happy holiday season ahead. Cheers, Jim V
New Client Special 2025:
January 1st 2025 thru November 16th, 2026 Special:
New Client introductory offer: $10-15 off listed rates! A $10 discount off of all 45 minute, 70, or 90 minute sessions. Debit and credit card payments accepted for all 45, 70, and 90 minute sessions. Local in-office clients may choose an extra $5 discount off the current rates for cash or check payments for sessions! Pricing is at the end of this newsletter or just request a session and availability calendar. If you want to buy a new client a thoughtful gift of a session you can also take advantage of these rates and use the above discounts!
“Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.” Anonymous
“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” Edith Wharton
Channeled corner. I read many, many books from different trance channelers in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. Unfortunately many of them are now out of print, but I still have a huge collection and will share some of the best material I have collected over the years.
Q. If you have a destiny, where does reality creation fit in? To what extent does destiny predetermine your reality?
Lazaris: You do have a destiny, if you so choose. This is how it fits together: There is no sense of predetermination in the fullest extent of that word. Your life in not really mapped out for you. It’s not laid out so neatly. What is true is that between lifetimes you, as a consciousness, go through a whole lot of growth. You experience the death process, being dead, going to heaven and those sort of things.
Then you get tired of it and realize, ‘Is this all there is?’ Then all the backdrops fall away, and you get to work. You start reviewing the lifetime that you finished. You review it in retrospect and in relationship to the other lifetimes that are all concurrent. Then you decide whether you want to move through your growth without returning to physical form or if you want to pick another lifetime to experience.
In that process of picking another lifetime, what happens is that you create broad strokes. You decide you want to learn about this, and this, and this, and you want to experience that. You create what we call the broad strokes of your life, the broad, sweeping gestures in your energy. Then you enter into this life. Your consciousness, your massive consciousness, all of a sudden confines itself in this infant body, and you forget all of what went before. You don’t remember. Well, some children do remember for awhile, but they soon forget. The amnesia sets in, and they forget.
You have there broad strokes in your life. You decide, for example. ‘I’m going to come from broken home. I’m going to have a broad sweeping illness here.’ Or, ‘I’m going to grow up and deal with love in such a way as to have several very hurtful relationships.’ You decide on those broad strokes. You also have things you want to accomplish in the lifetime. ‘I want to learn this and accomplish that, and I want to be of service in this way or that way, or whatever.’ But every moment you can change it.
For example, maybe you put a broad, sweeping stroke in your life that you were going to have a tragic accident and be crippled. As you approach that time, you change your mind. ‘I don’t want to do a tragic accident, I’m going to change this.’ You don’t have the tragic accident, and then your whole lifetime changes, absolutely it does.
You have free will, at any moment, either to accept the pre-decided, sweeping generalities in your life, or to change them. If you accept the broad, sweeping generalities, you still have to fill in the day-in and day-out existence where indeed you exert your free will, where you create that reality.
You see, you are the one who is creating the broad strokes, and therefore you can change them. When we talk with many of you, as well you know, we psychically tell you what’s going to be happening, what you’re creating, what you’re generating. Basically what we’re telling you is the blueprint that you’ve laid out for yourself. You have decided what you are going to create, and therefore you’ve laid out a blueprint, like an architect...
From Lazaris Interviews book One Jach Pursel
“Spirituality is not a religion or a trend-it is a lifestyle. It is a lifestyle of awareness that combines the understanding of faith, body, mind, and soul, allowing us to live modern-day enlightened lives in small and big ways.” Emma Mildon
December Gift certificates Special: $10-$20 off all sessions!
The holidays are approaching. Give a gift to someone you love that they will really appreciate: a reading/personal session with Jim Ventura. All gift certificates purchased from November 26th 2025 until December 31 st. 2025 will be at a discounted rate for all of the clients who are currently on my mailing list (receiving Snake Oil or following me on Face-Book or LinkedIn).
Special rate:
$10.00 off my current listed prices for any 45, 70, or 90 minute sessions (whether for yourself of for a gift). And, if you purchase 2 gift certificates (or decide to purchase a follow up session for yourself to use in the coming year after a session at this time ) the second gift certificate is $20 off my listed prices. If you purchase a third one it is also $20 off! A maximum of three session gift certificates may be purchased at this time at thew discounted rates.
Price list for services are at the end of this newsletter and on my website. The gift certificates are good for one full year and can be used any time in December 2025 and all of 2026. I will either mail them to you or, if you prefer, mail them directly to the people who you want to receive them (snail mail or email). You may want to buy a gift certificate(s) for friends, family or for yourself to be used anytime in 2026. Sessions can be in-office or by phone or Face-Time (for i-phone users) for out-of-area clients.
Here’s my contact information to make an appointment for a session, or information on current classes: Email: Venturasag@yahoo.com (BEST method for contact).
text only: (602) 349-0746 Phone calls: (602) 957-3035
Information about the different sessions and types of readings, classes and services, past Snake Oil columns, can be found at BuyMeaCoffee.com/VenturaWora (both on the site info and gift sessions available in the shop section).
Website: JVentura44.com
“Friend” me on Facebook to get other extra offers and in between column extras! Signing up for my fan page will get you even more extras and first shot at reading specials. Simply click on “like” on the fan page and you will automatically get my weekly updates.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jim-Ventura/110567902293371?ref=hl
I also have a few other media channels other than Face-Book:
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel (approximately once a month 6-12 minute videos) at J Ventura Snake Oil.
Instagram at Venturawords ( Astrology updates and other insights generally on short 90 second reels)
Tik Tok (animalspeaks) where I do short but powerful 2-8 minute videos about how to use animal totems and spirit animals, and a number of other metaphysical topics.
All personal sessions/readings for late 2025 and all of 2026 are: Full session (70 minutes) $125.00; Shorter session (45 minutes) $95.00; Extended session (90 minutes) $150.00, Mini phone session 15-20 minutes $45. Email me for information about my Regular Client Program for even bigger discounts on session prices with the added benefit of monthly or quarterly check-ins. Purchasing 3 prepaid sessions also brings sizable discounts. Some examples; 3 prepaid 45 minute monthly sessions is $155 total or about $52 a session. 3 prepaid quarterly 70 minute session are $245 or about $82 a session.
