I think my father made a decent salary as I always had nice clothes and toys and always had a loving Christmas. My mother decorated even when she lived alone until she died at age 92. We lived in an apartment building in New York City and I couldn't figure out how Santa could come because we had no chimney and mom took me to the window and showed me our fire escape. She said he'd park the reindeer there and come thru their bedroom window. And he always did.
I especially remember the smell of the Christmas tree and how I loved when my father got out the Noma bubble lights.