1965: Worked
at GE’s National Electric Lamp Assoc. Park in Cleveland to learn
lighting design. Also learned the history of Christmas tree lighting.
1971: Moved
to Denver. CO
1972: Became
the electrician for Historic Denver Inc. Built the portable electrical
system to feed “A Night in Old Denver” in Larimer Square
for five years, a city-wide street fair; to include rewiring Molly Brown’s
and the historic houses in Ninth Street Historic District in the Auraria
Higher Education Center.
1973: Started
collecting Christmas song history and antique Christmas lights. This
evolved into interviewing twenty of the folks who wrote or sang many
of our popular Christmas songs, to verify the historic facts of them.
1980: Helped
organize a national club of antique Christmas collectors, named “The
Golden Glow of Christmas Past.” Now we have 1,200 active members
who collect everything old that pertains to Christmas. Another 3,000
folks worldwide are also associated with us, joining in to celebrate
our 29th National convention this year.
1984: Moved
to Los Angeles to continue these “live” interviews, and
to learn the movie business. I worked in the aerospace industry at Rocketdyne,
where we built the Space Shuttle and its engines. A very exciting ten
years for technical Tom. I also collected a huge archive of Christmas
History.
Became friends with many of the people who wrote or sang
our Christmas songs.“
Developed original screenplay for “The American
Festival of Christmas.”
Commissioned paintings to be used as visuals, depicting
the creation of popular songs.
1994: Moved
back to Denver and more electrical work for Historic Denver, now one
of the largest historic preservation organizations in the Country. Commissioned
two more paintings, showing the birth of “Santa Claus is Comin’
to Town and “’Twas The Night Before Christmas”.
2001: Re
wrote the movie script, continuing to expand and refine it.
2002: Co-authored
a major book on the history of Christmas music. James A. Richliano published
the 460- page comprehensive, in-color coffee table book, now used in
some libraries as a historical reference.
