Wednesday, June 02, 2004
DECEMBER 1958....
Christmas month!! It’s magic. In thinking back to 1958 I remember how refreshing it was to not see Christmas everywhere until December. The lighting of the Plaza was the kick-off and then it roared in with gusto and over-night, Christmas was everywhere. Just walking around the Plaza was a delight to the children for the stores were the best showcase of Kansas City. Standing in line to see Santa was always a ‘must’ and it was as much fun for the parents who enjoyed the reactions of their children. Some cried hysterically, others were in total awe, some were captivated with his flowing white beard and others were fascinated with his “Ho, Ho, Ho !!!” The “true believers” looked upon him as the one who would REALLY bring their hearts desire and were very serious with their visit on his lap.
Our tree was always put up right after Thanksgiving because I wanted the children to have a lot of time to enjoy it. It was such fun to make the trip to the store to pick out our tree. Of course it was always narrowed down by the price and once that was decided on it was important to get one that didn’t have a thin or flat side to it. We mostly left that up to daddy who we figured would have the best idea about trees. Three little faces would stand proudly in line at Van’s Store as we paid for our tree hoping the check-out lady would notice how pretty it was. The ride home was full of expectation because once home, we could begin our decorating.
I had an old box of generic lights and ancient decorations that mom had given me after they quit having large trees at Christmas. Mom usually had a small table type of some kind so we inherited the stuff that had been used at home. Each year we would buy a few new pretty ones and discard some of the old ones. Finally the lights had to go and we had strings of new ones that we just sat and looked at. It was always daddy’s job to get the stand out of the garage and while we all held it erect he would fasten the screws into the trunk. Water was poured in carefully and it became everyone’s job to notice when the tree needed more water.
After that was finished we were ready to begin !! The lights were always strung by daddy and I disseminated the balls and decorations to each child. They had a few of their very own given as gifts at times so they were always hung by each owner. After that the rope was hung and then the tinsel. George Jr. was meticulous with hanging the tinsel. Becky and John soon found the job to be too tedious and would end up tossing their last handful at the tree. This always caused George Jr. to admonish them sternly because he liked perfection in the decorating. It never did him any good because it always ended the same way but at least he tried. He would always pull out the wads of tinsel and hang it carefully until he was finished. I don’t remember ‘which’ year it was but one year I decided tinsel would not be used anymore. The commercial trees were bedecked in all types of categories, colors and themes…..after years of picking tinsel off the trees after the New Year I declared it was the last. That year the tinsel went out with the tree. We never had tinsel again.
Decorating the tree was always followed with hot chocolate, cookies and fudge. We would turn all the other lights off and sit and eat our goodies by the tree admiring our handiwork. It was so nice at the time to cuddle up by the tree and listen to the children talk about what they wanted Santa to bring. Who could disappoint such faith? In those years it was tough but if we couldn’t swing it Gramma Strain was always needing help with her shopping list. This particular year Gramma came to visit and come to think of it she usually came at Christmas after that. We would go shopping and she enjoyed every aspect of the season. This year she got Becky the doll she was wanting and I have a picture in the photo album of her sleeping with it Christmas night.
Miss Wardwell was the school music teacher and always had a program at Christmas. We went to that and enjoyed seeing our boy, George, going through his paces. The year before he had been a tin soldier and I had to sew red stripes down the outer side of his jeans. They had wooden guns, paper hats and material criss-crossed over their chest. They looked pretty authentic. This year he was wearing a bath-robe and cloth around his head as a shepherd boy. Becky and John always got excited when they spied George and would often say out loud….. “look mama….there’s GEORGE”….. of course being heard all over the gym but it only added to the excitement and laughter of other parents who understood.
George’s birthday was observed with a few neighbor children and Becky and John. I have pictures of them lined up on the opposite side of the table with the cake in front of them. As I look at it I see how devoid it is of fancy fare…..just the cake and the table and little smiley faces waving at the camera. George was eight that birthday.
Grandma Stricklett made flannel pajama’s for George and Becky every Christmas so they wore them to bed Christmas eve. John had pajama’s with the feet in because he was out of the brace now and loving all the things he hadn’t had because of it. We had a wonderful Christmas with Gramma Strain there and our gifts and a wonderful dinner. It was always potato soup on Christmas eve to represent humility for the baby Jesus and on Christmas day we had traditional ham with all the trimmings. We dressed in our Sunday clothes and enjoyed the bounty of our table. Christmas Past and Christmas Present only bring happy memories and I hope it is that way for all of you. Tiny Tim had it right….. “God Bless us, everyone.”
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
Our tree was always put up right after Thanksgiving because I wanted the children to have a lot of time to enjoy it. It was such fun to make the trip to the store to pick out our tree. Of course it was always narrowed down by the price and once that was decided on it was important to get one that didn’t have a thin or flat side to it. We mostly left that up to daddy who we figured would have the best idea about trees. Three little faces would stand proudly in line at Van’s Store as we paid for our tree hoping the check-out lady would notice how pretty it was. The ride home was full of expectation because once home, we could begin our decorating.
I had an old box of generic lights and ancient decorations that mom had given me after they quit having large trees at Christmas. Mom usually had a small table type of some kind so we inherited the stuff that had been used at home. Each year we would buy a few new pretty ones and discard some of the old ones. Finally the lights had to go and we had strings of new ones that we just sat and looked at. It was always daddy’s job to get the stand out of the garage and while we all held it erect he would fasten the screws into the trunk. Water was poured in carefully and it became everyone’s job to notice when the tree needed more water.
After that was finished we were ready to begin !! The lights were always strung by daddy and I disseminated the balls and decorations to each child. They had a few of their very own given as gifts at times so they were always hung by each owner. After that the rope was hung and then the tinsel. George Jr. was meticulous with hanging the tinsel. Becky and John soon found the job to be too tedious and would end up tossing their last handful at the tree. This always caused George Jr. to admonish them sternly because he liked perfection in the decorating. It never did him any good because it always ended the same way but at least he tried. He would always pull out the wads of tinsel and hang it carefully until he was finished. I don’t remember ‘which’ year it was but one year I decided tinsel would not be used anymore. The commercial trees were bedecked in all types of categories, colors and themes…..after years of picking tinsel off the trees after the New Year I declared it was the last. That year the tinsel went out with the tree. We never had tinsel again.
Decorating the tree was always followed with hot chocolate, cookies and fudge. We would turn all the other lights off and sit and eat our goodies by the tree admiring our handiwork. It was so nice at the time to cuddle up by the tree and listen to the children talk about what they wanted Santa to bring. Who could disappoint such faith? In those years it was tough but if we couldn’t swing it Gramma Strain was always needing help with her shopping list. This particular year Gramma came to visit and come to think of it she usually came at Christmas after that. We would go shopping and she enjoyed every aspect of the season. This year she got Becky the doll she was wanting and I have a picture in the photo album of her sleeping with it Christmas night.
Miss Wardwell was the school music teacher and always had a program at Christmas. We went to that and enjoyed seeing our boy, George, going through his paces. The year before he had been a tin soldier and I had to sew red stripes down the outer side of his jeans. They had wooden guns, paper hats and material criss-crossed over their chest. They looked pretty authentic. This year he was wearing a bath-robe and cloth around his head as a shepherd boy. Becky and John always got excited when they spied George and would often say out loud….. “look mama….there’s GEORGE”….. of course being heard all over the gym but it only added to the excitement and laughter of other parents who understood.
George’s birthday was observed with a few neighbor children and Becky and John. I have pictures of them lined up on the opposite side of the table with the cake in front of them. As I look at it I see how devoid it is of fancy fare…..just the cake and the table and little smiley faces waving at the camera. George was eight that birthday.
Grandma Stricklett made flannel pajama’s for George and Becky every Christmas so they wore them to bed Christmas eve. John had pajama’s with the feet in because he was out of the brace now and loving all the things he hadn’t had because of it. We had a wonderful Christmas with Gramma Strain there and our gifts and a wonderful dinner. It was always potato soup on Christmas eve to represent humility for the baby Jesus and on Christmas day we had traditional ham with all the trimmings. We dressed in our Sunday clothes and enjoyed the bounty of our table. Christmas Past and Christmas Present only bring happy memories and I hope it is that way for all of you. Tiny Tim had it right….. “God Bless us, everyone.”
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
