Grandma Ina is spending Christmas in Portland with her daughter, Myrtle (also called Lynn in those days). She writes about Christmas shopping in downtown Portland:
. . . Lynn went out and got a nice little tree, just right for size and shape, and for only 25 cents, much to our surprise. Next day was fine and sunny and we went down town to do our last shopping. The shops were beautiful with all sorts of gay and clever Christmas displays. The markets were a dream of luscious foods, and I wished for Dickens to describe them for me; turkeys, geese, ducks, fat chickens, beef roasts and cuts of all kinds, hams, bacon, pork roasts and chops, cranberries as big as cherries, bags and baskets of nuts (the biggest walnuts and filberts I ever saw), jars of mincemeat, pies, cakes, and cookies of every sort, baskets filled with the finest fruits, and all wrapped in colored cellophane. I kept falling behind to admire things, while Lynn went blithely on her way among the happy people.
We got a small young chicken, ripe olives, cranberries, huge filberts, and some holly sprigs to make it complete; all this to be added to our supplies at home. About noon we went into Mannings (tea and coffee importers) who have a fine lunch room and serve their famous coffee. We had Scotch scones and coffee at a little table and rested. Got home about 3:30, tired and happy. I had captured the Christmas spirit which had eluded me for some time past.
That evening we set up the tree and put boughs and sprigs of holly on the pictures and curtains. The tree had too many boughs for our purpose and so it furnished decorations too. We made the tree gay with stars, beads, and silver rain, then tied tiny packages and red bows of cellophane on to complete the picture. Other packages were piled around the tree which stood on the table in front of the windows in the living room. We retired late, and wished each other a Merry Christmas, for it was after twelve before we slept. We arose late next morning, and after a leisurely breakfast and some clearing up, lighted the tree with old fashioned candles. After admiring it for a while, we opened our presents.
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