Friday, December 28, 2012

CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS (PART 3)



Shirley Jean was allowed to slip down and get her sock before everyone else was up. We only stipulated that it should not be too early morning. I put a book in the top of it, so as to keep her quiet till we were up. After breakfast she was allowed to take off gifts and hand them around and was delighted. It was another “skimpy Christmas,” with everyone well-remembered. Ina to Vance, January 1937

The fire in the fireplace was perking along merrily now, as if it caught Ina’s mood. She smiled to herself as she remembered the events of Christmas Day. A light sleeper, she heard Shirley Jean creeping downstairs at 5:00 a.m. The book in the top of her stocking did the trick, and she read quietly as she waited for the adults to get up, which began to happen about 7:00.

Ina’s favorite Christmas breakfast was doughnuts, and she made a big batch this morning and served them with fresh eggs and bacon. While Ethel and Shirley did the dishes, Ina set a beef roast in the oven for dinner. She had just begun to gather everyone around the tree when the phone rang -- two shorts and a long. It was Vance calling from Raymond. It eased Ina’s mind considerably to know that he was well, happy, and spending the holiday with friends. He asked if the box of greens had arrived, and she was sorry to tell him that it hadn’t. He was very disappointed, but she reassured him that it surely would come in the next day or so. Then Ina allowed the family to take turns talking to him while she kept an eye on the clock and moved them along. Phone calls were expensive.

Once again the little group settled in the living room. Shirley Jean was delighted when Ina appointed her to hand out the gifts. The adults chattered happily while waiting for her to finish her task. Then, starting with Shirley Jean, they took turns opening and showing their gifts.

Judging from what she received, Ina could see that times had improved for her children. Under Ethel’s direction, a collection had been taken – all six contributed -- and an area rug was purchased for the living room. Ina rehearsed her personal gifts in her mind, as she might report them to Vance:

Earle and Bernice sent us a plaque representing the covered wagon days. A wagon in the foreground and the train stretching beyond, the skull of an ox adds a touch of realism. It is about 8x10 and very interesting, looks fine on the mantel. They sent me a pen and pencil set in green. Myrtle sent Dad a bag of nuts and I put that in his sock. Shirley gave us a set of pretty plates in wild rose design [Homer Laughlin] and Shirley Jean gave us a sugar and creamer to match. I already had cups and saucers, platter and bowls in that design so feel pretty well fixed now for dishes. Ethel gave me a set of mixing bowls in heavy pink glass for my birthday . . .  Gene sent me a box of pretty handkerchiefs and Ben sent a box of stationery in a book-shaped box. Dad gave me pretty boudoir slippers, so I did well.

After the gift exchange, it was time to complete the preparations for Christmas dinner, set for 1:00. To ease the sting of not including “the Junes” in the opening of gifts, Ina had volunteered to provide the entire meal, but Bertha, who loved to cook, wouldn’t hear of it. She brought several rich side dishes as well as pumpkin and mince pies, with the result that the menu was large and varied. Everyone did justice to the meal until dessert. After such rich food, dessert was postponed till later.

When the dinner dishes were cleared away, Jack and June wandered off to do their evening chores while the women retired to the kitchen. They opened the oven door, made themselves comfortable in various poses, “let their hair down,” and visited for several hours. It was a lovely time of family togetherness – a memory to be treasured, thought Ina.

Christmas 1936 was fading away gradually. Oh! Had she nodded off? Ina made sure the dying fire was safe behind the screen and took herself off to bed. KW

[Norman Rockwell's "Santa Reading His Mail" was copyrighted in 1935. The picture of Vance at the piano was taken in Raymond, Washington, in 1937. The last illustration is vintage stickers.]

5 comments:

Leah said...

My grandmother used to make whole wheat donuts in the 1940's. They were dense, but really tasty. I've tried making donuts & found the experience frustrating. Donuts are very "touchy." Handle gently or they become little rocks. Maybe after years of practice I could have figured it out. I gave up after a couple of tries.

The closest I've come to grandma's whole wheat donuts are chocolate donuts sold at many donut shops. Funny thing about the whole wheat donuts. Grandma never made white bread and was very health conscious. In my mind, healthy food & fried donuts just don't go together.

Kathy said...

I think sometimes we don't fully realize what isn't good for us. Or, maybe we rationalize a bit for the food we can't quite give up.

Ina said, "Donuts and coffee never hurt anyone," and I figured that was a tongue-in-cheek comment. At the same time, she mailed donuts to Vance when he was in boot camp, and they must have been inedible rocks when he got them.

Chris said...

Boy, there are times when I don't think anything we eat is good for us! So much info, and much of it changes with the passage of time. Moderation, and fun once in a while. Donuts? Love them, so I seldom have them around because I'd eat every blasted one of them!!

Leah said...

Around Thanksgiving there was a commercial on TV about Pumpkin Donuts at Dunkin Donuts. When I googled DD website, I found that there is only one store in California! It's at Camp Pendelton Marine Base in San Diego county & only the military is allowed. I was both frustrated & relieved. What did I need with those yummy donuts anyway? Saved by a DD marketing decision. Whew!

Kathy said...

I had never heard of Dunkin' Donuts until I worked in Boston (1972-74). My roommate and I fell into a routine of stopping at Dunkin' Donuts before work every morning for a donut and hot chocolate. Eventually that had to stop and we went to another place for bagels and cream cheese, which had to be better. (I had never heard of bagels either.) And finally we had to give it up altogether and cook breakfast at home -- grapefruit juice, one egg, and one slice of bacon for each of us.