Pearl wrote us Dec. 26. They had a big
Xmas, and she sent turkeys and plum puddings around to various ones . . . -- Ina
Another sunless dull day at Gilbert.
Sewing was easier on a sunny day since they had to rely on natural light, but
Ethel pressed on with her project to make gingerbread boy costumes from a pattern for "drop seat" pajamas.
“Pocketa whir, pocketa whir, pocketa whir,” sang the old treadle sewing machine.
One costume finished – on to the next. [If the timeline bothers you, just think
of a romance novel or a Hallmark movie, where gargantuan tasks are performed in
the blink of an eye. Just wish it happened for me.]
Ina was busy wrapping gifts for
daughter Pearl, their eldest child, living in northern Alberta with her husband
and son. That box would need to be mailed in a day or two. Ina took much
pleasure in putting on her thinking cap and providing such gifts from her
storehouse as might be appreciated by the recipient – premiums from the
purchase of seed and feed, books, quilt tops, aprons, popcorn, etc. It was a
given when Pearl married and moved far away that they would see her
infrequently and never at Christmas. Ina was resigned to this but still missed
her. 
This evening, Ethel helped Sadie memorize
her part for the play. KW
I have been racking my brain trying to remember if we did Christmas programs back in elementary school and simply don't remember. Did we??
ReplyDeleteYou know, I just didn't relate this to my own experience. I don't remember an all-school Christmas play or program either, but I do remember attending a Christmas program at my children's elementary school where each class performed.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't know that they ever had a play at the Dickson School either. It pretty much comes out of my imagination.
When I was teaching we had a "Holiday Program" each year by the lower grades just before Christmas break. Then the 4th and 5th did one in the spring, featuring U.S. history (most notably "The Burly Crew"--the story of Lewis and Clark), and the 6th grade did one called "The Monster Mash" each Halloween. The music teacher was in charge of each of these programs and we teachers just provided the performers!
ReplyDeleteSeems like we had a page to each year in elementary school. Each grade stood on the bleachers and sang two or three Christmas songs. Maybe they broke it up by primary and secondary grades. I also remember the year Clinton was in the Nutcracker.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I remember Clinton in the Nutcracker, too. I also remember the year we sat in the balcony and Clint sang along with the songs the groups were singing. And the year that Milo was supposed to sing a solo line and missed his cue. (So Milo!)
ReplyDelete