DAY 18 -- INA AND SADIE'S EXCELLENT FARMHOUSE CHRISTMAS

The world was beautiful in its snowy white finery, but the roads had been cleared allowing for travel to and from town. Miss Johnson sent word last night that school would resume today, so Jack carried Sadie over to the schoolhouse on old Taft, the horse.

Some children might have pouted about having to return to school, but not Sadie. She was anxious to practice for the pageant. And Ina was definitely relieved to be able to finish her cards and pack her boxes for mailing. Jack carried the remainder of their Christmas cards and a box addressed to daughter Pearl to the mailbox today.

For the real Ina, the essence of her Christmas celebration were gifts and cards. I would say she began to plan the gifts in September or October when harvest was over. Traditional holiday goodies were not her thing. She might have made her mother’s recipe for pork cake (which she admitted she didn’t really like), the family gingersnap recipe, doughnuts for Christmas breakfast, and taffy-coated popcorn. With her sister, Bertha, now, it was a different thing. She would try new recipes, and even Ina pronounced Bertha’s cooking “very good.”

 

On Christmas Eve – or perhaps the eve of Christmas eve – the living and dining rooms could be decorated with fir boughs. My dad, Vance, living in Raymond, Washington, would send a swag for the door and beautiful holly. One year he included red candles. “How do you think of such things?” wrote Ina. “It must be what they call having an imagination.”

Research shows that even in those days, the post office encouraged early mailing, but neither Ina nor her offspring appear to have practiced that. Christmas was to happen at Christmastime, so the boxes of gifts arrived right on time, or even late. They didn’t seem to worry about it. “Your box extended the season for us,” Ina would write.

Now, when did Ethel say they would arrive? Oh yes, Sunday the 22^nd. That would be good because Ina was used to preparing a big Sunday meal. Bringing another man to the table, the food wouldn’t stretch as far, but that was all right. With Christmas coming, there would be plenty of food on hand.

When Jack brought Sadie home from school, he had with him a pile of cards and letters from the mailbox. As soon as Sadie was ready for bed, the three of them sat at the table to admire the cards and hear the glad tidings for Christmas and the New Year. KW