INA'S CHRISTMAS MEMORIES, 1937

Pearl sent a framed photo of her family group. Their losses precluded Christmas buying as she’d told me, and anyway much isn’t necessary. – Ina, 1934

[So true -- "much isn't necessary." And I think a picture, framed or not, makes a lovely gift. I have never seen the photo in question. The photo here was undoubtedly taken in the 1920s when Stanley was younger. KW]

Continuing her reminiscence, Ina says: Christmas morning found me enjoying a good nap until Dad awakened me with a “Merry Christmas,” whereat I rose tardily to begin my 1934 Christmas. Dad went to “feed the chores” and I began to fix breakfast: biscuits and sausage for him; beefsteak, cream gravy, and light bread for me – also grapefruit, cereal, cranberries, and honey oranges. I gave our dog Dick a generous breakfast of meat scraps, etc., and the cats also with liver to top it off, and I wished them all a “Merry Christmas.” I then fell to work and was all done and dressed and fixing my apples for salad when the guests came.

My nieces, Ruth and Doris, helped me light the tree and arrange seats. It looked very pretty and everybody seemed to enjoy themselves. The girls set the table and made themselves generally useful. Mrs. Cordell and my sister Bertha helped in the kitchen. Bertha also helped me out by dressing a fat young rooster and bringing it ready for the roaster. She also insisted on making pies since I had my hands full. One each of mince and pumpkin would be plenty, I said, but no – here came two each and ginger cookies frosted. She’d tried a new recipe.

So, we had mince and pumpkin pie with whipped cream; ginger cookies; fruitcake and doughnuts with fruit and whipped cream for that; coffee; oranges; and nuts and candy besides the after-dinner mints. Well, we just parceled out the leftovers. Mr. Boehm got half of each kind of pie. I believe Mrs. Cordell got a whole pie, some donuts, cookies, and buns. Bertha got the remains of the roast, buns and doughnuts, and this is how we do.

It was a good day. KW