INA PREPARES GOODIES FOR CHRISTMAS – DAY 17

Ina’s letters to my dad are some of my favorite holiday reading. I never tire of imagining her bustling about her farmhouse home, doing all the little things that make Christmas meaningful for others. They were little things by today's standards, and yet, I find them meaningful in their simplicity. 

This section in which Ina describes Christmas preparations (1934) is an inspiration to me because none of her children were home that year. She wrote to son Vance as follows:

Ina' Fireplace

“Well, to continue and go on, after one late dinner I made donuts for I must have fresh donuts for Christmas, and you know 'do-nuts and coffee never hurt anyone.' That evening after all was cleared away, Dad popped two kettlefuls of lovely corn and we sugared one and put taffy over the other. We heaped a large platter with balls till Dad said, 'Oh, that’s enough,' for he wanted some left to eat. Well, I sent him off to the living room to eat and read.

“Then I prepared my dressing and sweet potatoes for the morrow and put my buns to rise, for I’d baked light bread and roasted beef too. At last, I repaired to my seat before the fire with a pan of sugared corn, nuts and candy and filled eleven little Christmas boxes for the tree.

“Then I fell upon the boxes [of received gifts]. Ethel’s was wrapped with green string and I cut this off to tie on packages, being foolish about green string for my tree packages . . . The packages were all so pretty and I had a great time -- hung them on the tree and under it.” KW