“We did have very GOOD Christmas Holidays”

“Good Christmas Times are never ever Forgotten”

            “Christmas Memories” from 1942!”

 ME 1942 001                                                                                                       

More people like this picture of me, taken in 1942 – than so many others – that they send messages – just wanting more information –   in fact, saying that I do not write enough???

So, I thought that I would post this picture again, and tell you all about some of the “Christmas” activities,  that were good and great fun for us…  and remember … that  this is back and during those WWII years.

In the living room of this house, there was a  fine working fireplace… and on some  of  those days with that  much colder weather, my Father would start a fire.

As a very young child watching that fire  was  so exciting… just to see how those logs  were burning and those flickering flames… which would   just sparkle and there was a cozy atmosphere in the  living room that our whole family would get time to enjoy.

Some times,  just for more excitement in the fire,  my Mother would sprinkle some granules from this round can  and just so fast,  that fire would dance with all different kinds  of colors!

It was almost like watching the “fourth of July – fireworks” shooting up and into the sky… but everything had a way of flying up the chimney  and… we would kinda fall asleep,  just watching the fire dance as my Mother would be reading some real good stories…  as only she could, because  she could change her voice,  for the different types of people in the story!

One of  the best things that I remember,  and  this is again by the fireplace, my Father had a special  “pan” which had long handles…  seems that the top had small holes in it, and there was a hinge  to open it and somehow  “something”  that kept it from opening… when he would flip it around.

By now – you guessed what this was… a “Corn-Popper” –  do not know … if they are still available in the stores, today?  

My Father was a “CHEF” by trade and did most of the cooking in our home.

One of the amazing things we all remember is to watch him cook and… he would always have a cigarette in his mouth – he never took it out, and as he would be cooking – we all watch – just to see if any of it would fall into the food – as it all stayed in tack – curling over and just looking like… in just any moment  now,  there would soon… be a BIG mess! 

Getting back to the fireplace going… and we would be enjoying the “POP CORN” just as fast as Daddy would make it…  we were eating it!

Just before Christmas my father would bring home a fresh Christmas tree  that would be thick and full, because the lights that he would put on it  back then… were a much larger size lite, than  those  that  we use for the inside tree, today… and the size would really light up the tree and the whole room, as we  sure did  have  a very special “CHRISTMAS”  look…  to enjoy!

While Daddy was doing the big and heavy type of work…  My Mom  was helping us kids in the making  long chains of decorations …  mixing all the colors of the construction papers that she had cut in just the  correct size and lengths, for us to glue little circles, and  to keep  on adding to the chains as my Dad… would put  the long finished chains  up and on the tree.

We also made some other little decorations… these were small and had each of our own special designs,  some of these…  probably no one would even know what we were thinking of,   but each one was given all the highest of praises from my MOTHER … as she thought we were  making prize  winning pieces of art!

When we were  all done… our Christmas Tree was a “First  Prize Winner” … that is if anyone was giving out prizes?

Sometimes for Christmas, our Grandma  that  lived in OHIO  would come and stay with us for a week  with one  son, a brother to our DAD, who ever… was available to  do the driving  –

That UNCLE and AUNT  would  take turns doing  the driving… so that they didn’t need to stop to sleep on the way…  during those HOLIDAY VISITS .

We sure enjoyed having lots of fun and a whole lot of different things to do and see, way  back then! 

That’s what really makes Christmas… just having “FAMILY” …  living with you… for  just a week!     


Posted in Childhood, Family, Grandma, Today and tagged , with 3 comments.

Comments

  • Chris Haenicke says:

    Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.

    • Mary Ellen says:

      “Best of Wishes for this Christmas and these Holidays… so glad to see that you are still a reader of some of my old memories … and even some important stuff…Let all of those that might remember me…know that I am wishing for all of the best of best… to come to those, that can remember … all the best of times in their lives”

  • Alyssa says:

    These are wonderful, vivid childhood memories!!

    “As a very young child watching that fire was so exciting… just to see how those logs were burning and those flickering flames… which would just sparkle and there was a cozy atmosphere in the living room that our whole family would get time to enjoy.

    Some times, just for more excitement in the fire, my Mother would sprinkle some granules from this round can and just so fast, that fire would dance with all different kinds of colors!

    It was almost like watching the “fourth of July – fireworks” shooting up and into the sky… but everything had a way of flying up the chimney and… we would kinda fall asleep, just watching the fire dance as my Mother would be reading some real good stories… as only she could, because she could change her voice, for the different types of people in the story!

    One of the best things that I remember, and this is again by the fireplace, my Father had a special “pan” which had long handles… seems that the top had small holes in it, and there was a hinge to open it and somehow “something” that kept it from opening… when he would flip it around.

    By now – you guessed what this was… a “Corn-Popper”

    Your Dad’s family road-tripping in to stay the week, fresh pop popped corn, Christmas decorating with loving parents… 🥰 Happy Times!

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