Christmas Remembered | Grandma’s Stories

Dec 22nd Christmas Remembered

Wait! Christmas is coming – you have to be good – If you are not good – you’ll get a lump of “coal” in your stocking! That’s no idle threat! Did you hear anything like that when you were a kid?

In the early 40’s, to heat the house, some people had furnaces that required someone to shovel coal into the furnace – and getting a couple of lumps coal would tell all your friends – that you were a very bad kid all year! And, I never heard of any of my friends receiving lumps of coal?

Those were the days when the Mailman delivered mail, two (2) times a day, and sometimes, someone riding a bike from Western Union – showed up with a Telegram. And, these were not always good news! Some windows along our street had a small oblong “Flag” hanging with a gold star or two – Gold – black – blue colors. I’m thinking we had one in our window, when my Dad was working aboard the ships in California.

I used to like to watch out the front window for the “Mailman” for we always received mail! One letter sent to me, had sand from the beaches – pasted along the bottom – just so I would know what the sand looked like in California. My Dad said they had so much – that they would not care if I had some?

It’s amazing how much mail we were receiving – – something each time – morning and afternoon.

Everybody sent Christmas Cards with newsy letters inside – and they only cost , “three cents!”