A Christmas to remember

The Guernsey Girls circa 19290s, with husbands and children -- plus Alice and William

Christmas was always a big thing. Dad was forever locked in the basement building presents for all. We made presents ourselves and decorated boxes to put things in and made Christmas ornaments. We always had a small tree in our room, I suspect perhaps to confine all the homemade paper ornaments out of the living room and the big tree.

The first Christmas I remember was one that Mother lit the little swirled wax candles in their holders on our tree and told us to remember it well, as it would be the last time we'd decorate with candles for safety's sake. Under the tree we always had a little village placed on cotton batting to look like snow. The churches and the houses had lights in them and there was a skating pond (a mirror) with figures on the ice.

I learned that Santa was not a real person when I was six but kept it a secret for the next four years. My reward for this was being able to arrange “Santa's” toys, including my own, under the tree after Doris was in bed. I also got to share Santa's cookies and milk and put them on the mantle to look realistic. This made me feel quite grown up.

I can remember only one Christmas on the farm. Doris was only a few years old but young enough to be fooled by Aunt Esther's portrayal of Santa, complete with costume and beard. I recognized her voice, though she tried to change it. All our cousins were there. all my aunts were there with their husbands except Esther, not yet married and teaching school in Estacada, not far from Mt. Hood.

Grandpa stood at the end of the 'grownup's' table; only three of us older grandchildren were allowed to sit there, the rest had to sit at the children's table – resulting in a lot of cat-calling before being seated. We felt very important and shot “I told you so” glances at the others through dinner. With great pomp Grandfather sharpened his sterling silver-handled carving set and cut perfect thin slices from the 36-pound turkey, serving the youngest first in the tall stack of heated plates.

Grandmother sat surrounded by all the covered vegetable dishes and we passed our plates to be served our choice. The centerpiece was a low bowl of fresh holly. The cranberry jello salads were on individual salad plates and topped with small Santa's made of maraschino cherries and bits of marshmallows. There were tall glass pitchers of chilled cider and baskets of hot rolls and several boats of hot turkey giblet gravy to pass.

We would never forget this beautiful dinner, served with silver with a buttercup design, sparkling white china and napkins and a tablecloth of real damask. After the table was cleared the alcohol tea kettle was lit for the tea and then the finale came – a flaming Christmas pudding with brandy sauce and topped with a sprig of holly.

This was without a doubt the best Christmas for all us children.

From then on the grandparents wintered in Laguna Beach in southern California.