304. More Family Christmas Stories, first published Dec. 3, 2013, last year.
This was posted last year on December 3, 2013, as blog # 24. I hope you enjoy these family Christmas stories.
There are several stories about Christmas in our family, and you may enjoy these: ---- (The photos are different from last year.)
My mother, Ruth, was just 6 years old when her father passed away. In the summer of 1914, her father, John Butler Allen, got a sliver in his eye. Later a horse switched his tail and a long hair cut through his eye again. These accidents caused him gradually to go blind in that eye. The infection from this brought on Bright's Disease (the old-fashioned term for kidney problems). He suffered very much with the infection which now could be cured in a few days with antibiotics. He grew steadily worse until on October 26th, 1914, he finally passed away. There were 8 children in the family, the 9th child having died at just four and a half months, before Ruth was born. His wife was left with 8 children: Vina, the eldest was just 19 and Earl 17, and Adelia the youngest was only a year and 6 days old. The first steps she took were to walk across the floor to her father's casket.
This is a photo of the 8 surviving children of Levinah Emeline Wilson Allen, and John Butler Allen, my mother's parents. Their father had died many years previously, and this was taken in 1946, just after Levinah, their mother passed away. The parents are the inserts on the top. The top row are my mother's brothers, George, Philo, and Earl. The bottom row is Adelia (whom this little story is about), my mother Ruth, LaVern, Marsha, and Vina, the girls of the family.
Adelia, my aunt, was the youngest and darling of the family. She had beautiful red hair. During those difficult years, the family knew that Santa couldn't bring them anything for Christmas. Mother remembered one year each older member of the family saving a penny at a time, and they together collected 15 cents, and bought a small hand mirror for Adelia. That was the only gift any of them received that Christmas.
Now, to Christmases in my lifetime. One year when I was probably 4, Mother had put together a modest Christmas, and had it on a shelf in her bedroom. Late Christmas eve, she went to get them, and most of them weren't there! She came to my Dad, asking him if he knew anything about those gifts, and he said "Now, Ruth, I knew a poor family down the street that weren't getting much for Christmas. I figured our girls had enough and I gave some things to them." (That was so typical of my Dad -- to see someone in need, and quietly try to fulfill that need.) Mother was very frustrated, as it was late at night, and all the stores were closed. So our Christmas that year was sparse. I'm sure we children didn't notice any problem.
This is many years later. from left to right is my dad, Pratt (who was so generous!) Vina, her friend George, front, my mother Ruth, and me (Pal.)
The Christmas of 1969, (I think), when Allen was 8 years old, he really wanted a "Pull Out the Rug" game! It had come out the previous year, in 1968, and he thought it was so neat! It consisted of a plastic "Rug", around 12 inches square. Then there was a ladder upon which you would decide how many things you could stack on it before you dared to "Pull out the rug" -- the plastic rug -- and see if everything stayed on the ladder. The other stacking objects were small plastic objects, a banana, a bath tub, a bed, a boat, a foot, a grasshopper, a hat, a pistol, and a surfer -- plus a spinner. I don't remember how the spinner was used! It seemed so flimsy, Santa decided Allen would be happy with the usual boy toys.
Christmas morning came, and he was so terribly disappointed when he didn't find his prize game from Santa. He cried most of the day, so we told him "Maybe it fell off Santa's sleigh!" So the very next morning Santa went to the store, purchased the prized item, left it secretly in the front room, with a note saying it had fallen off Santa's sleigh. He was happy! We learned quite a lesson!
If any of you would like to watch a short video of someone pulling out the rug you can go to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55fNHs7MovU
A few years later, we had a wooden camper which fit on the back of our truck, which was round on the top, and could be used to take our family on "camp outs". Since we had several children who would really try to peek, and find out where Christmas things were stored, we would put them in the camper out in our car-port, as it was the only place around which we could lock. One year, a few days before Christmas we were checking our stash, and to our dismay most of the Christmas things were gone. I can't remember just what they were, but one was a lovely doll that one of our girls wanted. We mentioned it to some friends at Church. A young couple who were engaged to be married in February had started a bank account together to plan for their marriage. They must have discussed it together, and came to us with a check which covered all the things we had stolen! It was so much appreciated. I've wondered how many other thoughtful and charitable things that couple has done since then.
There may be other Christmas stories our children would remember which we probably could include, but as they years come and go, our memories become more dim.
In the past recent years, we have given several different books of family histories to our children and grandchildren, and have run out of something else that would be a legacy. We're hoping some things we write in this blog will fill in the gaps! I don't believe the stories above made it in our histories.
The older we get, we are trying much more to remember our Savior Jesus Christ, and celebrate His birthday, and all He did for us. We hope that is the focus in our extended family also. We always have read the Christmas Story in the Bible in Luke and Matthew on Christmas Eve. Below is a picture of Wayne and his siblings, except for his oldest brother, Floyd.
Left to right: Joyce Marie, Shirlene, Ronald, Wayne, Blaine, Ruby, June, and May. The four surviving are Joyce Marie, Wayne, Ruby, and June.
Enjoy your dear children while you can, and then enjoy your grandchildren! But the older you get, I guarantee you'll turn back to your siblings! I saw it with my mother, and see it with me and my sisters, and Wayne and his siblings. It is already coming with our children, some of whom are now empty-nesters! Life goes on! (And on, And on!)
There are several stories about Christmas in our family, and you may enjoy these: ---- (The photos are different from last year.)
My mother, Ruth, was just 6 years old when her father passed away. In the summer of 1914, her father, John Butler Allen, got a sliver in his eye. Later a horse switched his tail and a long hair cut through his eye again. These accidents caused him gradually to go blind in that eye. The infection from this brought on Bright's Disease (the old-fashioned term for kidney problems). He suffered very much with the infection which now could be cured in a few days with antibiotics. He grew steadily worse until on October 26th, 1914, he finally passed away. There were 8 children in the family, the 9th child having died at just four and a half months, before Ruth was born. His wife was left with 8 children: Vina, the eldest was just 19 and Earl 17, and Adelia the youngest was only a year and 6 days old. The first steps she took were to walk across the floor to her father's casket.
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Adelia, my aunt, was the youngest and darling of the family. She had beautiful red hair. During those difficult years, the family knew that Santa couldn't bring them anything for Christmas. Mother remembered one year each older member of the family saving a penny at a time, and they together collected 15 cents, and bought a small hand mirror for Adelia. That was the only gift any of them received that Christmas.
Now, to Christmases in my lifetime. One year when I was probably 4, Mother had put together a modest Christmas, and had it on a shelf in her bedroom. Late Christmas eve, she went to get them, and most of them weren't there! She came to my Dad, asking him if he knew anything about those gifts, and he said "Now, Ruth, I knew a poor family down the street that weren't getting much for Christmas. I figured our girls had enough and I gave some things to them." (That was so typical of my Dad -- to see someone in need, and quietly try to fulfill that need.) Mother was very frustrated, as it was late at night, and all the stores were closed. So our Christmas that year was sparse. I'm sure we children didn't notice any problem.
The Christmas of 1969, (I think), when Allen was 8 years old, he really wanted a "Pull Out the Rug" game! It had come out the previous year, in 1968, and he thought it was so neat! It consisted of a plastic "Rug", around 12 inches square. Then there was a ladder upon which you would decide how many things you could stack on it before you dared to "Pull out the rug" -- the plastic rug -- and see if everything stayed on the ladder. The other stacking objects were small plastic objects, a banana, a bath tub, a bed, a boat, a foot, a grasshopper, a hat, a pistol, and a surfer -- plus a spinner. I don't remember how the spinner was used! It seemed so flimsy, Santa decided Allen would be happy with the usual boy toys.
Allen, around age 8 years old when he wanted this game.
If any of you would like to watch a short video of someone pulling out the rug you can go to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55fNHs7MovU
A few years later, we had a wooden camper which fit on the back of our truck, which was round on the top, and could be used to take our family on "camp outs". Since we had several children who would really try to peek, and find out where Christmas things were stored, we would put them in the camper out in our car-port, as it was the only place around which we could lock. One year, a few days before Christmas we were checking our stash, and to our dismay most of the Christmas things were gone. I can't remember just what they were, but one was a lovely doll that one of our girls wanted. We mentioned it to some friends at Church. A young couple who were engaged to be married in February had started a bank account together to plan for their marriage. They must have discussed it together, and came to us with a check which covered all the things we had stolen! It was so much appreciated. I've wondered how many other thoughtful and charitable things that couple has done since then.
There may be other Christmas stories our children would remember which we probably could include, but as they years come and go, our memories become more dim.
In the past recent years, we have given several different books of family histories to our children and grandchildren, and have run out of something else that would be a legacy. We're hoping some things we write in this blog will fill in the gaps! I don't believe the stories above made it in our histories.
The older we get, we are trying much more to remember our Savior Jesus Christ, and celebrate His birthday, and all He did for us. We hope that is the focus in our extended family also. We always have read the Christmas Story in the Bible in Luke and Matthew on Christmas Eve. Below is a picture of Wayne and his siblings, except for his oldest brother, Floyd.
Enjoy your dear children while you can, and then enjoy your grandchildren! But the older you get, I guarantee you'll turn back to your siblings! I saw it with my mother, and see it with me and my sisters, and Wayne and his siblings. It is already coming with our children, some of whom are now empty-nesters! Life goes on! (And on, And on!)
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