A Jolly Christmas

I can't believe I already missed a day posting a stoy!  I totally forgot, because I was so busy writing, printing, and compiling stories for Christmas presents.  I got up at 4:00 yesterday morning so I could get a good start on finishing my presents, then I found 17 pages of stories my grandmother wrote 50 years ago about her childhood  in turn of the century Arizona. 

I spent a couple of hours copying them onto my computer, pushed save, and guess what?  They were already there.  I guess I copied them years ago.  Kind of frustrating, you know.  Then I tried to print them out and ran out of ink, so I spent the rest of the day running to town to get ink, and everything else you can imagine. 

When I got home I discovered that Kami, my 16 year old, was sick.  She hadn't been able to do any of her Saturday jobs, so I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning and washing and watering plants and doing her jobs, too, so that by the time evening was here, I was already worn out, and I still had presents to make and a lesson to prepare for Sunday. 

After all that, I simply forgot to post a story.  Poor excuse, huh, but it's the one I have.  Anyway, here is one of the Christmas remembrances my Grandmother wrote, and then I'll do another story for today. 

A Jolly Christmas

 by Ethel H. Stewart Russell

            When I was a little girl we decided to have a neighborhood Christmas party at our aunt’s home as their living room was big enough to hold us all.  Some one cut a cedar tree from their yard for a Christmas tree.  They had to cut a hole in the floor to anchor it because it was so large.  My what a beautiful tree it was when the balls of popcorn and strings of cranberries and all the Christmas stockings, which were many different colors, and looked so pretty hanging among the green leaves, were all in place.

            For days everyone had been working for this big occasion and finally Christmas Eve came and we all put on our best clothes for the party at Aunt Frossie’s home.  The logs in the big fire place crackled and sparkled as we sat about telling stories and singing Christmas carols waiting for old Saint Nick to arrive.   Soon his sleigh bells were heard and in he came with such a big load he could hardly carry it.

            My eyes really sparkled when he handed me a big doll with a real china head and curly hair.  Her name was Murial.  She was the loveliest doll I ever had and there was also a doll bed with pretty quilts just like mamma’s and a pretty little pillow.  How proud I was.  And what do you think I found in the toe of my Christmas stocking?  A little thimble!  Now I could sew for my dolly.  How we enjoyed this Christmas party!