Merry Christmas!
The Enterprise used to publish a Memories of Christmas column in the editions leading up to Christmas. My Mom’s submission in 1988 is below.
Too, I found this photo of her on a Christmas day similar to what she describes in her article. (Since Mom was always the photographer in the family taking the photos versus being in them, obviously in this one Buzzy stepped up and snapped her in one of her rare moments of taking a break on Christmas day.) In the photo album, above this picture she wrote “What a mess!”
Mom Christmas 1958 When We Were Living at the Store
Christmas Chaos From Midnight to Noon
St. Mary’s County Library Microfilm Collection — Microfilm Image Viewer (archivalweb.com)
When Mom notes in the article that usually the oldest was the first one up, that would have been yours truly. From a very young age I have always regarded sleep as a complete waste of time. Christmas Eve just confirmed that for me.
Her mentioning of Hattie Dunbar and her cookies was also a nice memory. That Hattie, at 100 years plus, is still around is remarkable too given that, as Mom mentions, so many other participants in our memories are no longer here with us.
When Mom mentions cousin Bill arriving “with at least four, sometimes more, of his children” that was Bill Raley with Mike and JW in tow along with either Betty Jean, Amy or Ginny. Mom was correct in saying that it was bedlam when we all got together.
Great article by Mom and I am grateful that she did it and that the Enterprise folks published it. As I reviewed that page of the Enterprise, another unexpected surprise popped up: directly above Mom’s article was this photo.
How’s that for a coincidence? My son Brady and his Mom collecting toys for the County’s toy drive.
And speaking of cousins coming to visit, nothing can top Cousin Eddie visiting Clark Griswold in the movie Christmas Vacation: