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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-12-23, Page 8P e -.GO Ica &GNALSTAR, MONDAY, 'DECEMBER 23, 1985 53 South St. GODERICH, Ontario 524-4279 OY TO BLli It's been our pleasure to know you and serve you. Merry Christrrlas and a prosperous New Year to all, and a special thanks for making our third year in business an enjoyable one. MERRY C;:n:sTMAS! FROM ALL OF US AT DURST FARM CENTRE LEFT TO RIGHT: Tony, Mary Grace, Bryan, Len PURINA CHOWS DURST FARM CENTRE Highway No. 8 West, Clinton 482-7706 HOURS: OPEN DEC. 24, 8. 5 pm; CLOSED DEC. 25 & 26; FRI., 8. 5 pm; SAT., 8. 12 noon; DEC. 31, 8 •5 pm; JAN. 1 - CLOSED; JAN. 2, OPEN FOR REG. HOURS U Christmas Tree was performed on the ukulele by Teresa Grif- fiths, Cindy Culbert, Dorie Anne MacLennan, Elizabeth Ball and Jackie Rau while the Kindergarten class of Robertson Memorial Public School sang at their Christmas concert. (photo by Susan Hundertmark Fondest memories of Christmas are when the children were home BY SUSAN HUNDERTMARK For Theresa Redmond, of Goderich, Christmas has always been better by the dozen. Her fondest memories of the Christmas season are of the times when her 12 children were all at home. "Christmas got more interesting every year with more kids. There is nothing that would bring me so much satisfaction as the time my 12 kids were all together," she says. Christmases in the Redmond household were always full of tradition, starting during the first Christmas Theresa and her husband Jack were married. In 1944, they and their one -month-old daughter Diane, spent Christmas with Jack's uncle and aunt in their 80 -year-old .house. Because the two rooms they lived in at the back of the house during the winter were heated by a wood stove, they had never put up a Christmas tree for fear of fire. But, Theresa managed to persuade Jack's uncle to put up a tree if only for 24 hours. "I'd always had a Christmas tree and lights and I found it very, very sad to spend Christmas without one. And, I wanted my little daughter to have a tree," she says. The traditions, coming mostly from Theresa's childhood, grew stronger as the Redmond family grew. By the time the family included three children, they stayed home instead of visiting with relatives. Christmas Eve was spent wrapping gifts, trimming the tree, setting up the Nativity Scene, saying a family prayer and singing along wren t,hristruas u,uale. "Christmas Eve was really something. The children couldn't wait to get into their baths and then their nightwear," says Theresa. Fourteen stockings would b€ hung on chairs and chesterfields in the livingroom with the children bidding over who wocild get their stockings closest to the tree. As the children got older, some of there would go to Midnight Mass to sing in the choir. "The children loved to sing. All December we had music in the house. We were glad to shelve the Christmas music by the end of the season because we'd lived it to its fullest." she says. One Christmas Eve, the of Theresa's daughters was sure she'd heard Santa since she kept hearing bells ringing. She was disappointed to learn, once she'd grown up, that the bells were the ones attached to the side door. They rang as Theresa went m and out of the house playing Santa. Another Christmas Eve, another rlatighter was convinced by her siblings to run downstairs and shake the presents to get an idea of what they could expert once morning carne. She didn't expect that one box v ould contain a toy puppy which proceeded to hark and wouldn't stop. With 12 children, tradition served to keep Christmas Day orderly. Theretia ��uuld come downstairs around 6 a.m. to put the music on and signal the children to Curia' downstairs for their stockings. OUR ANNUAL STOCK REDUCTION do/ STARTS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27 at9AM Sen , ; tii,tnal markdowns on fine furniture for nvory room in your house Shop early' This is an outstanding Annual Furniture Sale Event, BALL & MUTCH FINE FURNITURE FINE FURNITURE AND DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES • ALBERT STREET • CLINTON • 482-9505 "'This was the most exciting time with everybody showing their gifts to Jack and I. My eyes used to fill up with tears to see them so happy," she says. 'l'he children would play with their presents from Santa while Jack did chores in the barn. After breakfast and church, the family would open the gifts from each other. ()nce the children got older, champagne and coffee cake would accompany this tradition. Christmas dinner was a formal affair with all the family dressed up and the girls all in long skirts and dresses. Theresa would cook a goose, a duck or a turkey with chestnut or sage dressing. Preparations had already included the baking of plum pudding, fruit cake and cookies. "The gifts might have been lean some Christmases but the food never was. I love cooking; it's rewarding forme," she says. As the older children grew up and began ,;unifies of their own, the Redmond house as jammed full of people. Christmas ctalned its magic since children (now grandchildren ) were always in the house. :\s Theresa's youngest children grew up ,Ind the family moved farther apart, new traditions were formed. This year, Theresa and Jack will be spending Christmas Day alone with an open house on Boxing Day. •I'nr looking forward to Christmas Day just with Jack to see what it's like," she says. And, she smiles as she remembers the old traditions that she's noticed some of her children have passed on to their own families. DRAPERIES UNLIMITED CUSTOM DRAPERIES sallaew •lied.. • Veler.[« • Owe Ind. w.lwl ....•How. •Vert Oval. • lellev d. -h« FOR SHOP AT NOME SERVICE Call 324-2332 Day or Ironing Visa Accaptad MAXINE MURRAY Prop. FREE ESTIMATES NO OBLIGATION DARTS DARTS, DART BOARDS, AND ACCESSORIES FISHER DARTS 524-8483 Clarkhill Feeders Ltd. Silo Unloaders Conveyors -Feeders P p 5 GODERICH ONT N7A 1Y2 o .� PHIL CL K 524-4367 Filter Queen "IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN VARNA" 482-7103 Wishing One and All a 01/V Just a Reminder Our building has been sold, but we will be carrying on business as usual from our new location 40 Victoria St., N. after Jan. 3, 1986 WORSELL BROS. PLUMBING AND HEATING LTD. Phone S24-7952 1