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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1984-12-19, Page 6Y, PAGE 6 —*IRI SI NM$T Y , Wg ?N. DAY, DFCEMBER19,1984 Ami90 0.0"" ice (�v A nostal BY JOANNE BUCHANAN The typical Christmas meal at the beginn- ing of this century consisted of goose instead of turkey. People , made, -.their own tree decorations out of whatever material was handy. And children were more apt to receive gifts of practical clothing than ex- pensive toys. But while Christrnas past didn't have the affluence of Christmas present, it still holds fond memories for Maitland Manor residents Etta Cook, Margaret MacDonald, Cora Barrows and Luella Gow. These ladies did some reminiscing on a snowy morning at the Manor last Thursday. Etta Cook, 95, was born and raised on a farm on the sixth concession of East Wawanosh Township, the second youngest of a family of 13 children. With that many children in a small- frame house, there wasn't much room to put up a Christmas tree but the children hung their stockings on nails behind the stove and made decorations out of tissue paper "or any material we could get our hands on" recalls Mrs. Cook. "We spent Christmas day with my mother's people, the Wightmans. We walk- ed a mile and a half to their house and we had goose and Christmas cake for dessert," she remembers. "In those days, things weren't too easy to buy so we usually got hand -made clothes for presents, like stocking caps and scarves, things we needed to keep us warm. Nowadays you can buy anything you want but I wouldn't pay all that money for one of those dolls," she says. "You mean Cabbage Patch dolls," adds Mrs. MacDonald. "I wouldn't buy one either. I don't like them." Mrs. MacDonald, 87, vividly remembers the first doll she ever received. "I was five years old when I got my first doll for Christmas. My mother made all the pieces out of cloth—except for the head which was porcelain—and sewed them together, even little fingers. I'm not sure where she got the head. I had to be very careful that I didn't get any puncture marks in the body because it was stuffed with sawdust. But I really took care of my doll and I still had her when I got married. I thought she was the most beautiful, precious thing in the world. I prizes ed her so much and I named her Mary after my mother." Mrs. MacDonald was raised with three brothers and a sister in Hespeler where her father was -an -engineer in a cloth factory. "We didn't have any relatives except for one uncle in Galt so we stayed home for Christmas. We went to a farm and got a tree to put up the day before. We decorated it with home-made candles and colored paper and pieces of ribbon sewed into circles. We made popcorn, dipped it in food coloring and strung it on some thread and that was our tinsel. Maybe our decorations weren't as fancy as the ones today but we had the fun of making them," she says. Her family's Christmas meal consisted of goose and ham because turkey was too dear she explains. Her favorite part of the meal was dessert though, home-made mincemeat pie "much nicer than you can get now". Although, she and her brothers and sister mostly got clothes for presents, she recalls that her oldest brother got a mouth organ one year. "He nearly drove the rest -of us wild and we really had to suffer until he learned how to play it. I almost threw it out on him once and so did my dad," she laughs. Both Mrs. Cook and Mrs. MacDonald remember their Sunday school Christmas concerts; Mrs. MacDonald remembers singing carols and the nativity scene that was set up at the Presbyterian Church, and Mrs. Cook remembers goingon a sleigh ride to the Belgrave Methodist Curch. When Mrs. Cook grew up, she married a farmer and had six children. She remembers Christmas with her husband c look at C Luella Gow Goose, hand -made decorations and practical gifts were part of Christmas past Cora Barrows ristmas "..,Christmas isn't for seeing how much money you can spend. Children would be just as well of playing with a spoon and an old tin pan out ohe cupboard like we used to." "There will be 21 of us there and it will be so much fun. All of the children try to get on my knee at the same time and by the end of the day I'm just wilted. There is one little boy who hugs me so tight, he almost chokes me. He's as cute as a button but he's a little devil too, into everything." Cora Barrows will be 81 in February. She, was born and raised on a farm near Brussels with one brother and two sisters. rfamily didn't usually put a tree up at tmas but the children hung their stock- ings on the writing desk. "Our house wasn't heated at night and on Christmas morning, mother wouldn't let us come downstairs to get our gifts until she had the stove going and the house warmed up, When she told us it was okay, we sure ran down in a hurry," she recalls, "We usually got an orange and some peanuts and a coloring book and crayons. One year I wanted skates awful bad and I got them and I wondered how Santa ever knew I wanted them. That's when I started to get suspicious," she laughs. "On Christmas day, we could never travel too far because there would be snow right up over the rail fences and the roads were never ploughed in those days. So we stayed home and had goose with all the trimm- ings." Luella Gow, 82, joins`in the reminiscing. "I always liked goose better anyway. I think turkey is too dry." Luella was born and raised on a farm in East Wawanosh Township with two brothers and a sister. Her family always put up a tree and decorated it with popcorn strings. The children hung their stockings and received ' candy, Christmas cake and an orange each. "I did get a doll one time but that was the most expensive gift : ever got. There wasn't so much money to -ipend on gifts in those days. They say that some people make $15 an hour these days. I don't think anybody's worth that much money," she exclaims. "I agree," said Mrs. Barrows. "Some peo- ple spend so much money on those elec- tronic games and things at Christmas and then they're broke for six months after-. wards: Christmas isn't for seeing how much money you can spend. Children would be just as well off playing with a spoon andnan old tin pan out of the cupboard like we used to." Mrs. Barrows remembers the singing and recitations ..at schoel Christmas concerts. "You'd try to say your recitations but you'd , always forget parts," she says. "What I lik- ed best though was going for cutter rides in the snow with the bells ringing on the horses. When Mrs..Barrows grew up, She married a farmer. "About a week before, (my hus- band) Russel would go out and get a goose for Christmas and a goose for New Year's." The couple didn't have any children but Russel's parents lived .with them and they all celebrated Christmas together along with their hired man. They had their share of troubles—one barn blew down in a wind storm and another burned down in a fire—, but most of their Christmases were.happy. After her husband died, Mrs. Barrows spent her winters in Florida for ten years. "It felt funny to look out the window there on Christmas and see that it was just like sum- mer. But we still celebrated the same way anyhow." Mrs. Barrows doesn't go to Florida anymore because her eyesight isn't too good and she will spend Christmas at Maitland Manor this year. Mrs. Gow, who has four children, 16 grandchildren and eight ' great- grandchildren, will go to her daughter's home Christmas eve. While all four women plan to enjoy this year's holiday, they are not forgetting the happy and festive holidays of the past. Margaret MacDonald and family during the war years when some men never returned home and during the depression when once again all gifts were practical hand -made items like clothes. At 95, Mrs. Cook still crochets some of her own Christmas gifts and will spend the holi- day at the home of one of her daughters where some of her 17 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren will also gather. When Mrs. MacDonald grew up, she mar- ried a salesman and had three children. She recalls one Christmas when she bought her son a sled and her two daughters their first pair of skates. "Wouldn't you know, there wasn't any Etta Cook . snow that year and I can still remember the saddest looks on their little faces as they stared out the window at the rain. I finally let the girls put their skates on in the house but they weren't allowed to walk around in them in case they cut'the floor," She says. She also remembers buying a walking doll for each of her daughters. "They didn't play with them much, just looked at them and then passed them on to their own daughters." This Christmas, Mrsr MacDonald, who now has nine grandchildren and 17 great- grandchildren, will be transported, wheelchair and all, to her one daughter's home in Goderich. .®��r. ems' JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS Don't miss Smith's Farm & Garden Centres 9TH ANNIVERSARY SALE 0FF 0 • SNOW SUITS •ALL SKI SUITS .MEN'S NAVY BLUE HOODED NYLON PARKAS FATHER and FIN PET SHOP AT SMITH'S FARM & GARDEN CENTRE _ mad Solection off Budgies,•Canarles. Cocketlels 8 ALWAYS A WELCOMED GIFT— VISIT US SOON FOR: Clean aquariums filled with healthy fish a large variety of birds small ammo's and more Feel free to drop in and browse ',Aso o rnmplete selection of Pet Supplies at competitive prices CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: 51/2 Gal. AQUARIUM STARTER KIT Reg. `69.95 Fish Hot 4 Included SPECIAL $4 9 x 95 GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE firW Mere SALE IN EFFECT NOW THROUGH DEC. 24 ALL CANADIAN MADE "1ST QUALITY" BRAND NEW STYLES FOR 1985! Compare our prices anywhere! 6MITH'5FARMZ, GARDEW CENTER524- It9,sagl3m5A;14wamtwaymasisrtl CHRISTMAS HOURS OPEN 8:30 am -8 pm TIL FRIDAY, DEC . 21 8:30-5:30 SAT. 82 SOUTH STREET GODERICH SEASON'S GREETINGS During the year, in the rush of events, we tend to overlook the important friendships that are the true basis of business relationships. One of the great pleasures of the Holiday Season is the opportunity to exchange cordial greetings with those whose friendship and goodwill we value so highly. In this spirit it is our pleasure to say , "Thank You" and extend g our sincere appreciation fo the very pleasant associatic we enjoy with you. ._.- May a bright and prosperous New Year bring happiness to you and to yours. Reg and Da & Staff