Florence Walrath lived in the time before corporations took over holidays and turned them into marketing opportunities. Christmas meant something to her and her family. This was one of the many values that revealed themselves again and again in her journals. Christmas was an intimate ritual, a family time, no rush to the mall for bargains. In these journals, we see what we have gained, we see what we have lost. Florence lived to be 104, and she saw her world change. She never complained about that in her journals, as older people often do, she seemed to accept life as it found her. And as she wished to live it.

“There is the memory of Christmas at school with a trip to the woods to pick out a tree, after our lessons we made all kind of trimmings from red and green paper. We strung popcorn for a chain, put bells and lots of pine and cones around the room, also windows. There was a special charm once the lamps were lit. “No electric lights.” Our parents all came. We each had a part in a play or a piece to speak. I spoke mine either too fast or so low no one could hear me.

  Of course we tried to sing the Xmas songs. W had no good singers but we did try. What a relief when that was over and Santa came. We each received Xmas candy, each one got one thing besides the candy, sometimes a book, crayons, pencils or perhaps a hair ribbon. It was a happy time never the less.

 Christmas at home was mostly small things. My mother made cloths for us, an orange in the toe of our stocking was really a treat. As we became older I remember Fayette got a boughten sled. I was told I could have one when my turn came and I did. The grandparents came for a big dinner. We always had a freezer of homemade ice cream. Boy, could Mom make good ice cream. When I was old enough I turned the crank and mother would give me the dasher from the center when I was done. Gee, I got to eat what ice cream was on it. Of course the boys liked to help with that part, which annoyed Mom.”

Next: Life at school