Notes from my Great-Granddaddys Journal: December 24, 1906.....Christmas Eve....got up early to get chores done and me and Bertha made breakfast when Dan and I came in from the barn. Hurried around and we all loaded up and went down to the back of the place and cut our Christmas tree. Brought it back in and put it in the front window. The kids are excited but theres a big cloud over things for me and them too....its out first Christmas without Alice. We brought the boxes from beneath my bed that held a few ornaments and some ribbon that shed stored from year to year and I had to choke back the tears....Bertha had collected some things and Phil had some red paper chains that hed made at school. Wed strung berries and popcorn last night, so the tree was full of things but it just isnt the same, as hard as we try. Hopefully, the spirit will pick-up....I have to stay up for the kids and especially the little ones. Little Jim is so excited and deserves the joy that the season offers little kids. I went out and checked the little red sow, three times today between milkings and she still hasnt dropped her litter....she cant go much longer, shes long over due on days, today is the 117th day. The McKays came by and brought us a walnut cake and stayed and visited for about an hour. Enjoyed the company and the news. I got a post from Sister Lizzie, out west, in the mail today, and she caught me up on all the happenings of her bunch. They were looking for a big Christmas and continues to tell me that we need to ride the train out and see them. She tells me it would help my feelings and the kids too, to see some new country. I might just do that, if the weather isnt too bad and things go good after Christmas. We went to the candlelight ceremony at the church tonight. A big crowd was there...saw some of the kinfolks from over at Greenpond that I hadnt seen in a while and some of the folks that were here visiting with kin for Christmas. Enjoyed the service and the association. Come home and kids hung their stockings and I like to never rocked Jim to sleep. He kept asking me when Ol Santy was going to come. Sat by the fire and read from the Bible, after the kids got to bed. Me and Dan went out and checked on the little gilt for the last time about 10:00 and I got all the Christmas stuff and brought it to the back porch, except Phils surprise and Dans. I didnt want him to see his. Ill bring them in when I come in from morning milking. Alice, I sure wish you were here with us! (My great-grandmother, Alice Williams McDonald, had died on August 6, 1906, in childbirth.)
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 16:46:47 +0000