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CHRISTMAS
TRADITIONS
Family Life:
Collins and Juanita Charlesworth
Gary and June Jorgensen
Family Stories
Crafts
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Collins and Juanita Charlesworth
married in 1914
Told by Leora Allen Charlesworth
"daughter"
Christmas was a special time for me and my four sisters.
A week before Christmas we would get a Cedar tree. Decorate with homemade decorations; colored paper chains, and string pop corn. We didn't have electric lights for the tree.
We usually got one nice gift. Papa would have us hang our socks, the night before. He would tie a knot half way up and then fill it with peanuts, an orange, old fashion chocolates, and a harmonica at the top.
He would tell Mama not to let us out of bed until he got back to the house from milking. He wanted to watch our expressions as we opened our gifts. Our gift was usually a homemade dress and one toy. Which was usually a doll.
We didn't have money for big ho-downs Mama was a good cook and we ate at home.
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Gary and June Jorgensen
married in 1972
Told by June Jorgensen
Celebration with Gary's Family: We are very close I call his mother "Mom". His brothers and sisters are my brothers and sisters. I love them all very much. Since our homes are next to each other we all did most things together.
Both of our Christmas trees would be up about 2 weeks before Christmas. The trees were arificial as Gary and Sherri had alergies.
Christmas Eve we would have Dinner around 6pm at Mom's, home. There would be Kent's family, Dorothy, Leda, Mom, and our family. We would have Turkey and Dressing, potatoes and gravy, home-made rolls, jello, cream cabbage, yams, cranberries. And of course home-made pies, apple, banana cream, and chocolate.
When the girls were young, Santa Clause came to Grandma's house just after we ate dinner. They sat on his lap and told him what they wanted for Christma. They knew they should to go to bed early, because Santa was already in Town. Ephraim City had a Christmas parade the Saturday after Thanksgiving and Santa Clause rode on the fire engine and then he would go to the City Building for kids to visit him and he would give them each a sack of candy and nuts.
We would come help clean up then hurry home which was only next door. We always picked names just for our family. We would each open our gift. Then to bed we would go.
Christmas morning came early around 7am. We would all try to be up before anyone could find their gifts. Santa Clause didn't wrap his presents. They just had a name tag on them.
Around 9am we went to Gary's mom's and exchanged gifts. We would have breakfast with Mom Dorothy and Leda.
Kent's family would have us to their home for Dinner Christmas Day usually around 1pm. There were usually LaMar's, Dorothy, Leda, Mom, Bab's mother, and of course Kent's family. We would hurry home to Mom's and help them put out gifts. Each family would come together. Kent's family usually came before dinner for their gifts. LaMars usually around 4 or 5pm. Dorothy, Leda, and Mom, gave to all, children, and adults.
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