I've been thinking of past Christmases and one in particular stands out this morning.
I'm not sure of the year, probably about 1942 or 1943. We lived outside of Canton, Illinois.
When I was little Mary and Ruth Ann always got me a great Christmas gift. I always waited for their gifts because they both had money and no kids and they were able to get out more than mother was.
This particular year they all came about the same time. Mom had the table set for Breakfast and it was snowing and kind of a nasty day, as I remember. Everyone was hurrying in out of the cold and we were trying to take their coats. I was REALLY trying to look at all the packages they had brought and look for one with my name on it.
BUT...I couldn't see one that said "ELLEN" and they were all acting like things were fine and now I realize they set me up. Someone said things had been kind of tight that year and money was short and maybe there wasn't a package for me. I tried to be a big girl and say, "Oh, that's O.K." but my heart was about to explode and I was fighting like everything to keep from crying.
Just as the tears could hardly stay inside my eyes one more second someone said, "Well, look here". There was a really big box with the name ELLEN written on the top.
I remember just tearing into that box and there was the most beautiful set of dishes for me anyone ever got. They were real dishes and they had the wheat pattern on them. There were plates, bowls, cups and saucers and a creamer and sugar bowl, a butter dish and a couple of serving dishes. They were wonderful.
After dad died and we moved to Vermont I had a lot of room upstairs in the house for play. I had my bedroom up there and one room was set up like a little store. Mom would open boxes and cans so I could use them on the shelves like a real grocery store. I had a table set with those dishes.
When the house burned they all burned. BUT...it was a WONDERFUL Christmas and I'll always remember those dishes.
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