My favorite Christmas memory is of baking with my mother. When I was little I remember her baking many different kinds of cookies and bars and getting wrapped plates ready to deliver to friends all over town. She had lists of recipes and lists of friends where it would all go. She also spent a few days making cinnamon rolls and braided cherry rolls. I'm not sure how she determined who got what, but we always looked forward to having the cinnamon rolls and cherry roll for breakfast on Christmas morning. I'm sure that we as kids, probably complained about helping to deliver all of the goodies but as I look back, what a wonderful gift it was. Many times we delivered to older people from church who maybe didn't get out as much. Sometimes it was to someone we didn't see very often. They all appreciated the visit and the goodies.

When I became old enough to appreciate all she did at Christmas time, I would go and help her get some of the baking done. As she got older, there weren't as many different kinds of cookies, and probably not as many plates to deliver, but I am so happy that I was able to go and help. I learned from her how she made the cinnamon rolls and the cherry rolls and I was happy to deliver them to some of my family. I wish I could say that I continue her tradition of making these sweet treats every year, but somehow making them at my house, without my mom just isn't the same. I have her recipe and maybe someday I will try again, but for now I cherish this memory of preparing for Christmas.

Merri Cory

Christmas is coming what a joy. We lived on my grandfather's farm in a Green Gable Chicken Coop. Our chickens, about 50 feet away, had one exactly like ours. Our house had burnt down so this was our new replacement. (It was a New Coop.)

Advent was here and all three of us kids were busy memorizing our parts for the Christmas Program at Church.

Since we lived on a farm, when we bought feed for the animals, we eyed the feed sacks looking for mouse holes and the new patterns on the sacks thinking about what new dress we would get. But at Christmas my folks had borrowed my Grand Father's car, we didn't have one, and my Mother had purchased some material at the store to make all of us a new outfit that we were able to wear Christmas Eve to church.

We always had a gift from Santa on Christmas Day. Santa's gifts were never wrapped.

Hope you enjoyed our life back in the 40's and 50's.

Carol Genovese. I have many lasting loving Christmas memories with Mom and Dad, but will also remember Christmas Eve at Grandma Maxwell’s. She always fixed chili and oyster soup for supper and after which we opened gifts. Grandma always gave her seven kids and spouses towels and the eight grandchildren bath power for the girls and socks for the boys. Every year grandma was so excited she couldn't sleep that night! The numerous Christmas of past with mom, Dad, and my grandma will re- main in my heart for every.

Sharon Collmann Justice.

The best memories for me is getting together every Christmas at my Grandma Crawford’s house in Mitchellville Iowa. It was a 2 bedroom, one bath house and we lived in Illinois, my cousins lived in Indianapolis or Tennessee and in Des Moines, but on Christmas Eve we would all drive there and somehow find a place to sleep. When we got there, you would hear Christ- mas music on the radio and the turkey cooking in the oven (at 2 in the morning). There were 14 of us to find a bed for. Most fun ever. We would gather in the small living room and open presents, then eat wherever there was a spot. I don’t know how we did it, but Christmas at Grandmas was the best times of our lives.

Sherri Starr The Johnson Christmas Tradition The first few years of our marriage we spent Christmas eve at my parent’s house having a soup supper. We rarely went to Paul’s family home on that day since he was from northern Minnesota.

A few years after we had our family, I decided we should begin a Christmas tradition for the four of us in our home. Every Christmas eve we would have a very special, fancy dinner. We would decide together what the menu would be, normally something maybe we didn’t have very much, steak, lobster, crab legs, etc. That evening all four of us would dress up, our table would be set with all the fancy finery, china, correct utensils and glassware, centerpiece, cloth napkins, and of course candles. We would use this time to practice correct manners, enjoy a nice slow paced dinner with good conversation and really enjoy this special holiday. After dinner we would clean up and most times attend church. We have practiced this tradi- tion for around 36 years. With grandchildren added and additional church services we have had to adapt to different times, sometimes a late dinner after church. Also the kids have taken over the preparation of the meal (how nice!) I believe this small change in our daily lives for this holiday meal, OUR TRADITION, has meant a lot to our 2 kids, their spouses and children. Hopefully we can continue this for many years to come.

Jan Johnson My Christmas Story is not a happy one, but perhaps at this time appropriate.

Near the end of WWII, the eldest son of Ray and Edith Smith, storekeepers and post masters in Berwick, were expecting Burt home from the War. They had received a message that he would be "home for Christmas". He has never arrived. The song, "I'll Be Home for Christmas" has always been a fa- vorite, but not in a good way. It was assumed Burt was on a plane coming home when it was shot down over the Pacific.

A happier story involved when I was nearly 18 and received my diamond engagement ring just before Christmas. My mother was in the hospital and before we went up to visit her, I insisted Walter propose 'right then and there' so we could show the ring to Mom. It worked out pretty well. We were quite young, but remained married for 67 years.

Dorothy McCleary