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December 23 and December 30, 2010 - Looking back upon Christmases pastRIVERHEADNEWSREVIEW.COM I DECEMBER 23 AND DECEMBER 30, 2010 1 9A Though times were difficult during the Great Depression, everything seemed right to us kids when the ground was covered with fresh snow and we could go outside to sleigh ride, have a snowball fight or build a snowman. PEGGY DICKERSON PHOTO Looking back upon Christmases past Looking back on the early years of my life I find it harder and harder to recall Christmases of long ago. Yet there are some that will always linger in my mind, and as I look back, I hope I will stir up some of your special Christmas memories as well. The fast Christmas I can remember was when my family lived upstairs FOCUS ON NATURE in a small two-family house in Richmond " Hill The most memo- rable part of one Christmas morning ri then was when my sister and I looked out our bedroom window PAUL STOUTENBURGH to the street below, and there in the early- morning light we could see what we just knew were the fresh tracks of Santa's sleigh in the snow. It took a few years before we learned those tracks were actu- ally the tracks of the wagon that delivered our milk. The early Christmases of my life were during the Great Depression. Money and jobs were tight and lit- tle was spent on gifts, so family happenings were what we remember most We always had a Christmas tree and we hung our stockings on the foot of our beds. In the morning we would find Santa had put an orange in the toe of each stocking, along with a candy cane, nuts and sometimes a small toy. My dad was a great one for decorating the house with evergreens and holly. To this day I can remember that wonderful evergreen smell all through the house. One Christmas, my dad was unemployed and needed to find some way to make a few dollars, so he decided to make some decorations to sell. He cut small stars out of cardboard and shellacked them. When the shel- lac got tacky he would sprinkle them with glitter and let them dry. Then he would use a needle and pull a length of black sewing thread through each one. Once on the tree, they would tam with the slightest move- ment and sparkle from the lights on the tree Once the stars were completed, it was our job as kids to take them and peddle them through the neighborhood. I remember how scared I was, with my older sister knocking on the doors trying to sell our dad's decorations. When we finished going door to door, our family used the stars that were left over. As years went try, some would need to be renewed, so another coating of shellac and glitter was added. Many in the family today can remember the stars we've had on our tree made by "Grandpoppy" many years ago, when times were hard. During those trying times we would go to my Ann- BARBARA ITOUTENBURGH PHOTO When things were really rough during the Depression, my dad made some money for Christmas by making star oma- ments, which we kids sold door to door. MARGARET STOUrENBURGH PHOTO My mom and I outside our house on a snowy Christmas Day. It was my first Christmas home after I joined the service. tie Jean's big home in Rosedale to spend Christmas with the whole family. They also felt the Depression; so tight it was theycouldn4 even afford a Christmas tree. No one knew if it was too much eggnog or what, but Uncle Henry was going to have a Christmas tree. Out of the house he went, and he soon came back with a beautiful Christmas tree. Everyone asked, "Where did you get such a lovely tree, Uncle Henry ?" He replied, "Right out in the front yard!" It might not have been that same year, but I do remember a cherished gift from Auntie Jean. It was a Boy Scout hatchet that can be found today in our wood shed at home, where it is still used for cutting kindling wood. As time went on, things became a little better as far as the country's economy went. One Christ- mas I remember my big gift was a pair of high cuts (knee -high boots) that had a special holder on the side for a knife. I especially appreciated these high cuts because when we acted up in West Cutchogue School, our teacher would take a rubber hose across our legs and with the high cuts' extra protec- tion, that rubber hose didn't hurt so much. During the Christmas holidays we would visit my Aunt Alice and Uncle Bert's beautiful home. They had more money than anyone else in the whole family. One Christmas dinner there 11 always remember — when you went into their dining room, everything was just perfect The polished silverware on the table and the silver candlestick centerpiece all caught my eye, but most of all, at each place setting there was a small candle burning in a solid brass candle holder. I thought then that nothing could ever beat that Christmas. I still have that little candle holdeL Later, when we were living in Cutchogue and I was going to Southold High School, I can remem- ber a Christmas when I got ice skates. It was a time when the creek was frozen with eight inches of ice. My sister, Marg, and I would skate all around the creek and even sometimes out into the bay. By the time I graduated, World War II was going full tilt That fall, when many of my friends were joining the service, I enlisted in the Coast Guard. Things in the country were better economically and my father had gotten a job in the city. When I went home for Christmas I brought my good friend Guns with me. He lived in California and couldn't make it home, so he spent Christmas with us. We had a wonderful time. That was one of the best holidays that I can remember. It takes a little time to remember these old Christmases but given a chance the memories do come back SUFFOLKTIMES.COM I DECEMBER 23 AND DECEMBER 30, 2010 Looking back upon' Christmases iDas Looking back on the early years of my life I find Though times were morning light we could see what we just knew were it harder and harder to recall Christmases of long difficult during the the fresh tracks of Santa's sleigh in the snow. It took, ago. Yet there are some that will always linger in m g Y g Great Depression, few years before we learned those tracks were actu- mind, and as I look back, I hope I will stir up some of your special Christmas memories as well. everything seemed Y g ally the tracks of the wagon that delivered our milk. The early Christmases of my life were during the The first Christmas I can remember was when m right to us kids Great Depression. Money and jobs were tight and lit - family lived upstairs when the ground tle was spent on gifts, so family happenings were wha FCCCU S O NATILIRE in a small two - family house in Richmond was covered with we remember most. We always had a Christmas tree and we hung our stockings on the foot of our beds. Hill. The most memo- resh snow and we In the morning we would find Santa had put an rable part of one could go outside orange in the toe of each stocking, along with a Christmas morning then was when my to sleigh ride, have candy cane, nuts and sometimes a small toy. My dad was a great one for decorating the house sister and I looked out a snowball f i ght or with evergreens and holly. To this day I can remember our bedroom window build a snowman. that wonderful evergreen smell all through the house. to the street below, iAl.1.TO�,�F�� °�G� and there in the early- One Christmas, my dad was unemployed and needed to find some way to make a few dollars, so he decided PEGGY DICKERSON PHOTO ad BARBARA STOUTENBURGH PHOTO When things were really rough during the Depression, my dad made some money for Christmas by making star orna- ments, which we kids sold door to door. re some decorations to sell. He cut small stars ardboard and shellacked them. When the shel- tacky he would sprinkle them with glitter and m dry. Then he would use a needle and pull a of black sewing thread through each one. Once on the tree, they would turn with the slightest move- ment and sparkle from the lights on the tree. Once the stars were completed, it was our job as kids to take them and peddle them through the neighborhood. I remember how scared I was, with my older sister knocking on the doors trying to sell our dad's decorations. When we finished going door to door, our family used the stars that were left over. As years went by, some would need to be renewed, so another coating of shellac and glitter was added. Many in the family today can remember the stars we've had on our tree made by "Grandpoppy" many years ago, when times were hard. During those trying times we would go to my Aun- tie Jean's big home in Rosedale to spend Christmas with the whole family. They also felt the Depression; so tight it was they couldn't even afford a Christmas tree. No one knew if it was too much eggnog or what, but Uncle Henry was going to have a Christmas tree. Out of the house he went, and he soon came back with a beautiful Christmas tree. Everyone asked, "Where did you get such a lovely tree, Uncle Henry?" He replied, "Right out in the front yard!" It might not have been that same year, but I do remember a cherished gift from Auntie Jean. It was a Boy Scout hatchet that can be found today in our wood shed at home, where it is still used for cutting kindling wood. As time went on, things became a little better as far as the country's economy went. One Christ- mas I remember my big gift was a pair of high cuts (knee -high boots) that had a special holder on the side for a knife. I especially appreciated these high cuts because when we acted up in West Cutchogue School, our teacher would take a rubber hose across our legs and with the high cuts' extra protec- tion, that rubber hose didn't hurt so much. 1)unng me L;nnstmas notnctays we would visit my Aunt Alice and Uncle Bert's beautiful home. They had more money than anyone else in the whole family. One Christmas dinner there I'll always remember— when you went into their dining room, everything was just perfect. The polished silverware on the table and the silver candlestick centerpiece all caught my eye, but most of all, at each place setting there was a small candle burning in a solid brass candle holder. I thought then that nothing could ever beat that Christmas. I still have that little candle holder. Later, when we were living in Cutchogue and I was going to Southold High School, I can remem- ber a Christmas when I got ice skates. It was a time when the creek was frozen with eight inches of ice. My sister, Marg, and I would skate all around the creek and even sometimes out into the bay. By the time I graduated, World War II was going full tilt. That fall, when many of my friends were joining the service, I enlisted in the Coast Guard. Things in the country were better economically and my father had gotten a job in the city. When I went home for Christmas I brought my good friend Guns with me. He lived in California and couldn't make it home, so he spent Christmas with us. We had a wonderful time. That was one of the best holidays that I can remember. It takes a little time to remember these old hristmases but given a chance the memories do ome back. MARGARET STOUTENBURGH y mom and I outside our house on a snowy Christmas C was my first Christmas home after I joined the service.