Family Stories



Christmas Day or even a couple days after Christmas when many of the out-of-town relatives are present, spend some evening time retelling family stories. Start with any grandparents or grand aunts/uncles present, the older relatives and have them tell of their Christmas childhoods, the gifts they got or any unusual events. Someone needs to be writing, recording or videoing taping these stories –Save them !!

Then have parents do the same, tell of their memories at Christmas. Adult children of the family are next and lastly should be any younger children present, they always have some interesting stories to tell. All should be reported and saved.

If you are the family history researcher, this would also be a great to relate any unusual findings or information you located about an ancestor.

The following is a Christmas remembrance written down in 1997 from celebrations in the 1950s-60s.

“Christmas time was always special as it would be for any family. The Christmas tree was in the living room, but in different locations depending on the size of the tree that year. Tree decorations were mostly red, round glass-ball ornaments. Nan, (Mom) loved the color red and decorated the tree in her favorite color. The tree lights would be many colors and be large sized bulbs. Decorations and lights would be placed outside the house especially along the front porch. Christmas Day saw lots of presents under the tree with many games, toys and dolls. Christmas dinner was the six family members (parents and four children), not having any other family members nearby to visit the house. Harry’s and Nan’s parents all passed away before they were married. Nan had one grandfather, Charles Jacob Everhart, in his mid-90’s, who lived in Maryland. He wrote letters to the family and always remembered each child at Christmas and their birthday with a dollar bill, but he was unable to travel to Florida. Another tradition at Christmas time, especially in the 1950s was for the two daughters to get a home perm. It was only the two brothers who had natural curly hair.”

Photo: Alice and sister Carol with their Christmas home perms in the 1954.

Related FamilyTree.com blogs:

Christmas Surnames

Christmas Letters Sent

Christmas Gifts for Children in 1913

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