Saturday, December 17, 2011
Penrose Christmas Chronicles December 17 2011: A Tiny Bag of Candy for Louise
The Penrose Church house was in use until the mid 1930s for various activities, and remained in use for occasional activities like elections, dances, community meetings and the like until the 1950s when my Dad and Uncle Norman dismantled the building. For 13 years or so our Grandpa Wasden was Branch President and Bishop. Some time in the mid-1930s, a Christmas party was held in the Church house. A large decorated Christmas tree was set up at the front of the meeting room. I don't remember if a program took place. All I remember is how excited I was waiting for Santa, because I knew he was going to pass out little bags of candy to each of the children. Instead of just going around and passing out the candy, Santa had a list of names. How could Santa get the names of the Penrose children? And finally Santa called my name: "Dwight." How could he know my name was Dwight? I eagerly went to the front to retrieve my Christmas bounty, so very, very rare in those dark days of the Great Depression. As Santa handed me my bag, I said, "But my sister Louise is home sick and couldn't come tonight and she won't have a bag of candy." And, lo and behold, Santa retrieved another tiny bag of treats with the name "Louise" written on it. So I took our two little sacks of treats home and gave Louise her own candy sack, feeling relieved. I was sorry she had not been able to go to the Church house and see the tree and have it personally handed to her by Santa, but at least Santa had not forgotten her, and I was glad. I have never forgotten this event, another enduring childhood Christmas memory that has stayed with me forever.
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9 comments:
Before my time - but it goes to show, you did look out for us!
What an indredible memory you have. Could that have been when I had tonsilitis so bad when I was in first grade? I hope I showed my apprecitation for your looking out for me. As you have also done in our adult years, in case I have never expressed it before, I appreciate so much the concern that you have had for me when things were somewhat uncertain in my life.
Look what you have all been doing in my absence! At the moment, I have the 2yr old finally down for a nap. I will have to wake her in 15 min so I can her to bed tonight. The 4 yr old has gone to his room to dwell in the world of "Cars" and "Thomas the Train". His temp is finally down to normal. My break. ahhhhhh.
Well, these posts and comments are pretty emotional stuff. I try to make RS cry at least once a month. They tell be that is their best week because they have remembered to feel something. Your combined writings have done that for me.....I feel: loved, blessed, safe, happy, grateful,like crying, like laughing, like there are no miles between us, nor will there ever be.
Please tell us another story.
disregard the mistakes....
What mistakes?
What fun it is to hear stories I have never heard before. Santa had a lot of faith in you to believe you would take home the bag of candy. That must be why, when years later, you put out your typewriter case lid for your stocking, everything still worked out ok.
Do I ever remember that year! I thought Dwight just didn't get it about what was required to share in Santa's stash. Actually, I was concerned that he would be passed by....but he was not.
And thanks, Eliz, for your kindness.
??????
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