Country Roads

My thoughts are floating back to Christmas Past, as it would be termed in The Christmas Carol. It happened while checking out a family photo I happened upon that was probably taken in December of 1957 in our family farmhouse, as my baby sister, Gayla, looks in the photo to be not quite a year old. My father, Gerald Boyles, is dressed in a stylish dress jacket, so I'm guessing it was Christmas Eve, following our country church's Christmas program. For many years, the program was held Christmas Eve night. Another hint that it was following our church program is Mother had her daughters dressed up for the occasion.

Mother never professed to be a great seamstress, but she did make her daughters' dresses when we were younger. In later years, she decided our dresses needed to come from a catalog or from Bill Hill's dress shop in Superior. For Christmas 1957, mother made Glenna and me beautiful red velveteen jumper dresses. Gayla's jumper dress was made of purple velvet. Mother saw to it that we each had white warm tops under the jumpers to made the bright colors stand out. In the photo we had on white anklets with our black patent leather shoes. Mother must have been taking the photo with her boxed Brownie camera as she is not in the family photo.

The photo was taken in the room that served as our family dining room in the spring and summer months. When it turned winter, the wooden sliding doors were pulled shut separating the living room from the dining room. Most of the living room furniture was moved into the dining room. We lived in a large Victorian two story farmhouse. At that time, the whole house was heated by a wood burning stove in the dining room except for the bathroom that had a propane heater. Of course, Mother saw to it that the piano was moved into the dining room so her daughters could continue their piano lessons during the winter months. The large console television was also placed across from the 1950s sectional couch. It was crowded in that room but it was warm and cozy.

Dad and Mother must have decided their girls could open their Christmas presents on that Christmas Eve, as I remember that year's gifts. Mine was a beautiful Revlon doll dressed in a chiffon pink skirt with a black velveteen top. Glenna also received a Revlon doll and hers was a bride, dressed all in white. Gayla received a doll appropriate for her age, a rubber-like baby doll. Glenna and I still have those dolls, but not sure if Gayla kept track of her doll.

It was a Christmas to remember and dear to my heart. I'm sure others also have those special Christmas Past thoughts. Merry Christmas to all!!