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(8) A Child's Christmas (Christmas Eve)

A Child's Christmas, Early 1900s (click to see Mural description)
by David Kieller, Bruderheim(47.5 m2)

A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS

by Dorothy (Willie) Rippel
Christmas was always a big thrill. We would put on our
best to attend the Christmas Eve service. Many times the
weather was cold, with plenty of snow and high drifts.
Our dad would get the big sleigh ready with straw on the
bottom of the box, warm blankets, pillows, and chairs
for Mother and himself. There were blankets for the
horses especially made for them, ordered from the T.
Eaton catalogue. Oftentimes we would hit a big drift.
Over the sleigh would go, tossing everybody and
everything out, including the gifts and candy that were
taken for our relatives and friends. When we finally made
it to church, the horses were tied to a railing and covered
with the blankets.
A beautiful, huge tree stood in church, all decorated
with burning candles, waiting for all the children to feast
their eyes as they entered. During the service the children
said their verses and sang songs. One Christmas Eve, Mr.
Christian Barth had a merry-go-round that he made with
candles and figurines placed on the platform. Some of
the smaller children watched the display turn and forgot
to say their verses. It amused the congregation, but not
the Sunday School teachers. This carousel was a great
masterpiece. Rev. Poetzsch would then deliver the
Christmas story. Huge bags were filled with oranges,
apples, candy, and nuts and given to the parents for their
children. After the service we would go to our grandparents
for the rest of the evening.
Driving home would be another highlight, watching
the Northern Lights dancing, counting the falling stars,
and looking for the Big and Little Dipper. Sometimes the
moon was at its fullest. With the jingle of the bells on the
horses, all this was the best Christmas a child could wish
for.

See: Christmas Shopping from the Eaton's Catalogue

See: The Wedding Mural for a view of the church

To see story in context see link to: Along the Fifth page 173

Usefulness Rating (8): This is a great summary of Christmas Eve, some would consider it a 9

Grade Ratings:
Gr. 1 - [8] LA [8] Social
Gr. 2 - [8] LA [5] Social
Gr. 3 - [8] LA
Gr. 4 - [8] LA [8] Social
Gr. 5 - [7] LA
Gr. 6 - [7] LA
Gr. 7 - [6] LA [5] Social
Gr. 8 - [6] LA [5] Social
Gr. 9 - [5] LA
Gr. 10 - [4] LA [3] Social
Gr. 11 - [4] LA
Gr. 12 - [4] LA

Instructions and Christmas Links to History Book

Use instructions forSt. Albert Christmas (History Book Project)

Also see examples and read about labels on http://sachristmas.blogspot.com/

Pages on Christmas in

Along the fifth: a history of Stony Plain and district as found on http://www.ourroots.ca/

53 60 63 64 65 67 136
72 165 173 74 194 75 78 197 206 211 81 226 82 83 84
518 524 525 547 558 559 574 580 586 602 see comments
231

87 -school Christmas concerts highlight of the year
93 - Christmas treats mentioned briefly
94 -school board organized Christmas activities
96 - Mother goose Christmas concert detailed
98 - Warden school Christmas dinner at chractets
99 - students loved Christmas concerts
101 -Christmas concerts children selected Christmas plays
105 -Special sunday school program at Glory Hills Baptist during Christmas
127 -Christmas Party for United Farm Women of Alberta
129 - the Muir Lake hall was used for Christmas concerts
131 - settlers cabin used for Christmas functions at the multicultural center
133 -the Kingsmen Club held Christmas parties
134 - Lions Club held Christmas Parties
237 - the Browser family moved in at Christmas
240 - N/A
243 -Mr. Burger got a job after Christmas
248 -N/A
259 - N/A
276 - Igaborg Evjen tripped down the stairs on Christmas Day and was Paralyzed for quite some time.
282 - description of Christmas Concert at Lakemere School
303 - the Getzigers went to the Blue Berry Church for Christmas Eve Servus.
317 -Apples were only sold at a discount price as a luxury for Christmas time, also a butter churn was a Christmas present
335 - Heinches Christmas time stories and events
358 - N/A
383 -Threshing was not done till after Christmas
388 - N/A
390 - Hendrick Kulak gave out treat bags to Children at Christmas time after Christmas concerts
401 -N/A
402 - Annis Liebert played piano in the Christmas concerts
416 - Mckinlay got 19 dollars at Christmas and shared it between her two children and the neighborhood children.
424 -meads involved in Christmas activities
430 - N/A
431 -N/A
441 - Jacob Millers birthday is on Christmas Day
448 - A teacher performs a scientific experiment at Christmas time
470 - N/A
480 - another mention of Lakemere school Christmas Concerts
486 - Blueberry school Christmas concerts
492 - School ended with Christmas concerts
493 -N/A
516 -N/A
517 - got Christmas gifts for children
527 - N/A

Santa

Search results for "Santa" taken from Along the fifth:

pg63 - School Days At Blueberry - Old Santa presented gifts
pg65 - Blueberry School - Santa shook his bells to the rhythm of the Concert*
pg65 - Blueberry School (1954-1955) - N/A~
pg78 - The Lakemere School - After the Concert Santa would pass out presents
pg81 - Teaching at Rosenthal - Santa Claus
pg82 - My Days In Rosenthal - Waiting for Santa and seeing him on the street
pg87 - Stony Plain Centre September, 1937 to June, 1939 - Santa at the Concert
pg99 - Warden School 1946-7 - Santa Claus later revealed as Raymond Block
pg173 - Simple Pleasures - N/A
pg282 - Fillip J. Fischer And Family History - Santa showed up at the end of the Concert
pg480 - Joe And Mary Radcliffe - Santa Claus would hand out presents and goodies

*Concert: i.e. Christmas Concert
~Although search cited this page, no mention of "Santa" on that page

Christmas

Search results for "Christmas" taken from Along the fifth:

pg63 - School Days at Blueberry - Practice for Concert*
pg64 - School Days at Blueberry - Concert and Christmas Cigars
pg65 - Blueberry School - Piano in Concert
pg65 - Blueberry School 1954-5 - Concert
pg67 - Life In Comet District - School house as meeting place for Concerts
pg72 - Teaching At Holborn September, 1930 - June, 1933 - Carol Service
pg74 - Holborn School 1942-4 - Community Hall used for Concert with parents help
pg75 - Fourteen years at Holborn - Concerts at Hansen Corner Hall and Holborn Hall
pg78 - The Lakemere School - Concerts
pg81 - Teaching At Rosenthal - Concert and Trees^
pg82 - My Days In Rosenthal - Concert and Christmas Gift Draw
pg84 - Silver Bend School 1943-4 - Epidemic canceled Concert
pg84 - Silver Bend School 1948-50 - N/A~
pg84 - Silver Bend School 1952-53 - Teacher boarded with a family until Christmas
pg87 - Stony Plain Centre September, 1937 to June, 1939, Concert
pg96 - Warden School Days - Concert with "Mother Goose's Christmas"
pg98 - My Days At Warden School - Concert and practicing play "Christmas Dinner"
pg98(99)§ - I Remember Warden - Concert
pg99 - Warden School 1946-7 - Concert
pg101 - Warden School Memorie... - Concerts, Piano playing and carols
pg105 - Glory Hills Baptist Church - N/A
pg127 - United Farm Women of Alberta - Christmas Party
pg134 - Elks Lodge No. 394 - Money raised for annual Children's Christmas Party
pg134 - O.O.R.P. - N/A
pg136 - The Golden Age Cup St...■ - Christmas Dinners
pg136 - The Central Athlet... - N/A
pg173 - Simple Pleasures - School Concerts and Church Christmas Tree Services
pg173 - Hard Time Fun - School Concert Rivalries
pg173 - A Child's Christmas - Church Christmas Eve Services
pg173 - The Box Social - N/A
pg197 - Lonnie and Florence Allen - Concerts, fund raising, and Christmas Lunch
pg226 - William Barth - Spent Christmas in Hawaii
pg240 - Ferdinand And Suzanna Breitkreutz - Turkeys prepared for Christmas
pg276 - Peter Martin Evjen - Tragedy while entertaining neighbors
pg282 - Fillip J. Fischer And Family History - Concerts, Trees, and Costumes
pg303 - The Adam Getzinger Family - Went to the Blueberry Church on Christmas Eve
pg317 - Mary And George Gabel (Goebel) - Butter Churn as Mary's Christmas Gift
pg335 - Herbert And Sophie Heichen - Concert and Presents
pg388 - Philip Edward And Margaret Kulak - Sold Turkeys for Christmas
pg390 - Heinrich Kulak - Concert
pg402 - George Liebert - Concert
pg424 - Charles And Bet... - Concert
pg430 - Conrad Mille... - Boarded a Train on Christmas Morning
pg431 - Conrad Mille... - Christmas Day
pg486 - The Robertsons And Duncans - Concerts
pg516 - The Conrad Spady Family - Homestead House finished by Christmas and a Fox made Christmas
pg586 - Russell And Cornel... - Moved out the day after Christmas
pg602 - Michael And Wilhelmina Zucht - Boarded a ship before Christmas

*Concert: i.e. Christmas Concert
^Trees: i.e. Christmas Trees
~Although search cited this page, no mention of "Christmas" on that page
§Although search cited the header, the actual mention of "Christmas" is on the following page
■Part of this page has been cut off so information is incomplete