Between Thanksgiving and Christmas

As Thansgiving 2012 ends and the Advent season is a week away, I thought I’d reflect on what transpires in between. First up is Black Friday. While many get excited when this arrives – even plan routes, stores, and means of “attack” – I have only braved the early (early!) crowds once. Yes, that means one, uno, singular.

Yesterday, I shopped but not at some inhumane time! I did some online shopping very late on Thanksgiving and went to three “bargain” stores mid-afternoon Friday.

Second, the annual Christmas movie watching. Our family began by watching “Miracle on 34th Street” and “White Christmas” on Thanksgiving. Friday we watched “Polar Express.” There will be more viewing opportunities to come as we settle in to watch “Prancer,” the Santa Clause movies with Tim Allen & especially “It’s a Wonderful Life!” Is the original “Die Hard” considered a Christmas movie!?

My birthday always falls after Thanksgiving – so that means a pizza dinner.

This year the annual Ohio State vs. Michigan football game falls after Thanksgiving. My family has a long history with the Buckeyes and being from Ohio, I will be cheering for the boys in red.

Next Sunday – December 2 – will be the first Sunday of Advent. Our church Christmas Tree will be decorated and traditional Advent hymns will be sung. Sometime in the next couple of weeks, our home Christmas tree will be set up. When my children were little, they all decorated it while we took pictures. As they’ve grown up, the decorating has fallen to grandkids and which ever kids are here. It always is magical to watch the ornaments being selected and locating just the right spot for it amongst the branches of our artificial tree. Then it’s my job to pick out the garland. We’ve had tinsel, strand garland of gold or silver, pearl strands wound around the tree, and ribbon. Normally, an angel rests on top of the tree or a star. The year I used a giant red velvet bow was not looked upon fondly so I won’t do that again! By Christmas Eve the tree is ready for Santa’s visit.

As I reflect upon our family’s activities and traditions, I wonder what my grandparents and great-grandparents experiences were. I’m pretty sure at the heart of the holidays was family – just as it is for mine.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

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Bringing Families Together

This time of year families migrate back together from either distant areas of the country or through forgiveness and hope for the coming year.  There are many who spend Thanksgiving alone either by choice or circumstance.  With our technology even those who are alone or too far away from loved ones, can now spend a portion of their holiday feeling not so out of touch.  You can call long distance without worrying about the extra charges – thanks to “all-in-one” phone service or cell phones with unlimited long distance built into the cost of your monthly bill.  You can talk via the computer and web-cam so Grandma and Grandpa can actually see the grandchildren telling them Happy Thanksgiving.  Or spend time instant messaging one another before the Turkey or during the game.

Abraham Lincoln was one smart man to enact legislation making Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863 while the Civil War was raging.  He proclaimed the last Thursday of November “as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”  And for 145 years we have done just that.  Thanks, Mr. President.

From my earliest memories, there has always been family around at Thanksgiving.  As a young girl, we’d spend the holiday at our home with grandparents and in-laws swooping in, eating, enjoying company and staying all day.  As an adult I continued the Thanksgiving Turkey and Dressing tradition with my own children.  At times we would travel to Missouri to spend the holiday at my in-laws or they would travel to our home in Texas.

As the children grew older and became close with other people, their friends would eat at least one of the Thanksgiving meals at our home.  We’ve invited families who needed a change of scenery to our house to celebrate and give thanks with us.  Ours is always a bountiful day full of family, food, noise, and (of course) the Cowboy game!

This year we have all four of our adult children home (two who live here, one who lives close by and one who traveled in from out of state), our three grandsons will be here, our son-in-law, and a possible new addition to the family.  We’ll have turkey and all the trimmings along with four different pies and plenty of wine and spirits.  And of course we’ll be watching the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Dog Show and that at 3:30 p.m. Central Time, we’ll have the Cowboy/Seahawk game playing.

This year has brought me in touch with distant cousins including:

• My great-aunt Rachel (Blazer) Given’s great-granddaughter
• The granddaughter of Chase Noonan
• House family cousins
• Risley cousins (Julie & Becky!)
• Stern family cousins

Through the newly found family members, I’ve also learned a bit more and was able to share what I’ve learned with them.  My experience has taught me that even though I enjoy the research and new information genealogy brings, I also need to focus on the family that is still providing history and stories for future generations.  Blink and it might be too late.

May you and yours have a blessed Thanksgiving and time with loved ones!

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The Empty Chair

At our first “Cousins” reunion in the summer of 2002, we all spread out in the garage, the kitchen area and the dining area to eat.  At the dining table there was a chair placed at the head/corner of the table with an empty place setting.  I assumed it was set there in case someone else chose to eat at that table.  I asked, “Who’s sitting there?”  My cousins told me that was an empty chair in honor of our grandmother, Vesta (Wilt) Johnson.  So the empty chair became “Nana’s chair”.

On the rare or yearly ocassions that we are together for a pot luck picnic meal, there is an empty chair left at one of the tables.  Sometimes there are two – the other in honor of our grandfather, Glen R. Johnson.

I am very thankful that I was able to spend over 20 years of my life living close to my maternal grandparents and getting to know them as more than our matriarch and patriarch.  There isn’t a gathering where we do not tell stories about them or talk about some of the food that was cooked, who has Granddad’s ears or mannerisms, and how Nana made each one of us feel like we were her only grandchild.  They truly were two very special people who shared a great love far and beyond anything those of us who are their descendents could ever imagine or hope for in our own lives.

Photo: Glen and Vesta Johnson, 1967.  Original in possession of Wendy Littrell (address for private use).

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Thanksgiving Meme

My newfound cousin, Julie Cahill Tarr, at GenBlog, began a Thanksgiving meme and tagged me. The challenge is to write a blog post listing 2 things I’m thankful for and tag a person to spread the love.

I am thankful for having the best husband in the world who has been my rock for over 20 years; my parents, my four beautiful kids and three grandkids, my sister, niece, nephews, and extended family who I remain close to in spirit even if miles separate us.

I am thankful for being able to visit my mom for a second time this year.  Since my visits are usually a year apart, being able to see her four months after my last visit – especially at this time of year – was a wonderful blessing.

I am going to tag A. Spence of Spence-Lowry Family History.  Julie’s instructions for this meme are:

1. Write a blog post telling us about 2 things you are thankful for.
2. You can post the Thanksgiving Day banner above in your post if you like.
3. Tag one person to spread the love.  Post a comment on their blog so they know they’ve been tagged.
4. Send a link to your blog post by 11/25 to Julie at:  genblogjulie@gmail.com.

 Julie will post all submissions on 11/26!  Happy Thanksgiving!

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Weddings on Holidays

With the approaching Independence Day holiday, I found myself wondering how many folks in my family tree were married on July 4th or some other holiday.

CHRISTMAS DAY – 13

• Georg Adams & Christine Werts – 1814
• Eleazer House & Abigail Mosely – 1782
• Ephraim Swingle & Dolly Nicholson – 1868
• Percy Tuttle & Julia House – 1906
• Evans Wortman & Laura House – 1888
• Henry House & Lucy Woodford – 1860
• Charles Duncan & Catherine Rice – 1876
• Lindsey House & Mary Young – 1841
• John Rivers & Rosa Hagerman – 1874
• Leroy Snodgrass & Blanche Bookless – 1904
• E. Lee Harnish & Blanche Hendricks – 1917
• Conrad Miller & Maria Grim (1780)
• Charles Reubush & Vada Henkle (1915)

NEW YEARS EVE/NEW YEARS DAY – 18

• John W. & Mary F. [surnames with held for privacy] – 1983
• Thomas Hollister & Abigail Talcott – about 1734/35
• Ross Bookless & Estella Wiley – 1901
• Alton Rose & Katherine Roberts – 1931
• David Williams & Martha Ann Kinsey – 1839
• Cyrellus Mackenzie & Cassandra Bushong – 1860
• Beryl Goul & Freida Novak – 1927
• Arza Young & Mary Guilkey – 1909
• John ‘Jacob’ Bushong & Eva Catherina Bossert – 1784
• Samuel Whiteman & Martha Goul – 1888
• Charles Anderson & Rosa Johnson – 1888
• Ralph Bushong & Ada Calhoun – 1927
• Larry & Wilma [surnames with held for privacy] – 1983
• John Alexander Bushong & Mattie Maxon – 1884
• Eli Hendren & Elizabeth Gilreath – 1834
• Evan Bell & Eliza Johnson – 1846
• William F. Clawson & Martha Jane Stern – 1909
• Clinton Dodd & Frances Huffman – 1938

Valentine’s Day – 15

• John Canfield & Dorcas House – 1774
• James Couts & Lorna Angle – 1948
• Patrick & Marta [surnames with held for privacy] – 2003
• Larry & Marilyn [surnames with held for privacy] – 1957
• Samuel Hale & Sarah Smith – 1728/29
• Donnie & Judith [surnames with held for privacy] 2002
• William House & Judith Chapman – 1806
• Richard Hendren & Harriet Agee – 1876
• John Brown & Elizabeth “Betsy” Bushong – 1814
• Philip Bushong & Elizabeth Brugh/Betsy Drew – 1815
• Hughie Clark & Lieureta Stanley – 1853
• Walter & Dorothy [surnames with held for privacy] – 1950
• David & Sandra [surnames with held for privacy] – 1981
• Francis & Lori [surnames with held for privacy] – 1986
• Edward & Penny [surnames with held for privacy] – 1991

           (Siblings were married on the same day 12 years apart.)

 

4th of JULY – 9

• Johnathon Loveland Nicholson & Elizabeth Swingle – 1804
• Henry Goul & Mathilda Bates – 1894
• Thomas Roudebush & Orpha Griffin – 1903
• Henry Bushong & Isabelle Summers – 1791
• Ezeckial A. Hendren & Miranda Wade – 1838
• John Noonan & Martha Blazer – 1887
• John Johnson & Katie Blazer – 1883
• Harold & Doris [surnames with held for privacy] – 1953
• David & Susan [surnames with held for privacy] – 1998

      (Sisters were married on the same date – 4 years apart.)

I’ve also found quite a few marriages close to Thanksgiving, Easter, Labor Day, and between Christmas and New Years.

Have you gone through your family file to see on what holidays were the most popular to be married?  What can be determined through this information?  Were there siblings who usually married on the same date as an older one?

 

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