On the 8th Day of Christmas Past, the question is to be – Question: What did Santa bring to a pioneer family on Christmas Eve besides candy? To be entered into today’s daily giveaway & FREE tour drawing- Read the story; “Comment” & “Share” your answer on Facebook or our blog. “My Most Exciting Christmas” During the Christmas season of 1909, my sister, Clea and I were doing our usual Christmas wishing from a Sears catalog. Living 8 miles north of Roosevelt, Utah, we were unable to browse in a store and coax for this and that, prior to Christmas, so everything Santa brought was a happy surprise. The fascinating colored pictures of candy held us spellbound. Santa always brought the most surprising candy, gumdrops of all colors, licorice sticks, or horehound. It wouldn’t seem like Christmas without a six-inch red, green, or yellow candy caramel, clear as crystal, tucked into the tow of our stocking. “I wonder what kind of candy Santa will bring this year, Mama?” “If Papa doesn’t come home before Christmas, we won’t get any Christmas candy at all,” was the shocking answer. Why should that make any difference? “Santa will come even if Papa doesn’t,” I reminded Mama patiently. Mother’s face was very worried as she carefully explained to us. “Of course he will come. I wrote him a letter telling him where we are, and that you had been good girls, but I didn’t tell him to bring candy.” Now that was more shocking than ever. How could a mother be so forgetful as to not mention candy? “Why?” “Papa was going to do that. Now, I’m afraid he didn’t find Santa in Soldier Summit. Maybe Papa thinks I saw Santa, but you know we haven’t been to a store to leave a “Santa” letter, but never mind, I’ll make us some.” I remember hoping that Santa would be smart enough to know what we wanted even if he had not been told, and although it didn’t make sense, I got the idea at last. No Papa, no fancy candy. Mama’s honey taffy and fudge couldn’t take the place of the fancy kind that came only at Christmas. Oh, if Papa would only hurry home – he must get home before Christmas. But candy wasn’t Mother’s worry. Her husband was in danger – might not return at all. He freighted from Soldier Summit along Avintiquin Creek to the laterite mine on the Strawberry River near Theodore (now Duchesne). A road of sorts had been hacked out with ax and scraper. The narrow dugways were extremely dangerous if an unexpected rain or snowstorm came. Mama’s imagination pictured him with frozen hands and feet, or pinned beneath an overturned wagon after it had slid down the mountain side. Such things had happened to other freighters. Basin pioneers took these chances in order to earn a...
Read More7th Day Christmas Past Winner and Answer
Answer 7th Day Christmas Past: To President Benson “Jingle Bells” was not only a song it was a thrilling experience. To him, there was nothing quite like an exhilarating ride with a good team drawing a sleigh. Congrats to 7th Day drawing winner, Loraine LeFevre, who won a nativity charm bracelet with Nauvoo Temple star window ornament! Please contact MHA office 801-272-5601 or info@mormonheritage.com within 30 days to arrange for how to receive your prize. Thank you everyone for your insights on both FB and our blog. The Story still available on yesterday’s Question website blog...
Read More7th Day Christmas Past Question and Story
On the 7th Day of Christmas Past, the QUESTION is to be – What did “Jingle Bells” mean to Pres. Ezra Taft Benson? To be entered into today’s daily giveaway & FREE tour drawing- Read the story; “Comment” & “Share” your answer on Facebook or our blog. “I love Christmas time and I find great joy in remembering Christmases past. Perhaps it is the emotion of the season that makes this time of year seem particularly poignant and meaningful. Especially memorable of many events, almost nine decades of Christmases, dating back to my childhood on the Whitney, Idaho farm where I was reared. They are still clear in my mind and among some of the most enjoyable memories I have. As a boy I loved going to the canyon to cut our Christmas tree and I always tried to get one that reached to the ceiling. Though we received only a few gifts, our stockings were filled with fruit nuts and candy and Santa always left something. Like all children we suffered terrible anticipation at Christmas time. I remember wondering if father and mother must be hiding our gifts somewhere on the farm. I couldn’t stifle my inquisitive mind and in no time I’d led my young brothers on a search that turned up several gifts buried in the wheat in the granary. I’m told that I was a bit of a tease during my youth. I do remember coming in on my sister, Margaret, while she was balancing on a stepladder to decorate the tree. Sensing an opportunity to tease her, I feigned danger by giving the ladder a little shake. Margaret, who was not amused ordered me out of the room and then tossed in my direction a dustpan that caught me on the lip. I still have a scar to remember that little prank by. One of my favorite winter and especially holiday activities was taking out the big two horse bobsleigh with bells on the horses. In those days Jingle Bells was not only a song it was a thrilling experience. There’s nothing quite like riding through country lanes with the sleigh box filled with straw and a group of friends singing Christmas carols. In more recent decades my wife Flora and I have made many happy Christmas trips to visit family in Calgary Alberta, Canada. The highlight of each visit is a ride in a horse drawn cutter or bobsleigh. It’s exhilarating to get hold of the lines of a good team drawing a bobsleigh or two seat cutter and ride out into the Canadian open. In Whitney on Christmas Day our family visited our grandparents and we almost always traveled to their homes by bobsleigh. These were such happy occasions our grandparents were very musical and always provided entertainment of various kinds. There were recitations, skits, original poems, music, and dancing. Grandma...
Read More6th Day Christmas Past Winner and Answer
Answer 6th Day Christmas Past: A father gave his son (who thought he wanted a rifle more than anything) so much more. He had given him the best Christmas of his life in helping a widow and her three children who were starving. This gift stayed with him his whole life and continued to remind him to help others and the true joy it brings. Congrats to 6th Day drawing winner, Ileen Keele, who won a Bethlehem star baby blanket from Israel and a package of 10 hand carved olive wood ornaments! Please contact MHA office 801-272-5601 or info@mormonheritage.com within 30 days to arrange for how to receive your prize. Thank you everyone for your insights on both FB and our blog. The Story still available on yesterday’s Question website blog...
Read More6th Day Christmas Past Question and Story
On the 6th Day of Christmas Past, the question is to be – Question: How did not getting the gift a young man wanted end up being an even better gift? To be entered into today’s daily giveaway & FREE tour drawing- Read the story; “Comment” & “Share” your answer on Facebook or our blog. “Christmas Eve 1881” Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving. It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn’t been enough money to buy me the rifle that I’d wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible. After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn’t in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn’t get the Bible, instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn’t figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn’t worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity. Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. “Come on, Matt,” he said. “Bundle up good, it’s cold out tonight.” I was really upset then. Not only wasn’t I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We’d already done all the chores, and I couldn’t think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one’s feet when he’d told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn’t know what. Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn’t going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand....
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