Grandma bastes her turkey
With gravy in a pan.
I watch her when she does it,
And help her when I can.
But why she calls it basting
Is somewhat hard to guess;
For mother bastes with needles
When she makes me a dress.
Author: Helen M. Richardson
Source: Farm Journal (December, 1915)
Six old ladies were in the habit of visiting a certain tea house once a week—all interesting women, and one of the number was soon to celebrate her ninety-fourth birthday. She confided to the proprietress that she wanted to give a party, and it was to be as jolly as she could make it.
There were to be no peppermints and no weak tea. She had had peppermints given to her every birthday since she was seventy.
The party was a luncheon carried out in yellow and white. The daisies in the centerpiece were made into six bunches, one for each of the party. The favor at each place was a Dresden pincushion, and the place cards were symbolic of the Fountain of Youth.
I know that the drawing and text do not refer to a real woman, but the fact that this picture was in a mass-circulation magazine suggests that lots of hale and hearty women in their eighties and nineties were reading the magazine a hundred years ago — and thinking about how to celebrate their birthdays.
This brings to mind a post I did several years ago when I speculated that there were some incorrect dates in a genealogical resource I was using because the materials indicated that an extremely old woman was very engaged in family and community activities. A reader commented, “I think the dates are correct. Women were strong back then.”
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Saturday, December 26, 1914: <<no entry>>
Source: Ladies Home Journal (January, 1914)
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Since Grandma didn’t write anything a hundred years ago today, I’m going to share some suggestions in the January, 1914 issue of Ladies Home Journal that addresses an age-old problem on the day after Christmas. What do you do when the children don’t play with the toys that Santa brought them?
Well, Ladies Home Journal had some fun suggestions for creating scenarios that would make it more interesting to play with dolls:
Playing with the Christmas Doll
With a new doll at Christmastime little girls are made the happiest of happy little beings, since the newcomer frequently adds one more to the collection of other years, and now there is quite a family for the little mother to train.
What fun it would be to have a school in a corner, if only someone at home will provide a few tables and benches which might easily be fashioned from boxes.
“Let’s play ball” is suggested by the wee mites in the picture.
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Thursday, December 24, 1914: <<no entry>>
Cover of December 15, 1914 issue of Kimball’s Dairy Farmer
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Even farm magazines got into the Christmas spirit a hundred years ago. Since Grandma didn’t write anything specific for today, I thought you might enjoy this old Kimball’s Dairy Farmer cover.
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Saturday, December 19, 1914: <<no entry>>
Source: Ladies Home Journal (December, 1914)
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Since Grandma again didn’t write anything a hundred years ago today, I’ll continue telling you how to create a “Christmassy” table. In addition to a centerpiece, Christmas place cards need to be made.
In case you aren’t a creative person, the December, 1914 issue of Ladies Home Journal included twelve “little people and little rimes” that could be cut out and glued onto tag board to make the place cards.
What fun children making the cards must have had trying to decide who got which rime!
Hmm. . .who should get this one?
. . . and, who is the perfect person for this one?
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Source: Ladies Home Journal (December, 1914)
Friday, December 18, 1914: <<no entry>>
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Since Grandma didn’t write anything a hundred years ago today, I thought that you might enjoy these hundred-year old suggestions for how to create a “Christmassy” table.
It is the little extra touch that makes a table festive in appearance.
The table itself must be Christmassy in its setting and decorations, however simple, and once our eyes have taken it all in we settle down to the enjoyment of turkey and all the “fixins.”
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Thursday, December 17, 1914: <<no entry>>
Source: Ladies Home Journal (December, 1914)
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Since Grandma didn’t write anything a hundred years ago today, and to get into the holiday spirit, I thought you might enjoy seeing what Christmas wreaths looked like a hundred years ago.
The wreath on the wall above the sideboard is decorated with tinsel, and a bright Christmas ball hangs at the bottom.
Pretty wreaths are made by tying small sprigs to circular wire or wood frames.
Crimson ribbon bows make a most effective contrast with the green sprays.
What fun it would be to have a school in a corner, if only someone at home will provide a few tables and benches which might easily be fashioned from boxes.
“Let’s play ball” is suggested by the wee mites in the picture.
The wreath on the wall above the sideboard is decorated with tinsel, and a bright Christmas ball hangs at the bottom.
Pretty wreaths are made by tying small sprigs to circular wire or wood frames.
Crimson ribbon bows make a most effective contrast with the green sprays.
A Hundred Years Ago 