Grandma Gave Herself a Christmas Gift

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Monday, December 21, 1914: I look by these pages of late that I don’t take much interest in keeping a diary. I really don’t because I have nothing exciting to write. Am done Xmas shopping for this year, and my pocketbook is done, too. The trouble for me with Christmas presents is that I never get enough.

Had one of my Brownie pictures enlarged. It came this morning. A Xmas present for myself.

Alma Derr, Rachel Oakes, and Ruth Muffly at Niagara Falls (Caption order may not be correct; Uncertain of the order; of the women)

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Grandma, do tell—Was it the picture that you took of the girls at Niagara Falls last summer?

If so, I feel tingly. By giving yourself a Christmas present, you’ve given your descendants a gift that has lasted a hundred years.

—-

Whew, I can hardly believe it. I’m only aware of one photo that Grandma took which still exists—and I think this dairy entry may be referring to it. My cousin Alice has a photo that Grandma took of her sister, her cousin, and a friend during a trip to Niagara Falls in August, 1914. Grandma really liked the photo, and mentioned it in previous diary entries.

I asked Alice about the photo last summer. I’m reposting what Alice told me:

My Dad and I were cleaning out sheds on our farm outside of McEwensville, probably around the summer of 1977 or 1978. That is when we found the picture. I had just bought my first house and was delighted to have some pictures to hang. There were several other pictures from the Muffly and Swartz family.

I love the picture so much. It still hangs in my office and I enjoy looking at it every day. Everyone looks so happy.

I’m Sharing A Recipe…

Sunday, December 20, 1914: <no entry>

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Readers participating in Grandma’s Bake-a-thon have shared many wonderful memories. We are giving Grandma a great send-off to live the rest of her life after the diary ends.

Today I’m reblogging an awesome post that Dianna at These Days of Mine did for the Bake-a-thon. She shares a wonderful Applesauce Cake recipe, and tells a heartwarming story about sharing the cake mini-loafs. And, I absolutely adore how she wraps the mini-loafs and ties ribbons around them. Dianna knows how to make a food gift really special.

these days of mine

…ALERT THE MEDIA!

(For those of you who don’t personally know me, let me share with you that I rarely cook, so the idea of me sharing a recipe is rather humorous.)

Today’s post is a combination: I’m participating in Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop:

2. Share a favorite holiday inspired recipe!

…and this is also my entry for the “Bake-a-thon” over at Sheryl’s blog “A Hundred Years Ago Today”. For the past few years, Sheryl has shared her grandmother’s diary (written in 1911-1914) each day, but that diary comes to an end on December 31. Sheryl’s readers are sharing favorite family recipes as a way of honoring her grandmother and bidding farewell to the diary.

We didn’t often have desserts when I was a child, too tempting for my mom to have sweets in the house, I imagine. She would make peanut butter cookies occasionally, and sometimes, she…

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Hundred-year-old Christmas Place Card Ideas

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Saturday, December 19, 1914: <<no entry>>

Place card figures and rhymes — 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?

Creating a “Christmassy” Table

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Ponsietta Christmas Table Decoration — 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.”

Christmas Wreaths a Hundred Years Ago

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Thursday, December 17, 1914: <<no entry>>

evergreen wreath — 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.

Ladies Home Journal (December, 1914)

Grandma’s April Fools’ Pranks

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Wednesday, December 16, 1914: <<no entry>>

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Another day with no diary entry . . . sigh. . . so I’ll continue the story about Grandma’s sense of humor when she was an older woman.

My aunt mentioned in yesterday’s post that her mother (Grandma) always enjoyed a good joke or story. She also told me how much Grandma enjoyed playing pranks on April Fools’ Day.

There are several versions of the April Fools story (or maybe Grandma did similar pranks a couple different years). Here’s how my cousin Anne Marie told the April Fools’ day story in a guest post several years ago:

One April Fools’ Day Grandma took an old newspaper from her basement and carefully glued all of the pages together and quietly placed it in our newspaper box. I can still hear Mom laughing when she tried to read the paper that day and it didn’t take her long to figure out who the prankster was.

Enjoyed Ma and Pa Kettle Movies

19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Tuesday, December 15, 1914: <<no entry>>

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Since Grandma didn’t write anything again a hundred years ago today, I’ll continue with memories that others have of Grandma:

Aunt Eleanor (Grandma’s daughter) wrote:

I remember her sense of humor. She did enjoy a good joke or story, especially if it dealt with human foibles and/or pretensions. She adored the Ma and Pa Kettle movies, and I think she saw every one.

Last week-end I got a dvd of the first movie in the series, The Egg and I, out of the library. It is based on a book by Betty McDonald.

It was fun to imagine Grandma watching, and enjoying, the same movie 60 or 70 years ago.

This humorous movie tells the story of a couple, named Bob and Betty, who follow the husband’s dream to become a chicken farmer. One hilarious disaster follows another as they try to convert the run-down farm into a successful chicken operation. Ma and Pa Kettle (and their large family) live nearby.