A Very Merry De Smet Christmas Part II

I often ask myself, "How did Laura Ingalls Wilder get through hard times?"  The Ingalls family didn't lack challenges.  There were food shortages and false hopes.  During this period of self-quarantine, I decided to reread The Long Winter to discover - What Would Laura Do?

Chapter 18 - Merry Christmas

I am sure the Ingalls girls weren't shocked when Ma announced it would be "a poor Christmas."  There was no money for presents.  

A hair receiver is a small pot, with a hole in the lid, kept on the dressing table in the 1800's to store hair removed from brushes and combs. The hair was later recycled to bulk out women's hairstyles.  Way to reduce, reuse, recycle!

Laura's industrious, giving spirit rose and she made a mental list of gifts to give her family.  She would give Carrie a handmade, cross-stitched, cardboard picture frame.  Mary would get the lace Laura had knitted.  Ma would receive an embroidered, cardboard hair receiver. Luckily, Santa Claus would remember 3 year old Grace.

Be sure to remember Daniel Loftus because he will be back in Chapter 29.  (Foreshadowing:  Don't be charmed by his jaunty mustache.)  

But what about a gift for Pa?  The girls decided to pool their money to buy Pa a pair of suspenders.  On Christmas Eve, Laura and Carrie actually leave the house to shop.  First they peruse Mr. Hawthorn's store.  He only sold dull, gray suspenders - definitely not what the girls had in mind.  Laura and Carrie found the perfect suspenders at Mr. Loftus' Dry Goods and Groceries.  "In his showcase was a pair of blue suspenders, with small red flowers beautifully machine-woven along them, and bright brass buckles."  Sweet.  There is nothing like finding the perfect gift for your beloved pa. 

Laura's first thought on Christmas Day was, "The train is coming today!"  She jumped out of bed, gathered her gifts, and rushed downstairs to find Ma putting little packages on each plate.  Just as they finished, Pa walked in with two cans of oysters.  Yay!  Ma would make a watery oyster soup for Christmas dinner.  

Apparently, Christmas wasn't a holiday for children since gifts were opened from oldest to youngest.  Grace had to keep her little hands to herself.  Everyone loved their gifts from Laura.  Surprise!  Pa and Ma had managed to give the girls Christmas candy.  "Oh what a lovely Christmas," Carrie sighed.  I agree with Carrie.  Their holiday had handmade gifts, traditional Christmas candy, the gathering of family, and the anticipation of the train finally chugging into town.

Sadly, the merriment vanished when Pa came in for lunch and sadly said, "There is a cloud in the northwest."  The dispirited family slurped their soup while waiting for the blizzard to begin shrieking, rattling, and blowing.  The train would not be pulling into De Smet after all.  Cheerleader Ma roused everyone by saying, "We'll get these dishes out of the way, and then we'll open our papers and have a cozy afternoon."   The afternoon flew by as Ma read three stories out loud in her soft voice.    

Here is a map of the Pa's De Smet property for you visual learners.

Ma had used the last of the coal in the cookstove.  Pa had anticipated this by filling the lean-to with hay.  Starting tomorrow, they would be burning sticks of hay until the train came to town. 

As the family was eating dinner, boiled potatoes and bread, the kerosene in the lamp ran out.  Christmas ended with Ma saying, "The fire is dying, anyway, so we may as well go to bed."

WWLD:

• Plan ahead and make Christmas gifts.    
• Shop around to find the best suspenders. (Suspenders being a metaphor.)
• Spend cozy afternoons with your family reading

See you soon for Chapter 19 - "Where There's A Will"

Prairie Eydie