The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

RSC P OCHRE T OF ON ORC O RS SH Rhee ees eeeeehbhesaee JOS FAT' JOURNA!I BY JO ALDWINCKLE Women's Editor of The Times My mother-in-law regarded.every Christmas as a mile- stone in the family history. "That was our first Christ- mas 'in Canada,"' she would say, recalling some incident, or, "That was the Christmas before Clive was born', or "That was the Christmas after Uncle Jim died". It was her chief delight to have all her family around her and she retained a clear mental image of each gathering in such a way that it was easy for the rest of us to fill In the details of the years between. The first Christmas after she died, Eric put a rose on the dinner table. '"'That's mother," he said, "and 'she's laughing like anything at our efforts to get along without her."" Some say that Christmas isn't what it used to be but I think they're wrong. Rich or poor it is still a time of family gatherings; a time of reaching out to the lonely and a time of memories. Perhaps our childhood memories are the best because there was an exquisite magic in the air and we weren't aware that others might not be as happy as we were. Visions Of Sugar Plums The preparation of the mincemeat and plum puddings was the overture to the Christmas opera. There were no prepared, packaged or frozen ingredients then. The cur- rants, raisins and sultanas were all weighed by the grocer and scooped into a blue paper cornucopia which he made with a twist of the wrist. The raisins and sultanas had to be washed and stoned, every single one of them, and I can still feel my fingers sticking together doing this. The currants were never washed. They had to be rubbed clean between two floured linen cloths, This wasn't a sticky job but the currants weren't as much fun to eat as the plump raisins. The butcher's best beef suet had to be skinned and chopped almost to a powder. Children didn't get this job because the knife was too sharp. We didn't want it anyway because we were hoping to blanch and skin the almonds. They tasted best of ail. Working on the scrubbed kitchen table with the kettle singing on the back of the range against the time for my bed-time cocoa, these preparations took about a week of evenings; the fruits gradually mounding up in the monster mixing bowl. About this time my mother would start harrying my father for the old ale and brandy she had requested, This was his department, she insisted, and she needed it to blend with ten beaten eggs and some black treacle to mix her puddings. When all was mixed came the supreme moment of the taste. This was a metre dab on the tip of a teaspoon but it yielded a surfeit of blissful promise. Then into this bowl of glistening goodness would. go the silver charms. Where have they gone, those charms of yesteryear? Not as big as a dime, there gras'a wedding ring, a thimble, a bachelor's button, a goose or a donkey, all winking hot and wet from a dash of boiling water. Some- times there was a new sixpenny bit as well, but always a tiny china baby doll, half the size of your little finger. Your fortune lay in your slice of pudding and nobody ever thought of appendicitis. Not until the charms were embedded in the fruity mass with the end of the wooden spoon, then and then only, could you have a lucky stir. Shut Your Eyes And Wish This meant holding the spoon with both hands and going around the inside of the bow! three times; the last time bringing the bowl of the spoon up and over into the middle of the mixture, meanwhile making a wish. If you "'broke"' the stir, you broke the spell and if you flipped a bit of the mixture out.of the bowl, fury broke out and you were summarily dismissed. Such was the state of nervous tension that accrued before the puddings were finally nested in their basins: covered with greaseproof paper and squares of cloth, tied on with string. With their corners pinned together on top for easier handling, the puddings were put in the copper to boil for about eight hours. The copper? That's another story. Meanwhile we made and bought paper chains, holly and mistletoe in readiness for' the decorating. I have been searching for the origin of bringing evergreens into the house at yuletide. The symbolism js. lost. in the: mists of time. The Egyptians brought palm branches into their homes to cele- brate the passing of the winter solstice. The Romans ex- changed evergreens for luck about January 1, having pass- ed the shortest day they looked toward eternal spring. The Early English rationalized the pagan customs by the hanging of the green, An old couplet runs: 'The holly and the ivy, the box and the bay; Put them in the church on Christmas Day". Maybe the prickly holly leaves re- minded Christians of the Crown of Thorns and the red berries, the Precious Blood. Ivy, with its' clinging 'tendrils, represented faithfulness; the evergreens, the eternal verities. No one knows the symbolism of mistletoe but the boys all know what it suggests. The ancient Druids ex- changed sprigs of mistletoe as charms but they couldn't have exerted them properly as the Druids have all dis- appeared. Even the Goddess of fertility would think twice about Stonehenge in the cold light of dawn. O Tannen baum, 0 Tannen baum! The Christmas Tree came from Germany. Prince Albert, Consort of Queen Victoria, introduced it to the English. Legend has it that an English monk named Win- frid, journeying in northern Germany some 1200 years ago, rescued a young prince about to be sacrificed at an oak tree. The tree fell and a fir tree appeared in its place. Winfrid, later- known as St. Boniface, dedicated the fir tree to the Holy Child. In Gladstonbury, England, is the Holy Thorn Tree that blooms at Christmastide. The legend runs that in 63 AD St. Joseph of Arimathea journeyed to England with the Holy Grail and at Glastonbury where he thrust his staff into the ground it put forth blossoms. Glaston- bury, the Rose of England, was regarded from then on as one of the most hallowed places in Christendom. Leaving such sweet stories of the past and jetting into our here-and-now the many friends of Mr. Ben Jacklin will be sorry to learn that he is ill in Oshawa General Hos- pital. He was showing some improvement at the time of writing and it is hoped that he maintains this progress. Mr. Jacklin was the popular business Manager of the Canadian Legion, Branch 43, for a number of years, Our own Don Jackson will marry Miss Joanne Diercks of Tempe, Arizona in Simcoe Street United Church next Thursday evening. Usually a wedding is held in the bride's home town but Don's bride-elect has shown a lovable un- selfishness in suggesting that their marriage take place in her world-famous fiance's home town. It is to be a formal wedding with relatives and friends attending from north- ern California, Los Angeles, Chicago and. Minneapolis. Don's former trainers, Eddy Kiraly and Sheldon Galbraith, expect to attend together with many of his competitors and colleagues of the world of ice and flashing blades. Chime Christmas bells and ring a peal for Don and Joanne, } Lae nas z D Lid | 14 THE OSHAWA TIMES, Saturday, December 18, 1965 GUIDE GAIL Walter of the Ist Courtice Guide Com- pany has her mother, Mrs. John Walter, pin the first Gold Cord to be awarded in the Courtice area, on her arm. --Courtesy Canadian States- man. Courtice Girl Guide Is First To Receive Gold Cord In Area When Gail Walter of the Ist{ Quinney brought greetings from Courtice Guide Company was/the division and announced that | } in In dl G: te th explained briefly the hard work | Mrs. Hawke handed the gold cord to Guide Captain Evelyn Bishop, Gail's mother, Mrs. John Wal- her daughter's arm. presented with the coveted Gold) Gail would represent Durham Cord recently, she was the first} Division at the 1966 Summer guide in the Courtice Area to| Heritage Camp. be so honored. The presentation} was made at a special meeting| decorated with all her badges Gail cut her cake, made and the Courtice United Church. Patrol in icing on top of a yellow tre- Leaders Bonnie Mc-| foil by Lieutenant Selina Fulton. Ghee, Gloria-Jo Pullen, Vicky|Tea and cake were served by Reynolds along with Company Leader} An engraved aluminum tray {Kathy Redstone with a Phoo"'. and Bonnie Bishop/the guides. entertained) was presented to Gail by Kathy "Little Rabbit! Redstone on behalf of the com- pany. A Gold Cord pin and tea- Each guide displayed a draw-| spoons were presented to her g of a badge Gail had earned|by her parents and other gifts skit and gave a brief outline of the|were presented by the Parent requirements. The entire company formed two lines. Gail was given a light- ed gold candle and as she walk- ed down a path she was met by patrol leaders holding can- friends. 5% Discount es. As she lit their candles,| if You they gave an interesting account| Bring This of Gail's guiding. Gail walked up the golden stairs where she was met by District Commis- sioner, Mrs. Evelyn Hawke,who| | FOR ALL YOUR Bridal Shoes TINTED FREE DANCEY'S ail had done to earn her cord. | who presented it to r, who tied the cord around Gail expressed her gratitude | to everyone who had in any gray! helped her to achieve this honor and wished her fellow guides e same honor some day. Camp Advisor, Mrs. Kaye! } INTERIOR DECORATOR FURNITURE DRAPERIES BROADLOOM 15 King Street East CUSTOM MADE DRAPES Phone 725-2686 | by REED'S Now is the time to come into our stores and browse around for Christmas ... - Decorate your home / with a fashionable permanent centre piece... For the Coffee table... the little decorations are just lovely , .. the door Swags will make your home soy "Welcome'", R. B. REED & SONS FLORISTS LTD. DOWNTOWN 728-7386 DRIVE-IN 28 SIMCOE NOPTH 142 BLoor west a BULKY KNIT i SWEATERS ; nsLOng Siveves Hand emoroige Full Fashioned Hand Washable SIZE 3-6x q silat HUNDREDS | OF GIFT IDEAS 8-16 NO PAYMENTS "TIL FEB. WN Tremendous Savings On CHRISTMAS CARDS 18 CARDS VARIOUS DESIGNS CONSOLE CHORD ORGANS EXACTLY AS ILLUSTRATED FOR BOYS AND GIRLS BRAND eee nrc eC CCEA IN SIZE AND DESIGN. Colours. RECORD PLAYER : ; . : ste Design in NEW DROP DOWN CHANGER * ridge. Plays All Kinds And Sizes Of Records. Beautiful Reproduction, OF Greater Case; Battor/te@ther Carry. attery 4 Decorator Vate Listening @% Ear Ply oneg, tening, h4 Tumover Cart- TAPE RECORDER @ Easy-To-Operate 88 Cy ystem @ Remote Control Sensational quaity Complete with ear Switch. On Micros + pions @ Dual Track plug and batteries. ecording Doubles Recording Time @ Variable Speeds Earphone for Privi Listening @ FAMOUS RCA VICTOR PORTABLE TELEVISION LIGHTWEIGHT $ 95 19-LB. MODEL 7 3 © Aluminized Picture Tube. © 'Space Age' Sealed Circuits With Lifetime Guarantee. « Earphone And 15' Cord Pro- vided For Private Listenin, * Power-Grid Tuner, Built-In Monopole Antenna. WITH ON-OFF REMOTE CONTROL. $47 % BRAND NEW e FAMOUS MAKE 21... Chest FREEZER lvl 23" TELEVISIONS "s*........... 144 BRAND NEW @ FULLY AUTOMATIC @ CLOCK CONTROLLED Famous Make Family Size ,,, 5-TUBE MANTEL Built-in Antenne, T-yn0r Guer- ontee, RADIOS SAVE NOW! KETTLE --e FULLY AUTOMATIC Mstometic Shut-oH, $ E GEM Com Electric phe oth Cord 87 Yr, Guarantes. Comp, Value $8.95 | " Electric RANGES , 25 30 be ec ric WeRE PER TsageAeuNEsneneyegsenene BRAND NEW @ LATEST MODEL | 24 é seeeeeseetecceseseectceser * BRAND NEW @ FULLY AUTOMATIC @ 2 DOOR 12 cu. ft. REFRIGERATOR BRAND NEW e LATEST MODEL. | 2 ci BRAND NEW @ CONSOLE MODEL. $ TIONS | secota'r RECORD PLAYER Panseeestetaneeseacetaeee = BRAND NEW @ FAMOUS MAKE STEREO 23" Television $ Radio Record Piayer wn BRAND NEW @ FAMOUS MAKE BRAND NEW @ FAMOUS MAKE Fully Automatic DRYERS $128" Full Skirt, '7 T" Lovell Rollers Ww Automatic Wringer« #8 ee REFRIGERATORS vot O15 CHEST FREEZERS 3-Way COMBINATIONS i 183 Fully Automatic WASHERG.......... BRAND NEW e FAMOUS MAKE ALL APPLIANCES Carry Factory Guarantee Factory Service TRADES WANTED WITH MOST MAJOR APPLIANCES OPEN EVERY NIGHT Incl. Wed. to9 P.M. FOR YOUR SHOPPING CONVENIENCE verybody Knows the Place -- Bad Boy -- King St. E. 728-4658-4659