I never knew my grandfather; he died suddenly on Christmas Day
when I was 1. But not so long ago, tucked away in my grandpa’s copy
of
”
The Complete Book of Garden Magic,
”
I discovered by chance two pages of yellowing paper.
I never knew my grandfather; he died suddenly on Christmas Day when I was 1. But not so long ago, tucked away in my grandpa’s copy of “The Complete Book of Garden Magic,” I discovered by chance two pages of yellowing paper.
When the boy who would one day become my Grandpa Weydell wrote the words below on Christmas Day, 1901, he left us a holiday glimpse back in time through the eyes of an 18-year-old.
He was spending Christmas with his father (Pa), his younger brother, Art, and Alice and Mabel Hart, the two sisters who raised Walter and Art after their mother died at a young age. The Harts’ parents also joined the family celebration.
The thin blue lines of writing he made with a quill pen over one hundred Christmases ago, read like this:
Xmas 1901, woke up at 4am, rubbered around a little and then snoozed again until 5am. Got up. Lit gas.
Monkeyed around – strung beads for Xmas trees, mounted Tribune Pictures, etc., until 7. Art got stocking full of candy, etc. I helped him eat it.
Went to the church, brought dishes home with Mrs. Hart. Art and Mr. Hart went to Wall’s on 63rd , bought Xmas tree.
Mounted and cut out pictures until 8. Had breakfast. Didn’t eat much though. After breakfast fixed and repaired strings. Cut out and mounted pictures.
Pa came up. Pa and Art dressed tree.
I made ice cream until 12. At 10 put presents in parlour.
Wound up strings, got presents at 11. Mine was cinch – presents in front hall. Art’s in attic. Ms. Mabel’s hard as deuce.
From Pa – I got Overcoat, pair military hairbrushes, set of French books, 3 pair woolen socks – from Harts – bag candy & nuts – From Art – Diary & 30 cts. From Mable and Alice – Yrs. Subscription to Success, From Mrs. Hart – knife. From Al – 2 dollars.
Art got two Jack knives – 4.00, yrs. Subscription to American Boy, box candy, pair gloves.
Miss Alice – Diary – 2 pr. Gloves, and 5.00. Music Roll. Perfume – pocket book. Watch returned from Jeweler – Hair bow – Waist Apron – Pictures – Box Candy.
Miss Mable – Perfume – Books – Thimble – Penholder & paper cutter – lard tray – pintray – Curling iron holder – Apron – pin – Candy.
Pa. Cigar Case – Cuff & Collar box. 3 Cigars.
Mr. Hart. Pan Am Clock – Suspenders – Tie – Xmas Letter – fruit from California. Picture of Pharaohs’ horses.
Mrs. Hart – Table cloth & 6 napkins – Sugar bowl & Cream pitcher – Trimming for hat – Emery – Apron.
Dinner about 3-4 – Turkey – Jelly Pie – frozen peaches – Etc. Etc. – Oranges – Nuts – figs – Dates – candy.
Read book – Cracked nuts – Played 20 questions – Pa and Art napped – Riddles – Miss Warner – Xmas tree lit. Bed 10:30. Next morning breakfast – 10:30 – Walter F. Weydell (signed) Dec. 25 – 1901.
It’s interesting to note that the family didn’t put the tree up until Christmas day, and when they said they “lit” the tree, they didn’t mean electric lights – they literally lit the tree with candles.
The presents didn’t go under the tree – they were hidden in different parts of the house.
One of the gifts was a “music roll,” which could be installed to automatically play music on their player piano. One can only imagine what a “lard tray” was, but one hopes it was on Miss Mable’s wish list!
As I read this description, my grandpa gave me the gift of a trip back in time to a long-forgotten Christmas Day and a glimpse of my roots 104 years ago.
