Little Holly on Christmas Day

This is a picture of my mom on Christmas day back in the 1950s when she was still an only child. Christmas has always been "big business" for her because she was born on Christmas Day. She always makes it a nice holiday for everyone, even now.


Even though it's a black and white picture, you can really see the sparkling tinsel on the tree in the corner.

One year, Great Gramma Josephine was left in charge of Little Holly on Christmas Eve while Gramma Pickles and Eddie did the barn chores. When they got back to the house, they discovered that Great Gramma had "watched" Holly open ALL the presents. Great Gramma was having a GREAT time watching Holly ... There were all the presents, opened on the floor with no idea what gift was for whom. Grappa could have "crowned" Gramma.

Family Stories : Holly Loves Garlic

My mom, Holly, spent a lot of time with her grandparents from Bohemia before she went to school. Even now, she speaks Bohemian in her sleep, though she says she can't remember it in her waking hours. Great Gramma Smitmajer, who never learned much English, would fill Ma up with lots of garlic and onions. Then when she went back to her own mother's house, Gramma Pickles (Violet) would send her back across the yard to Great Gramma's because Little Holly stank so badly of garlic, Gramma couldn't stand it.


Great Gramma Josephine Smitmajer also had these enormous chickens and roosters that would knock down a 3-year old Holly and peck at her. Ma hated those chickens. Great Gramma loved her chickens: