Growing Up In Small Town America Part 21

 CHRISTMAS WITH EXTENDED FAMILY

Most Christmases, we would go to Granny Hart’s (Merphia Ewing Quillin Hart) house on Christmas Eve to celebrate with Daddy’s family and exchange gifts. Granny would serve a meal and all the cousins would perform a Christmas play. I have some hilarious photos of this Family Christmas Pageant.

Bryan Quillin is narrating from the Bible. Patricia Whitworth is playing the piano. I'm the halo over Mary's head, aka Paula Quillin, and David Carver is Joseph.

Cousin Beverly Carver is singing

We are nearer to Christmas morning, so Bryan is now Santa. I'm sure Paula is prompting me, as I am only 3 years old. (1959)

We would go home and Santa would come to our house. And on Christmas morning, we would go to Mimi and Pappy’s home in Crowell where there was a very large extended family gathering. Mimi would serve the traditional meal and the afternoon was spent again with a Christmas play by the children and the exchange of gifts. It was such a large family that we would draw names at Thanksgiving so that each person was only bringing one gift for a cousin. Of course, everyone gave Mimi and Pappy a gift…and I believe that they in turn gave everyone a gift. How in the world they afforded it, I don’t know.

Cousins in Crowell (1960) Left to right: Me in the center, 4 years old. Second Row: Carolyn Jones, Patti Jackson, Bob Martin Lynch, Bill Lynch, Jr. Bryan Quillin, master of ceremonies. Back Row: Debrorah Jones, Pam Jackson, Paula Quillin,

 Later on, as our extended family moved farther away from one another, my immediate family began to stay in Vernon. We would have grilled steaks and baked potatoes on Christmas Eve and then have our tree (open gifts) that night. Christmas grew to be rather large at this time, with Daddy being a great gift giver. On Christmas Day, Mother put together the traditional Christmas meal and we hung out watching football all day.

1973 - The first Christmas for Paula and Bill were married on 18 July 1970. This may be the first time they came to Vernon for Christmas because Bill served in the U.S. Airforce. 

Pal (my dog and first love) Bill Ford, Paula Quillin Ford, Nancy Quillin