My Trails into the Past

Beryl Johnston - Athens, Greece 1948  Copyright © 2011 by Lisa Suzanne Gorrell, My Trails into the Past

Christmas music is my favorite part of the Christmas Season.  I always remember Christmas records being played on the stereo at home as we trimmed the tree and Christmas music played on the radio from Christmas eve through Christmas Day.  At school we sang Christmas songs, though I don't remember any exact titles.  In 7th and 8th grade, I was in Girls & Boys Chorus and we once went to Rossmoor (the local senior community) and sang Christmas songs.  One of the songs I remember singing was "O Come, All Ye Faithful" because we sang a verse or two in Latin.  So I guess we sang both religious and secular songs in those days. I had fond memories of one particular record by Burl Ives that had "The Twelve Days of Christmas" on it.  My work partner found the record for me on eBay and it is very nice to now listen to it again at Christmas.  My daughters took piano lessons and played Christmas songs through the New Year. My favorite Christmas songs are (n...

Lisa with daughters, Elizabeth (age 8) & Margaret (age 6), 1997 When scanning photos for the Christmas Cookies post, I found this photo taken of my daughters and me with matching Holiday dresses.  I'm pretty sure I ordered them from a catalog, though I don't remember which one.  In order to get the most out of the dresses, we wore them everywhere we could: a Christmas party at my friend, Beth; church on Christmas eve, and then to my parents on Christmas Day.  The girls might have worn them to school on the final day before winter break. Copyright © 2011 by Lisa Suzanne Gorrell, My Trails into the Past

I have fond memories of Christmas Cookies, both baking and eating!  My mother always had us make sugar cookies we rolled out onto the large kitchen table and cut using the many different shapes.  I was very fond of the tree, Santa & sleigh, and star shapes.  Once baked, we then decorated them with colored frosting and sprinkles.  I remember the old silver and gold sprinkles made with traces of real metal! When I had children, we cut cookies at our kitchen table, too.  I collected many different cookie cutters and my daughters enjoyed rolling, cutting, and frosting the cookies.  The photos here show my daughters with friends at a friend's house having a Christmas Cookie party. Elizabeth, Mike, Aaron & Margaret Adam & Margaret As you can see, there was always lots of flour around--on the table, in their clothes, and hair!  But they had such a wonderful time creating their masterpieces--each cookie carefully deco...

Anna Marie Sullivan 1892-1979      My grandmother, Anna Marie Sullivan was born 15 Oct 1892 in Anaconda, Deer Lodge Co, Montana to John H. Sullivan and Anna Marie Gleeson.  She was the last of six children (four girls and one boy).      She was baptized 19 Oct 1892 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Anaconda.  I have a copy of her baptism certificate but it is not the original.  This certificate is dated 1953.  I don't know why my grandmother obtained a new copy of her baptismal certificate but she must have done so while on a trip to Montana in 1953. Baptismal Certificate for Anna Marie Sullivan dated 1953 The transcription reads: Certificate of Baptism St. Paul's Church Anaconda, Montana This is to Certify The Baptismal Register records the following: That   Anna Marie Sullivan                           Child of      John S...

c. 1973 Walnut Creek, CA    Christmas tree ornaments changed throughout my life.  Early on, my mother had an aluminum artifical tree that had only blue balls on it.  She had a blue spot light pointing down on the tree.  The next year, she'd buy green or red balls and a new spotlight color.  Our house in Pittsburg had a large picture window in the front and it was put on display.    Later, when we lived in Walnut Creek, she switched to evergreen colored artificial trees.  We still had colored glass balls but now they were of many colors.  The tree also spotted colored lights and once the tree was completely filled with balls, my mother meticulously laid strands of tinsel on each branch.    As we children grew older, we demanded more part of dressing the tree.  Now homemade ornaments and paper or popcorn strands adorned the tree.  Artificial trees made the way for aromatic Scotch pine trees--still m...

West End Cemetery Section 6 Stephenville, Erath Co, Texas Photo taken by the author Thomas N. Johnston is my great-grandfather.  He was born July 25, 1885 in Texas to Reuben M. Johnston and Olivia Jane Jones.  He married Nell Hutson, daughter of Peter H. Hutson and Helena H. Selman June 6, 1907 in Comanche Co.  They had five children live to adulthood.  He worked for many years as a manager at Higgenbotham's Lumber Yard.  He died Feb 20, 1951 and is buried at the West End Cemetery. Copyright © 2011 by Lisa Suzanne Gorrell, My Trails into the Past