Hopalong Hollow....

Hopalong Hollow, where the Blueberries grow sweet, and the moss feels soft beneath your feet.

Friday, December 23, 2016

Tangerines and Christmas and dollies.

 I originally posted this in 2009, when I only had about 4 readers. I was reminded of it recently, when my friend Linnie did a wonderful post featuring antique dolls and dollhouses.

 Tangerines and Christmas
(a post from Dec 12, 2009)
  Tangerines will forever remind me of Christmas. My mother always put one in our  Christmas stocking, just as her mother put a tangerine in her stocking back when she was a little girl in the late 1920's. I imagine the juicy orange fruit was quite a valuable commodity during a cold, bleak winter in upstate New York. And I am told that her mother too, retrieved the sweet round morsel from the toe of her woolen sock when she was  child  at the turn of the century.  I continued the tradition with my own boys when they were young. A tangerine...a sweet simple gift and a nice reminder that  wonderful things can come in small packages without being costly.
              Speaking of small packages and mothers......
    James found this most wonderful doll for me and we drove over 2 hours to pick her up. But as I was admiring her sweet little bisque face and cunning buckle shoes, I thought of someone who would love her just as much.So I packaged her up with the following note:
    "Dear Mom, This little dolly wants to live with you. I told her she would be quite content living here with the other dolls, but she insisted, 'No I want to live with Jacqueline, in a nice WARM house, where I can watch the snow fall from a wide bay window. Besides, Jacqueline doesn't have any little dollies like me.... I'm special and so is she!'
She wants you to know that she was born in Germany around1897, she's not quite sure of the date, after all, she is quite old and her memory is not what it used to be. This is her original box and she cost only 50 cents!
"I was NOT cheap! That was a lot of money in those days", she says. Her pink dress is original, but the blue checkered frock was stitched by her first mistress, as well as the lovely crochet collar.


     "She really loved me", dolly remembers fondly. Unfortunately, she does NOT remember her name..... she has been in her little cardboard box for over 60 years, poor dear! Well,we know that you will love her too, and provide her with a lovely NEW name.
                                      Merry Christmas! love, daughter"
           As I packaged little dolly carefully  in her box, hopefully for the last time, Virginia, the wooden penny, smiled her tiny smile and waved goodbye, without speaking a word.

          Giselle blew a kiss and whispered "Au revoir, mon ami."

        The Southern Belles say," Leaving us so soon? Well! We would nevah leave the South.... to go live with a Yankee??!"
         And Wilhemina wishes her would-be kindred spirit a safe journey, "Please, do write often!"
And off goes our dear little dolly, to her new home and mistress.

 UPDATE on Dec.20, 2009: Mom received little dolly today and loves her ever so much, I knew she would. Mom is 83 yrs old, you see, we never outgrow our dolls! She has given dolly an old name, Estelle, after her stepmother.

Well, that was back in December of 2009
and mother is 90 years old this month; she still loves this dolly.

For a superb read on old dolls, dollhouses and more, please visit Linnies post, here:
http://thebuttryandbookry.blogspot.com/2016/12/phebe-rush-and-visit-to-concord-museum.html

 Of course, Christmas is not really about dolls, tangerines, toys, trees, or feasting...although we love all of these wonderful traditions here in the Hollow.
But for us, the real joy comes from knowing the original Christmas story....
 when:
.
Love came down at Christmas
"Happy may thy Christmas be!"

34 comments:

  1. It was oranges and apples and nuts and lifesaver books in our stockings. My children would be disappointed with those traditions. They get as much as I can cram in and still love all the little wrapped gifts inside. Merry Christmas Jeri.

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  2. Donna, we had walnuts, lifesavers and a candy cane as well.. Oh my, how times have changed! Merry Christmas to you Donna!

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  3. Well you just know how delighted I was to come here and see more dollie stories and joyous chapters of their adventures!! Aren't we thankful that we we never knew that there was even an option to "out grow" dolls? lol And for some of us the older the better!! I enjoyed seeing all those beautiful doll faces that reside at the Hollow!!
    Oh you must wish your Mom a Happy Birthday for me! 90!! my Mom is 94 in March Thank the Lord what a blessing!! :-)
    Phebe Rush shall be so happy to welcome visitors at the Butt'ry!!
    Sending warm Christmas Tidings, and love, Linnie Lou :-)

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    1. Linnie, I knew you would like this story. Isn't it just like a girl, ( not matter her age) to want a doll for Christmas? My mom has about a dozen dollhouses and volunteers at the Doll Museum (along with my sister), in Denver. Our mom's have good genes!
      Hope you get many viewers on that wonderful post, I am bookmarking it for future "dollhouse decor" reference.

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  4. What a sweet post!

    Merry Christmas dear Jeri to you and yours ~ Love & hugs ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Sending you thoughts for a lovely Christmas Rainy!

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  5. Lovely story. I will never grow to old for my dolls. Merry Christmas ♡

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    1. Shelly, I think I have more dolls in my 60's than I had when I was 8yrs old. Chatty Cathy was my best friend at that age.

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  6. Oh Jeri, I'm so thrilled to hear about your mother and the beautiful doll you sent her. I am not as fortunate as you and Linnie to own such beautiful dolls. I do have a few Madame Alexander dolls and my Betsie Wetsie from long ago. You two make me want to collect more! Merry Christmas to you, dear Jeri! xoxo ♥

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    1. Martha, It was from my mother that I learned a love for history, books and antiques. I highly recommend you go antiquing for at least 3 old dollies (3, because that makes a collection) China head dolls are easily found, and very charming. Merry Christmas!

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  7. Dear Jeri, thank you very much for sharing this Christmas story. Tangerines also appeared in my childhood Christmas stockings, hung by the chimney with care.

    I think that I might just have to go out the shop tomorrow morning and buy a tangerine, just for the sweetness of memories.

    Happy Christmas. xo

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    1. Frances, with the wonderful markets you have access to, you'll be able to fill a basket with tangerines AND pineapples.....and fruitcake. Do you like fruitcake? I am the only person that I know, that loves it.

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  8. Jeri, I love the doll post. I have loved dolls since, well, forever. There are doll stores in my family too, not like yours but maybe worth posting about. My mother passed away in 2007 at age 90. She had a German doll very much like the one you sent to your Mother. I've been coming back to visit when there is time. I've looked at all your You tube videos. You are amazing!

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    1. Hi Henny, Doll stories are often quite interesting. I wonder if you have your mothers German doll? I wish I still had the doll from when I was about 1 or 2 years old..she was a poor bald dolly because I used to pull out her hair, strand by strand!
      Thank you for watching my videos, I love making them for fun and hopefully, to inspire my fellow gardeners.

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  9. Oops, that was supposed to be doll stories, not doll stores. :)

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  10. Merry Christmas to you! Hope the holidays provide some good visiting time with family.

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    1. Vic, The nicest of Christmas greets to you! Our family is spread from New York to Oregon, so our gathering is rather small. A son, daughter in law, one grandbaby and a dear friend will make up our Christmas table this year. It will be cozy.

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  11. Lovely dolls and what a sweet story..I, too , had tangerines in my stocking..Have a wonderful and happy holiday..All the best to you in 2017

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    1. Missy, we should take a survey to see what was in a Christmas stocking according to the generation, that could be interesting. Thank you for your visits this year and wishing you a jolly Christmas!

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  12. What a sweet post, Jeri. My mom spoke of an orange in her stocking when she was little (she came from German ancestors). I associate the smell of clementines and tangerines with the Christmas season. Have a very merry Christmas! -Jenn

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  13. Jen, I believe it was a tradition passed down from a time when an orange or any citrus fruit, was a delicacy, a real treat and an object not to be had for most people throughout the year. I I recall in the Laura Ingalls story, 'Christmas on the Prairie" when Mary and Laura each got 2 striped candy canes, a little heart shape cake with REAL white sugar sprinkled atop and a shiny, bright new penny in their stocking. "The girls were too happy to speak!" Isn't that amazing compared to today"s standards?! Just imagine if they had gotten a tangerine too!

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  14. What a wonderful Christmas memory. Wishing you and your little family in the Hollow a very Merry Christmas.

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    1. Michelle, Thank you and hope you have a lovely Christmas as well. Our animal family is actually rather large... if you include all the ducks, geese, peacocks chickens, sheep, goats and donkeys, we have a living Nativity here; (And the Animals speak on Christmas morn)

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  15. Good morning Jeri on this Christmas EVE! Oh, there is so much to be said about little gifts such as a tangerine, a doll in a box.....I could tell you oodles of times when my mother or father gifted me with one ordinary item....but the thought and love behind it was certainly not ordinary. This is Christmas, a time to do ordinary things in a big way. MUCH LOVE TO YOU!

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    1. Good and Pleasant Christmas Eve to you Anita! Love comes in the little things, doesn't it? I hope you and Ruben have a marvelous weekend. Play something magical on your harp!

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  16. Thank you Jeri ! I wish you a Merry Christmas, for you, your family, and your animals. I just adopted 2 adorable cats, they lived in the street, now, by looking for happiness, they brought it to my house. I love them. Their names : Chelsea and Lily. Sweet Christmas to you Jeri !

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    1. Nath, that is the best gift you could have gotten AND given... a home to strays! I love it;these must be the kitties you've been showing on your facebook page. Bless little Lily and Chelsea and a wonderful Christmas to all of you!

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  17. Merry Christmas!
    Thank you for sharing the beautiful story!

    Tangerines or an orange are also my mother's Christmas stocking tradition. I use to think she put the fruit in there because it fills out the toe better. :)

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  18. Hi Jeri,
    Trying to catch up. I know I have missed much. What a wonderful Doll Collection. The first and last doll. I believe my sister has those two.
    She collects antique dolls.. I will have her look at them.
    I love your beautiful Manger..
    Thank you for sharing your beautiful story
    Love and blessings, dear friend
    Penny

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