A Curryville Christmas

Christmas in Curryville was special. Every home put up decorations inside and out. Dad took us kids with him to the woods and we gathered beautiful, dark green moss. We put the moss under the tree as the setting for the train track. We also gathered trailing pine which was the setting for the lights around our front porch.

Each year we went to Gables in Altoona. We were given money to buy gifts for each other. One year I saw a huge display of beautiful wreaths. If I bought one, I would not have enough money for other presents. I felt very clever when I decided to get a wreath and then put a tag on it that would say, “For mother, dad, Fred and Dean.” The clerks seemed to be just as excited as I was. They asked me who it was for and I told them it was for my whole family. With all their responses, I was sure I had made an amazing purchase.

On Christmas day, mother opened the gift. I was so proud. I kept asking why dad did not put the wreath on the door. Finally, mother told me that I had purchased a funeral wreath. My brothers teased me about that for years. It explained why the clerks at Gables gave me all that attention. I had told them it was for my whole family. Oh dear.

Christmas was also special because relatives dropped by. My Aunt Mary Alice Smith visited. She worked for the FBI in Washington and at the Mexico City and Paris Embassies and for the House Appropriations Committee. She traveled all over the world and wrote many letters to her family of her experiences. She never forgot my birthday. She married Eugene Sauer, who was instructor of the U.S. Navy Band and wrote scores for musicals including “Camelot” and “Kismit.”

Our traditions at Christmas included making of potato candy. It was the first thing I learned to cook. It was the first thing I taught my sons to cook. The recipe is simple: Mash a small cooked and cooled potato. Gradually add powdered sugar to it until it is thick enough to roll out like a pie pastry. Spread it with peanut butter. Roll it up and slice it like a jelly roll.

Sometimes we would tint some red and some green, use chunky peanut butter, or maybe add cream cheese to the mashed potato.

Not good for you, but yum.

Of course, we all participated in and attended special Christmas events in the church. That was where Christmas in Curryville got wrapped in a bow of love from on high.