Written By Carol Small, Middlesex Centre Archives
Every family celebrates holidays based on tradition and what is currently in vogue. Often those traditions have roots in the “Old Country”, and transition to meet the needs of the environment and times. It is insightful to remember how things used to be, to see what has changed, been modified or kept the same.
In an article titled “A farm boy’s Christmas 1898”, Wilfrid Jury described the events that made up the Christmas season in rural Middlesex Centre. The Christmas season started in November with practices for the Sunday School Christmas concert. Sometimes transportation involved a buggy ride, if one was lucky, or walking. Once the Christmas concert was over, the home took on preparations for the big event – making plum pudding, mincemeat, shelling nuts, polishing silver and cleaning the house.
On the Saturday previous to Christmas, the family headed to the Farmers’ Market and a day of shopping in the city. After chores, the family dressed up, put the warmed bricks on the floor of the cutter, wrapped up a sheep-skin rug and started the two-hour journey to London. By the time, they reached the Cameron Sideroad (now Wonderland Road), Wilfrid’s fingers and toes were tingling and he was cold “to the pit of his stomach”. Finally arriving at the Market, and with a warning from his parents, Wilfrid was told to be back at the hotel by 3 P.M. for the trip home and hopefully the roads would not have drifted in. Wilfrid had saved enough money to buy presents for his parents and his sister. As he set off in his quest, Wilfrid described his wanderings through downtown London. To read his description of places back then, is a lesson in history. Most of those businesses no longer exist and many buildings are no longer there or have been re-purposed. Wilfrid also stopped at the dentist, Dr. Woolverton’s office, to see his collection of Indigenous relics. Dr. Woolverton’s collection and his knowledge of the relics inspired Wilfrid to have a good collection of his own. Wilfrid eventually accomplished his goals and even got a hair cut for 15 cents. At lunch, he met his family at the hotel for a roast beef dinner and pie, all for 35 cents with children being half price. At 3:15 P.M., the family headed for home. Once they arrived, daily farm chores and routines commenced.
On Monday, Wilfrid and his sister, Irene, with a horse and sleigh, headed to the cedar swamp to chop down the family Christmas tree. Back at home, popcorn was popped, strung and dyed red to hang on the tree along with a large red paper bell. On Christmas Day, present-opening had to wait until Grandfather’s arrival and dinner completed. What excitement! The afternoon was spent playing crokinole, and cracking nuts – hazel preferred. About 4 P.M., Wilfrid went home with Uncle John from Melrose to help him with chores, then returned to a supper of oyster soup, cold turkey and mincemeat pie. Crokinole, the real game according to Wilfrid, was played until everyone gathered around the organ to sing, followed by prayers at 10:00 PM with everyone on their knees. Everyone helped wash dishes after. Thus ended another Christmas celebration at the Jury home.
As we ponder the Jury family’s 1898 Christmas, elements of our own family traditions can be seen. The shopping in hopes of the perfect gift, the Christmas tree, the family gathering, the big dinner, gift opening, playing games, etc. Whatever your family traditions, think about how they came about, and how those traditions may have changed. Your children and grandchildren will cherish these traditions for years to come. That is why they are traditions – happy family memories.
To read more of
Christmases of the past, visit the Middlesex Centre
Archives and browse our many scrapbooks. They are filled with gems from the past.
