America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking
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My Christmas Skirt
Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
Mom, Natalie Bush, made Christmas skirts for my sister, Gloria; my cousin, Tandra; and for me in 1958. It was my baby brother, Bret's first Christmas. He was 11 months old. I was nine years old.
The felt skirts were decorated with trees, bells, and letters for “Merry Xmas” that were cut from brightly colored felt. (Don't ask me why she put Xmas instead of Christmas.)
I wore my Christmas skirt to the school party at Franklin Elementary in Liberty, Missouri, and to our family celebration at Granny Lucille’s house. I remember twirling so that the skirt would swing around me – as only circle skirts can do!
The simple act of sitting down became a grand gesture so as not to spoil the ornamentation.
I felt beautiful in it.
Mom was notorious for cutting our heads off when she took photographs. She took the photo of us in our Christmas skirts, and got our heads alright - but she barely got a shot of our skirts.
If you look closely at the photo - you can see Tandra's green felt skirt. Mom cut off Gloria's skirt entirely. She posed me in the background. All that is visible is my head and the collar of my white wool (scratchy) sweater.
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| Cousin Tandra (in green); Sister Gloria (front) Marcia (back) Granny Lucille holding Brother Bret, and Hickman. |
Just this year I discovered another photo of Tandra, Gloria and me in our "Xmas skirts." in an an old box of Granny Lucille's photos that had been entrusted to me. Granny must have taken the photo because you can actually see all three Christmas skirts, and our heads are not cut off.
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| Tandra (sitting to left), Gloria (standing), Marcia (wearing dark sweater and standing), and friend, David. Copyright 1958 Marcia Norwood. |
When I became a mother I wanted to make special Christmas outfits for my own children. A Christmas skirt would be fine for our
daughter, Kristin, but for our son, Benjamin – well, it would be out of the
question.
Ben and Kristin threw a fit the Christmas I made them dress as a shepherd and an angel for the cover of our Christmas cards.
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| Son Benjamin, Shepherd and Daughter Kristin, Angel. Copyright 1979 Marcia Norwood |
I chose to make vests instead of skirts. It was a great joy for me to make them. There was no Xmas on these vests. No sir! I spelled out C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S!
I wish I could tell you that they were a joy
to my children.
They weren’t.
I had to use my Momma-voice to convince them to wear the
vests to school for their Christmas party.
Ben admitted later that he took his off the minute he got inside his
classroom. Kristin, too. The handmade Christmas vests spent the day on the back
of their chairs.
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| Ben and Kristin's Handmade Christmas Vests. Copyright 1982 Marcia Norwood |
Kristin and Ben (now adults) retell The Story to their children - Joshua, Emily, Caleb and Megan - of how I humiliated them by making them wear Christmas vests to
school.
At least we got a good story out of their ordeal. They made me promise NOT to make Christmas vests or skirts for the grandchildren.
The Christmas memories Mom and Dad gave me as a child are rare and precious
gifts.
I'll keep trying with my children and grandchildren.
Giving
love is a tradition that needs to be passed on...especially at Christmas.
Thanks for stopping by!
Come back often, and invite a friend!
Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking
Check out the "MIX MASTER" my
Mom received in 1954.
Look! It's under the Christmas tree!
Vintage Mix-Master
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=mcafee&va=vintage+mixmaster
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| Sister Gloria (left) and Marcia (holding doll). Christmas 1954. Check out the "MIX-MASTER" Mom received under the Christmas Tree! Copyright 1954 Marcia Norwood |
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| I used the 1979 Photo again in 2007. Copyright 1979 Marcia Norwood |
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