Grandma Giese’s Christmas Reflections

My grandma Giese passed away, on December 19, 2020. She lived to be 100 years old. My mom and I gave my grandma and grandpa the music box in the video as a Christmas gift one year. As my grandma got older and started getting rid of stuff, this music box is one of the few things she hung on to. She didn’t decorate very much at Christmas, but when we went to her house, this music box is one of the few things we would see in her living room. Now my mom and I have it; It’s a family air loom. Right behind the nativity scene is her last birthday picture. This video reminds me of how my grandma stood right behind Christ. I’m glad I have her words written down. I’ll treasure them forever.

Merry Christmas everybody! A few years back when I started to take writing seriously, I thought that I would try to write my version of A Christmas Carol. I was trying to show how much Christmas had changed over time, and how our focus should be on Jesus because He is the reason for the season. When I was doing some research for this project I e-mailed my grandma Giese to find out what Christmas was like in the ’30s. Grandma is now 90 years old. She grew up during the depression- A time when money and jobs were even more scarce than they are today. Because of that, she lives a pretty simple life even today. Her words are full of richness and wisdom. We could all learn a thing or two from my grandma. It humbles me to think about how much I still have even during hard times. Although things are tight right now, it is still nothing compared to what people like my grandma have gone through. She and her sister were twins. What a Godly person my grandma is. She’s filled with such joy! Enjoy!

“Well, I just lost the thing so I’m starting over. Ellen and I have been talking about what we remember when we were in the 30’s. There was not much of a Christmas for us having an ill mother, She passed away we were thirteen. (1933). But talking to serval women around here when they were young they remember a small Christmas tree but very few gifts. None of them ever had a bike. Most gifts were things for school. It was during a depression so there wasn’t much money or family gatherings. We did go to church but most churches were in a pastor’s home. Our grandparents took us to church as dad stay home and took care of Mom. We didn’t expect anything. It was a time of Jesu’s birth-not something for giving. Although Christmas was Jesu’s birthday, we seem to have Him every day- not just that day, Lou says he remembers trees and gifts but I don’t think his family was religious. Every thing we received we had to have. The ones I talked to said the same thing. We had a garden and shared everything we had. You have a very good idea showing how much we have changed in expecting and being thankful for the things we are given and keeping our eye on the the importance of Christmas.

Everyone I talked to never had a bike, roller skates, and YET we had a good time together without expecting things.  We were thankful for what we did have and thanked God for the thongs He provided for us. Isn’t that what Christmas is about??? God cared enough to provide what we needed.  Jesus.  What more do we need?”