River Living residents share Christmas memories

By Caroline Rosacker

A very enjoyable part of my position as feature writer with The Guttenberg Press is to interview our elders about the rich lives they led growing up during very financially challenging times. 

I recently reached out to residents at the River Living Center in Guttenberg and asked them to share their most fond memories of Christmas. 

Janet Lundt

Janet Lundt, age 84, grew up near Edgewood on a farm and attended country school. There were six children in the household, four girls, and two boys. "Christmas was a very exciting time of year in our home," she fondly recalled. "We could never get to sleep on Christmas Eve. We would get up and sneak downstairs to see if Santa Claus had left any presents yet." 

She told how her mother made a variety of different candy, such as taffy, but it was her father who always made the best fudge. 

The children were lucky if they received even one present, so when she was gifted a doll she wanted she felt pretty special. 

The family Christmas tree was from the nearby woods and was decorated with colorful paper chains. 

Ed Rodenberg

Ninety-year-old Ed Rodenberg recalled scouting out a Christmas tree in the timber each fall when he was out hunting. "My dad always said keep your eyes open for a Christmas tree," he told The Press. 

His eyes lit up when he described the homemade sweet dressing his mother used to make with raisins, apples and bread that was soaked for a period of time. The family raised geese and ducks. They always had goose on Thanksgiving and a duck on Christmas day. 

Ed wasn't fond of decorating the tree, but said he didn't have much choice. "I never asked for any gifts," he said with a hearty laugh. "It wouldn't have done any good. I always got practical things like a new shirt and overall, or maybe a pair of socks." 

He did recall getting a bicycle on his 10th birthday. "I didn't know how to ride it, but it didn't take long," he noted. "My mother wasn't too particular, so I learned to ride it in our house." 

Verda Mae Faust

Verda Mae, who is 98 years old, recalled the pinch-on candles that were lit on the Christmas tree her family foraged from the woods. 

"We always celebrated St. Nicholas before Christmas," she said with a smile. 

She remembered loading everyone up in the family car to drive around to see the lights. When the family arrived home Santa Claus had paid them a visit.  

She spoke about her mother's sweet dressing as well, and her sugar cookie recipe that Verda Mae made herself through the years. "We usually got a doll or some kind of toy and fruit for Christmas, she commented. "We decorated our tree with paper chains as well." 

Doris Bolsinger

Doris Bolsinger, age 81, grew up on a farm with 10 siblings – six boys and four girls. 

The family Christmas tree came from the woods and was decorated with handmade ornaments.   She remembered a doll her mother made for her that she cherished and kept for a long time. Her brothers received a ball and glove for Christmas one year and got up in the night and played ball in the hay field.  "It was a very joyous time of the year," she commented. "We were poor and my father didn't go shopping until the day before Christmas, but we all got at least one toy."

More recently she shared a fond memory when her great-niece and nephew, who was born on Christmas day, helped her decorate her home in Colesburg. "My nephew put a sled with Santa in it on the roof," she said enthusiastically. "I won first prize that year, and gave the money to the kids." 

Her niece carries on the tradition and has placed Santa and his sleigh in her own yard here in Guttenberg. "Drive by and take a look at 831 South First Street," she said. 

Gayle Hanna

Eighty-nine-year-old Gayle Hanna was excited to share the traditions she created while raising her own family in Guttenberg.

"We always had three trees – each eight or nine foot," she explained. "The nine-foot tree went in the living room and was decorated with ornaments Dennis and I received from students when we were both teaching."

The tree in the dining room was decorated with an angel at the top and lights only, and the third tree, located in the sunroom, was decorated with musical instrument ornaments. "After church our daughter, Vicky and her husband, Brian, and their children would help us decorate the tree that was undecorated on Christmas Eve." 

Dennis Hanna

Dennis Hanna, age 92, proudly shared his Norwegian heritage and the unique offerings at his family's Christmas table. "My mother always made oyster stew on Christmas Eve," he began. As he paused, many of the others also shared they had the same tradition. Most only liked the broth and left the oysters behind.

The Hanna family also enjoyed lefse, lutefisk and mashed potatoes. They had a real tree with homemade ornaments. During the winter Dennis spent his time outdoors skiing. "I grew up during the Depression, so I never got much and really don't remember anything special," he noted. 

Betty Hyde

Betty Hyde grew up in Colesburg. The 95-year-old remembers purchasing their tree at Bolsinger and Shaefer's store on the corner. They had decorations they kept and added to from year to year. "I thought we had the most beautiful tree there ever was," she said with a smile.  

Betty's mother raised her four children on her own after her husband passed away when the children were small. “We didn’t get a lot of gifts,” she remembered. “We were poor and got a coloring book. We didn’t care; we were all very happy. My mother worked very hard cleaning houses for a dollar a day and we were very proud of her.” 

When Betty was six or seven years old she was asked to memorize and read a poem in church. She never forgot the words and recited it for the group. 

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A Christmas Poem

There is something I could give to everyone here. 

Something you couldn’t buy to make your Christmas cheer. 

I know you will be glad I give this gift to you.

And what I give to you will make me happy too. 

You mustn’t keep this gift but gift it back to me. 

And also give another to everyone you see.

t’s a Christmas smile.