As the calendar flips to December, Yuletide thoughts fill the hearts and minds of young and old alike.
When one is young, it’s the thrill of memories yet to come and the hopes and dreams fulfilled by Santa’s trip down the chimney.
Others, who have turned many calendar pages, still anticipate upcoming festivities, while memories of past holidays celebrated come to mind. Often, it is that very special gift that stands out today, though it was received decades ago.
For Kingston of Sylvania resident Henry Fleischmann, it was the BB gun he received when he was 14. With eyes closed, he still remembers the joy he felt that Christmas Day.
His companion, Jackie Cousino, recalls receiving a baby doll when she was 8 or 9 years old. “Her name was Barbara. She was my baby. To me, she was real. I actually kept her until I was married and had my very first child,” she chuckled. That first child led to four more, making two sons and three daughters. “When they were growing up, my husband and I created a true Winter Wonderland, beginning in October. My family loved the magic of Christmas. After church on Christmas Eve, and after the children were tucked in their beds, my husband and I would ring bells on a horse collar, and our children thought it was Santa. Our Christmas dinners included turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, lemon meringue pie, and old-fashioned fruitcake. Throughout all of our celebrating, we all knew the real reason is to celebrate God and his willingness to bring His Son to us,” she said.
Sharon Towner’s favorite gift was also a baby doll. “We were very poor, yet my dad, a dairy farmer, saved enough money to buy dolls for me and my older sister Donna, the Christmas I was 8 years old.” And she recalls making the trip from Edgerton to her grandmother Bucher’s home in Whitehouse. “We had delicious dinners there. My grandmother was a great cook, and her pies, especially her mince meat pies, were wonderful.” Another memory she cherishes is of her and her sister loading their sled with grain to take into the woods near their farmhouse. The two girls had discovered the lone pine tree in a forest of maples, oaks, and elms, which they would decorate with the grain to feed the birds and other creatures at their aptly named “animal tree.”
Illinois native, Marsha Hennig relocated to Sylvania to be near her daughter and her family. She recalls wonderful Christmas memories growing up and is certain a doll was her BEST gift until jewelry took over the prime spot in her teenage years. “I was very fortunate to marry a man whose German mother was a fabulous cook, and her meals, especially Christmas dinners, were the best.”
For Marsha Williams, who is Jewish and grew up in Coral Gables, Fla., lighting the Menorah was a special time. “We received small gifts each of the eight days of Hanukkah, but what was really special was the food,” she recalled. Later, she married a man who was Roman Catholic. “We made the most of each holiday, and we celebrated in our own way.” The Williams family was also culturally diverse, living in Paris for several years and traveling throughout Europe. “We experienced many cultures and enjoyed food from all over the world,” she said.
Today, Kingston of Sylvania residents and their guests celebrate the holidays with a big party. There is entertainment throughout the building and food in every area. Residents and guests are also treated to a special dinner on Christmas