Christmas in the South during the depression
@1creekgirl (40635)
United States
October 30, 2015 4:05pm CST
My mother lived through the Great Depression and told me stories of their Christmas during that time.
Like most of their neighbors, they spent hours working on the farm and trying to keep their families fed. At Christmas time, the kids couldn't wait to see what "Santy Claus" would bring.
The next morning they were so excited to see their stockings (actually Grannie's stockings that she wore!) filled with an apple, maybe an orange, some unshelled nuts, and a little sprig or branch of raisins. That was usually all they'd get, but that was a treat they didn't have during the year.
For many years, "Santa" would put one apple, one orange, and some nuts in our kids' stockings on Christmas Eve, along with other candy and things. The next morning, the kids would put the fruit and nuts back in the refrigerator 
Traditions don't always have to make sense!
Traditions don't always have to make sense!6 people like this
7 responses
@GardenGerty (157837)
• United States
30 Oct 15
My grandparents would fix brown paper sacks for all family members when I was young. Even after I married, they sent them to SanDiego. Bananas in brown bags do not travel well, but it is the thought that counts.
3 people like this
@1creekgirl (40635)
• United States
30 Oct 15
That is so sweet! What a wonderful memory for you.
2 people like this
@japneet20 (249)
• New Delhi, India
31 Oct 15
That's nice. It's the thought that counts. :)
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157837)
• United States
31 Oct 15
@1creekgirl Yes, besides the bananas were an apple, an orange, nuts in shells and traditional Christmas candies. I would make stockings for my kids with other snacks when they were at home so they could munch while we unwrapped presents. I would do beef jerky and granola bars and fruit. I found it made much less cranky people.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
31 Oct 15
I wish kids these days knew what it was like growing up back then, or just knew what it was like growing up without the conveniences they have today. We live in an area where most families are quite well off, and the ones that aren't well off pretend that they are (the kids wear name brand clothes although they might not eat well at home). My kids feel like they need to keep up with all their friends even though we obviously cannot afford to, and it's hard to explain to them that we can't afford the same stuff their friends have because we'd rather pay the bills and put food on the table than buy them iPhones, iPads, and whatever else.
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (40635)
• United States
31 Oct 15
It's true, most of the kids today don't know what it's like to do without.
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
31 Oct 15
I'm not sure when this Great Depression was but it sounds a long while ago. When I was a child Santa put his gifts in pillowcases. There was never any fruit.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40635)
• United States
31 Oct 15
Oh, that's really interesting! Did you have Christmas trees decorated?
What we in the US called the Great Depression was in the 1930's after the big stock market crash in 1929. It was a really hard time for many Americans.
@Freelanzer (10744)
• Canada
3 Nov 15
I guess you make do with what you have available at the time. It is interesting that fruits and not toys is what was available and practical
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40635)
• United States
3 Nov 15
I guess that's why my kids always put the fruit from their stockings back in the fridge, because they have it year round. People in the Depression rarely had fruit, at least not in NC, and the kids seemed to be excited about their stockings filled with nuts and fruit.
@japneet20 (249)
• New Delhi, India
31 Oct 15
Wow. That surprised me.those were the tough days.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40635)
• United States
31 Oct 15
I think they didn't realize they were poor because all their neighbors were too.
@1creekgirl (40635)
• United States
9 Nov 15
Oh dear, I hope I didn't leave a misunderstood post! My mother's generation was the who only received fruit and nuts in their Christmas stockings. My children are the ones who always put their fruit and nuts back in the fridge because they enjoyed those things all year round.
@1creekgirl (40635)
• United States
31 Oct 15
Glad you caught that! The rest of the candy gets eaten, but we're blessed to have fruit all year so it gets put right back in the fridge.
