Christmas Memories: December 26 was the big shopping day for the Etter crowd, not Black Friday.
Grandma Anna Mary Etter’s Christmas was always held on Christmas Day for supper. All the aunts and uncles and cousins gathered there for a delicious potluck meal – the Shafer/Etter clan had some amazing cooks! The adults ate in the Ceramic room while all the kids ate in the other basement room. After dinner, the kids, toddlers through Jr High, were sequestered in Grandma and Grandpa’s bedroom to rehearse the annual Etter Christmas Pageant. Grandma’s bath towel drawer was raided for the costumes. The older ones were in charge of getting the younger ones organized. When everyone had gathered in the living room, Mary and Joseph, the baby Jesus, wisemen, shepherds and angels took their positions in front of the tree as someone read the Christmas passage from the Bible. A few carols were sung and any child that had memorized a part for a Christmas program recited their lines. It was the Etter way of reminding us all that Jesus is the reason for the season.
After presents were opened, the big discussion was the shopping strategies for the day after Christmas sales. Kmart and Dehaven’s had great deals as did other stores and they opened early (6am I believe). My mom and aunts and uncles were going to get up early, shopping for the next Christmas – wrapping paper, Christmas cards, ornaments, Christmas lights, and Christmas trees all marked down for clearance! When I was young, I don’t ever remember Black Friday being talked about on Thanksgiving, December 26 was when the real bargains were to be found!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!
–Karen, Adam, & Mike
