I wasn’t very old, six or seven, maybe—but I
have a distinct memory of sitting at my desk at the McClellan School in
Portland, Maine in the early 1950s, a jar of glue (remember the glue jars with
the little applicator brushes stuck to the inside of the lid?) and that white,
gloppy paste we all used to eat whenever the teacher wasn’t looking.
And I remember the aptly named
Mrs. Little, my teacher; she was a teeny woman, but when she told you to do
something, you did it—she had the power of God within that little body.
And I remember struggling with
the red and green lettering: “Merry” in red, “Christmas” in green (although I
blew that one, clearly); and then...
...the highlight: my name—not
my nickname, but my real, formal, given first name—in alternating red and
green!
Now, the best part of this Christmas card is
the fact that my mother saved it...buried it in the bottom of her jewelry box
for me to find sixty years later.
My best wishes to all of you,
Deborah
I love finding treasures like that.
ReplyDelete--from a fellow paste-eater
So glad I'm not the only paste addict...it's a wonder we survived 'til adulthood!
DeleteIt's not seemly to say it these days but I do confess to sniffing Perkins Paste (glue we had at school in purple pots). God bless the hoarders like your Mother for bringing joy to you years later...it's a beautiful card.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that, Alex!
DeleteUnbeknownst to me, my mother saved all the letters I wrote to her & Dad describing the doings of all my babies & children (we lived 400 miles apart) & after the children were grown somewhat, gave all my letters back to me. In those early childhood days, I was too busy to keep a daily journal as I do now, so having those letters back was wonderful. I still haven't read through all of them yet. Pretty soon I'll have to pass some of them on to my daughter so her kids can read about their Mom when she was little.
ReplyDeleteOh, that's wonderful! There's something so good about saving things from our past -- that's why we Sepians love doing this so much!
DeleteI do remember those glue jars but hadn’t thought of them in years – you just took me right back to the classroom! A lovely memory and a lovely find for you. Best wishes, Barbara.
ReplyDeletePS I’ve just remembered we used to call them glue pots.
But did you eat the stuff, Barbara? There are a whole bunch of us who did....glue jar, glue pot -- it was the stuff inside that mattered!
DeleteWhat a lovely treasure. Have you put an informative note on the back?
ReplyDeleteYes...I guess my mother thought it would be obvious, but I left notations on the back for whoever finds it...
DeleteI love seeing children's writing like that. An adult probably couldn't do a good imitation even if they tried.
ReplyDeleteIt really throws me back in time...no question!
DeleteHow sweet that your mother kept the card all these years. I can just picture you working on that card -- and I bet your mother could, too.
ReplyDeleteIndeed -- thanks for the company today and the cinnamon twist!
DeleteThat glue had a strange taste, and it wasn't something you could have more than a lick of at any one time. My mother had several scrapbooks full of that kind of keepsake, of things made by her grandchildren if not her own children - very sweet.
ReplyDeleteThose scrapbooks are worth a fortune now, Jo -- family memories, interesting tidbits! Cherish them!
DeleteNice spelling of "Daddy" too. I'm glad your mom saved it - wasn't it a lovely surprise to see it?
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas DEBORAH!
Yes, I like "Deddy," too! My father LOVED it...and yes, it was a great surprise!
DeleteIt was just talking to someone the other day about that glue! He was surprised to hear I used to eat it. I'm surprised I ate it, but there was just something about it. Construction paper, glitter, and that glue…especially all over your fingers. Glitter construction paper fiber glue fingers!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful holiday!
What a fun treasure to discover! I have one too. (not by you of course, but a 5 year old me). Did you know the paste was made from wheat?
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for a cheery new year!
That’s a delight Deb; both the card and the memories it has evoked.
ReplyDelete