Christmas Memoirs: A Family Treasury

By Lisa Ann Bargeman

From the Midwest Book Review-rated 5-star author, Lisa Ann Bargeman, comes a delightful look at Christmases throughout history in the words of the people who lived them. A collection of vignettes about the pleasantries of Christmas in varying eras, Christmas Memoirs: A Family Treasury is based on the true story of one family. It is a nice Christmas gift or stroll down "Memory Lane," designed to enrich your holiday season or that of someone you love. While focused on Christmas, the book is non-denominational in nature, with plenty of yuletide appeal. Full-color illustrations

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: May 22, 2008
• ISBN: 9781490757339

Lisa Ann Bargeman

Lisa Ann Bargeman graduated from Ramapo College of New Jersey in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature. She has written several books on World Religion and currently works for a scientific publisher. Ms. Bargeman, who also has a son, Jaye, continues to pursue academics as a consultant.

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© Copyright 2005 Lisa Ann Bargeman.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

Note for Librarians: A cataloguing record for this book is available from Library and Archives Canada at www.collectionscanada.ca/amicus/index-e.html

ISBN 978-1-4120-7355-4 (sc)

ISBN 978-1-4907-5733-9 (e)

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Table of Contents

Note

Dedication

Preface

Christmas1909

Christmas 1918

Christmas 1919

Christmas 1914

Christmas1920

Christmas 1921

Christmas 1922

Christmas 1924

Christmas 1939

Christmas 1940

A Political Regent’s Christmas During Wartime

Christmas 1944

Christmas 1945

The European Post-War Era

Flags and Crest

Christmas 1958

Christmas 1980

Christmas 1962

A Christmas Rose, 1981

Christmas 1992

Sailing 1993

Conclusion

Endnotes

Select Bibliography

Note:

I have had some communications difficulties regarding contacts in Poland and Russia and or the Ukraine. The picture of President Ochab is from the Polish Internet Museum or Internetowe Muzeum Polski Ludowej at http://polskaludowa.com/biografie/Ochab.htm. I have made attempts to contact the Museum and am using the image on good faith since I received no response.

The same has occurred with Polish flags and crest. The Russian image of the Dnieper Dam was taken with permission from Christopher Goddard, however, he is not sure of the exact Russian or Ukrainian origin of the photo and I have attempted to contact any appropriate parties regarding the use of the image and am once again printing it in good faith.

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CM

~ Dedicated to Gladys Ochab,

whose amazing strength in spite of adversity has been an inspiration to us all.

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CM

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Figure reprinted with the kind permission of Doug Anderson, re The Hymns and Carols of Christmas, at www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com.

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CM

Preface

A positive and well-determined strength and stubbornness appears to be a common trait in the women of my family. On my mother’s side, my great-great grandmother lived to be eighty-one at a time when there wasn’t even penicillin, and Great-grandma lived to be one hundred and two (and a half). On or about age 98, Great-grandma was also almost arrested for assaulting someone with her walker. (Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.)

My grandmother has been quoted as saying not only that the pen is mightier than the sword, but also that "I have always believed that no matter how hard I have to work, or how many injustices [there are, that] I will always be a person who thinks for myself and acts according to my own conscience-and [I will] never let anyone influence or own me. God gave me a brain to think with and I am not a sheep that is going to follow the pack, because I would get some breaks that way. To me, that is too high a price to pay. I have only one life to live and I must live it according to my conscience." Her daughter and my mother, a nurse (the profession equals the same basic knowledge and difficult work as a doctor’s, without any of the prestige or recognition) has been somehow stomaching the medical profession for an unbelievable thirty-seven years and counting.

My family has asked me to write this collection of memoirs in order to commemorate our history and strength. It is written as a collection of true, third-party stories presented in the first person. In other words, I am telling true stories of things that primarily happened to people in my family as if I were that person (and sometimes I am.) Minor details like people and place names may have been