It is really wonderful to stay connected to hometown friends and Holly Grove connections. I hope you also have a wonderful Christmas and new year's, Ralph.
This ran in today's (12/25/05) Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Tom Dillard, an Arkansas historian and writer, wrote and article talking about holiday traditions in Arkansas. One section of the article talked about Holly Grove in the 1880's......
"Martha W. Rimmer, a Little Rock historian who has published an outstanding article on the history of Christmas celebrations in Arkansas, has described a community celebration in Monroe County as perhaps typical: “Two sisters, Bessie and Addie Branch, from Holly Grove, in east Arkansas near Clarendon, remembered their Christmas Eve celebrations in the 1880s, centering around the huge holly tree that reached to the ceiling in the two-story town hall. Decorated with candles and strings of popcorn and cranberries as well as its own red berries, the community tree was the location where everyone placed gifts for friends and relatives. No one in town had his own individual tree at home; only the children’s Christmas stocking were put up at home for Santa to fill.” Those stockings were the center of attention for children on Christmas morning. It was customary to include fruits and other treats that we take for granted today, but which were rare gifts before the modern era — usually an orange, perhaps a coconut, and all kinds of nuts, sticks of candy and small toys."
I'm going to look for this article written by Martha Rimmer and I'll post what I find.....I thought everyone would enjoy reading this, though!
When I was very young, one small tradition I observed was first checking to see what Santa delivered under the tree, then running to the front window and waving to my next door neighbors, Jerri Lynne and Brenda Richardson, signaling that Santa had made it to my house!
Another tradition -- though not necessarily associated with holidays -- and fond memory I have is sitting on the front doorstep of our house with my mother in the cool night air. Often we'd step out there because I had a bad dream or couldn't go to sleep. But we played a little game where she would point to each neighbor's house and I would name every person who lived there. By the time we covered our neighborhood, I was tired and ready to go to sleep.
When I was growing up in Walnut Ridge, we used to have an annual Christmas parade. All the local civic organizations would have a "float". I was in the parade as a girl scout many times and then later on I marched in the parade with our school band. The homecoming queen would have a float and so would the local town beauty queen. I know Holly Grove used to have a Christmas parade. Does anyone have any memories of it they could share?
-- Edited by Danyelle McNeill Fletcher at 15:23, 2005-08-08
One of our special Christmas traditions was slowly driving around town to look at everyone's Christmas lights and decorations. We'd comment on who had the prettiest, most elaborate, most traditional decorations. My grandparents, Ellis and Katie King, would always put a bright spotlight on a huge, perfectly shaped American holly tree in their yard. With the red berries brightly illuminated, the tree was a simple symbol of how nature celebrated the season.
Memories and/or photos of Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc.? Memories of holiday parades? What kind of holiday activities did you have in school? Did you have large family get-togethers?
-- Edited by Danyelle McNeill Fletcher at 18:59, 2006-01-13
