52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2018: Week 2: Favorite Photo

Week 2: Favorite Photo

This writing prompt is impossible. I can think of dozens of favorite photos. How do I pick one? The photo below jumped out of the files at me. Why?

This photo was taken Christmas Eve, 1962. Santa always came when we were in church on Christmas Eve. It took till about 1960 for me to figure out how this feat was accomplished, even though Nancy and I had often climbed into the attic where the presents were hidden to sneak a peak at the year’s gifts. (The ruse was horribly simple as it turns out. We would all be sitting in the car in the garage, waiting for Mom, who was always so slow. Dad would go in to find her while we waited impatiently in the car and somehow, none of us ever suspected who the Christmas elves were.)

1968 after decorating the tree - Sharon Dale and Yvonne

So first we went to church at St. Paul Ev Lutheran, our family church. I loved these services. We would be dropped off at the school to be walked over to the church as a class. (There was a cool underground tunnel from the school to the church so we didn’t have to go outside.) We would walk down the main aisle to our assigned pews, youngest to oldest classes, where we would fidget excitedly until the service began. Each class had part of the service, a recitation and a song. The congregation sang a carol in between each class recitation. The church was, and still is, beautiful. Soaring German gothic inside, two immense decorated Christmas trees on either side of the chancel, dimmed lighting and a creche at the front of the altar.

This photo is before my time - the church had been repainted and modernized since this photo, but it's still pretty close to our Christmas experience.

The whole service was awe-inspiring about God’s love for us in the form of a small baby. I still get teary-eyed at Christmas Eve services. And I can still sing most of the carols, all verses, by heart.

At the end of the service, we filed to the front of the church to be handed a paper sack full of goodies. Not too much candy, but nuts and tangerines and of course a candy cane. We filed through the chancel doors on either side and followed our teachers back to our classrooms where parents would meet us and pick us up.

By now the anticipation was practically unbearable as we knew that when we got home, we could open our presents. Of course, we tore into the house and directly to the tree, shedding coats as we went. We had to wait for my parents to get organized, for the camera to be brought out – although we never took a family photo, a great loss.

Hanson Christmas Tree 1989

Around the time of this photo, I started to notice that my Dad was not happily engaged with the gift opening. He seemed downright grumpy and morose. He sat in one of our swivel chairs and frowned the whole time. I never knew why. Worried about the cost of the gifts? Upset he didn’t get something he would like? Just worn out and cranky from trying to support us all? I never dared to ask.

At any rate, the photo at the top of this post was taken right after attacking the presents in 1962. I was in 9^th grade (14) and for the first time sat with the adults in the back of the church for the service. The suit I’m wearing was purchased for a 9^th grade dance I went to at Roosevelt Junior High School. (Everyone went without dates, I don’t remember it being much fun)

Nancy would have been in 7^th grade (12), Carl in 3^rd (8), Sharon in Kindergarten (5) and Dale would have been 3. At least I’m pretty close. The 3 littles each have one of their toys in front of them. Dad captured Dale’s crafty look perfectly. He always was and always will be a little imp.

2302 N. McDonald St. Appleton WI

The 1962 photo was taken in our dining room (kitchen behind and notice the wall mounted phone – the latest technology) in our house at 2302 North McDonald Street in Appleton. (By the way, the door heading out to the garage is on the right side of the photo behind me.)

Pat Hanson, 2012, Christmas is still a big deal

Christmas was a big deal at our house as it was for some of our Hanson cousins in town. I wonder how it was for others of my cousins or perhaps for Aunt Toots?

Sister Augustine aka Aunt Toots