That is what VALENTINE'S DAY is all about!

Mother would help us make special Valentine's out of paper doilies and our own paper which we colored or painted. Then we gave them to special friends and neighbors.

When we got into school we would make a big BOX all covered beautifully and everyone took special cards to each member of the class.

On Valentine's Day we would have one of us be postman and deliver all of the cards to each member of the class. Sugar candy hearts and cookies with lemonade were often our treats.

Family Experiences on Cold Winter Days

1922 Grandpa Buck, Judy's Dad Tells a special cold day Memory.

Snow would get to be 6-8 foot deep. To get the cars into the garage from the driveway, "My Dad would dig a tunnel all the way from the streetcar tracks to the garage. It took a long time." I remember jumping in and helping Dad dig out. Slid down the tunnel to neighbors tunnel and up again.

As Gpa Buck got older he played hockey and skied. One day when playing hockey he got hit by the skate and got a pretty shiner. Lucky he didn't lose an eye. Really got ribbed at school with that black eye.

Judy Haag Carstens remembers building a snow fort every year and having snowball fights with the protection of our fort. We also played Duck & Goose in the snow, and had the Best Angel contest. Sledding down one hill and up the next was the best fun. Often we went ice skating on one of the rings outdoors near our home. Occasionally we would have ice in our own yard and could skate there.

I remember the Pot Belly stove in the Warming house which was always roaring with fire to keep us warm as we changed into our skates or overshoes to go home again.

 When Our Children were young we lived in a small village called Swedesburg in Iowa. The town itself was about 2 city blocks long and two blocks wide. Dad would hook up the sleds to the Volkswagen and pull them around the 6 block area. Round and round they would go having a snow "barrel of fun"!    photo here

Another Great Family Celebration Day! A Holiday with many kinds of celebrations.

As small children, we often received baby chicks for Easter and raised them for a while.
For many years the babies were tinted green and pink and blue.
When they grew up the coloring changed back to the original white. Much like the White haired ladies do today.

Easter bonnets.. Easter parade... New outfits of clothing for Easter Sunday Church.
Yes, I always went to church from the time I was 5 years old. A friend of the family was my mentor and took me every Sunday in Stevens Point.  When I was 7 & 8,  I would go to the church nearest our home which was Methodist by denomination. I started taking my younger brothers Jon and Gene Allen with me. They were 4 and 3 years old.  The minister would stand by the back door of the church and told us we needed to go to church after Sunday School ended.  I wanted to go to church, but mother said it was for adults.  One Sunday I really wanted to attend so took my two little brothers, and we sat in the front row.  Later I looked back and saw my Mother and Aunt Betty about five rows behind us.  I took the lead to wave at them and my brothers always followed me. So, here we were, a 7 year old, and a 4 and 3 year old in the front row waving at everyone behind us.

Halloween was such a fun time for children when we were young. Mother sewed costumes for us each year and it was so exciting to see how we might dress up . What character will we be this year!                 

We dressed up for the school Halloween party the 31st of October.  Every class would get ready with costumes  on and we would parade through all of the rooms from Kindergarten through 6th grade.  We were either beautiful as would be a fairy or princess and prince or cowboy. Or we might be a wicked witch, pumpkin or policeman.

After all the students finished parading the classrooms, we would be treated to homemade cookies with frosting, apples, and maybe popcorn balls and milk.  We had milk breaks every afternoon during the war. After school it was hop on the bus with costumes and treats in hand and ready for a night of trick or treating or a party with friends at home or a neighbors home.     After Tricks or treating from door to door in our neighborhood we would adjourn to a home party.

Bobbing for apples was always exciting to see if you could get your apple first without using your hands. You might get your face wet but that was the fun of it.  Sometimes we bobbed for the apples which were tied to a string hanging from the top of a doorway and two persons would be doing it at the same time trying not to touch each other or their apple with anything but their mouths. The winner always received a prize. Other games were played before serving homemade pumpkin cookies with frosting and apple cider and popcorn.  Yellow corn candy was also a special treat.

We did not get candy or sweets on a regular basis. Halloween, Christmas, Easter and Birthdays we could look forward to those sugary treats. Pop was almost unknown so hot chocolate and cider were usually the drinks for the occasion.

HIstory of Halloween with parents and grandparents tell of kids turning over outhouses.  Story owners usually woke up to windows that has been soaped the evening before known as halloween.  To keep kids having fun schools and families entertained their children with parties similar to what I have described.

How times have changed.  No longer do you invite children into your home for treats of hot chocolate and homemade cookies or popcorn balls. No longer do we decorated the homes for children to oooh and awe.  Todays tricks or treaters come in all sizes and shapes. Even adults who only dressed up for the Balls or dances they might attend later in the evenings.  Now adults and Junior and Sr Hi kids dress up so people are afraid of who might be coming to their doors.

I guess some children never get older for these activities which have grown to include them and sell many costumes to dress them.