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Archiver > ARSEARCY > 2002-12 > 1040403288


From: "Ann McDonald" <>
Subject: Re: [ARSEARCY] Christmas Eve Gift
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2002 10:55:17 -0600
References: <Pine.GSO.4.21.0212191545160.21028-100000@harper.uchicago.edu>


Thanks Heather for doing some research on this. I will check out the sites
you listed.

My Great grandparents (R C & Bell Watts Savage) moved to Missouri in the
1930's and grandpa was the one I always recall saying this. I would love
to hear him come in the door and say it again to all the family. This was
not something I heard others say just our family.

Ann Bohannon McDonald


----- Original Message -----
From: "heather e blair" <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2002 3:59 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSEARCY] Christmas Eve Gift


> I've heard of a similar tradition where the first person to say "Christmas
> Gift" on Christmas gets a gift.
>
> Googling about, I found references to it as an African American tradition:
>
> http://www.umsl.edu/services/library/blackstudies/discus2.htm
>
> also from a William Faulkner glossary:
> http://www.uhb.fr/faulkner/sound_fury/glossary.htm
>
> a Kentucky tradition:
> http://www.angelfire.com/ky/inspirations4u/meltonsmemories.html
>
> an Ozark tradition:
>
http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/periodicals/wrv/V35/N1/s9
5c.htm
>
> Alabama:
> http://pigseye.kennesaw.edu/~ddeering/ferg.doc
>
> even Ohio:
> http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/1574/lettall.htm
>
> Here's your Christmas Eve variant in a short story:
> http://www.heavenlyvisits.com/vis45.htm
>
> I guess that doesn't really answer your question, but the tradition seems
> to be all over the South and even into the lower midwest.
>
> - Heather
>
> On Fri, 6 Dec 2002, Judy Oldziewski wrote:
>
> > For at least a hundred years there has been a tradition in my family of
> > "Christmas Eve Gift" It is one of those family customs shared in my
> > Holsted family. It rquires you to verbally say "Christmas Eve Gift" to
> > other members of your family before they can say it to you. Of course
> > you cannot say it til after midnight Christmas Eve.
> >
> > Toby Lonzo and Mary Ellen Harness Holsted brought this family tradition
> > with them from Searcy County when they moved to Oklahoma. Does anyone on
> > the list share this tradition or know where it might have started. It
> > does not seem to be very widespread although I have found a few others
> > who share it. I am hoping some other Searcy County families can tell me
> > where and when the tradition started. Would appreciate hearing from
> > anyone who can shed any light on this family tradition.
> >
> > Judy
> >
> >
> > ==============================
> > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy
records, go to:
> > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237
> >
>
>
> ==============================
> To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records,
go to:
> http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237
>
>

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