Winner: On Being “From Away†and Christmas Oranges
Posted on 27. Dec, 2008 by Laura-Jane - Whimfield in House
Hope you all had a lovely Christmas! We did!
I am pleased to announce the winner of our last regularly scheduled Saturday contest, Meg S.!
Meg won the lovely book shown above, Prince Edward Island Seen From Away. Congratulations!
Meg, please email me your mailing address and I’ll send the book to you. But I am sad to say that I will not be sending you the stocking labeled Hank (a second-hand store find, I have no idea who Hank is), nor will you be receiving the Christmas orange that’s peeking out of the top of the stocking.
Oh, Christmas oranges. Did you get one this year in your stocking? We usually got one in our stockings as we were growing up, if I remember correctly.
If you feel jilted about your Christmas goodies this year, please consider the Christmas orange!
For many Islanders, the most vivid, evocative memory of that blessed [Christmas] time is the memory of an orange in the toe of their stocking. One woman from a large family said that at her home you were fortunate if you received a whole orange for yourself. She recalled some lean years when she received half an orange, and was happy for it.
For children who ate oatmeal porridge for breakfast virtually every day of their lives, and had molasses on bread most days in their school lunch; for children who looked at fried potatoes almost every evening for supper and considered turnip scrapings a special evening snack; for these children an orange was a marvel, something almost too wonderful and prized to be eaten–an exotic, sensuous wonder.
One woman confessed that she kept her orange for a week after Christmas, kept it in a drawer. Several times a day she would go to her hiding place and take out the orange just to fondle it, and smell it, and to anticipate joyously the pleasure which was to come. Eventually, it had to be eaten: deliberately, unhurriedly, ceremoniously, and gratefully. Piece by piece, and finally the peeling–it was all eaten, and it was all good.
From Them Times
by David Weale.
Doesn’t that make you want to hug someone (or hug an orange)?
Kim
Dec 27th, 2008
I was wondering who Hank was…
Congratulations, Meg! Nothing better than winning a book, except for perhaps one million dollars.
Mom used to stuff an orange into our stockings, too, but I much preferred the chocolate!
Gary Gray
Dec 27th, 2008
Congrats Meg on winning Tom’s book. I am sure that you will enjoy it as it is a short but enjoyable read.
Laura-Jane
Thanks for reminding me that I need to re-read David Weale’s book “Them Times”. What a fabulous gathering of the voices of many Islanders.
As soon as I read your post I just had to go over to my book shelves and take down the copy that was a gift from my mother. (I think in the year that it was published, 1992)
It was right there with the books of Dr George Dewar and a good number of Island Community histories that have been published over the past 35 years or so. The latest addition being “Mud, Sweat and Tears” Tales from a Country Vet by Bud Ings launched Nov 26, 2008 at the Montague Curling Club.
Island books form a very dear part of my library. (not to mention a wonderful reference resource)
Smiles :o)
Gary
mom Marjorie
Dec 28th, 2008
I love this photograph of the stocking, the book and the orange, and hung on your green chair!
I’ll ask grandma 99 year old Connie her memories of Christmas oranges.
I myself remember that “Mandarin Oranges” or “Jap Oranges”, as we called them, would ONLY come into the grocery stores at Christmas time. For me the symbolic start of each Christmas season was having the first bite of these dear little oranges. …In a way, it takes away part of the thrill in that they are now available all year round…
In my childhood (I am now 64), the Christmas oranges were shipped from Asia in wooden boxes of a similar size as today’s cardboard boxes. My grandfather Walt Linnitt would cover these boxes with fabric to make household itmes such as foot stools. I still have one or two of these little herlooms here at home!
Laura-Jane - Whimfield
Dec 28th, 2008
@Kim – Mmm. Chocolate! Of course, me too, but we should at least appreciate the orange, right? :)
@Gary – I’ve really been enjoying Island books, too. I really haven’t read very many, but I am definitely enjoying the ones that I do read.
@Mom – You always have good stories to share. Thanks Mom.
Marilee Thornsbury
Dec 26th, 2010
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