Linda Ford

I might be the only who shares this like but I like Christmas letters. I like getting a yearly review from my family and friends. It’s the most special part of the year.

I long ago gave up the individual notes and letters because I found I was saying the same thing over and over and as the day progressed saying it less and less. So I began the photocopied letter (long before I had a computer and printer.)

How about a little trip down memory lane. Here are a few excerpts from old letters.

1982:

This letter brings warm greetings from our family and wishes for a blessed Christmas season and many rich blessings in the coming New Year. As we look back over the past year we are very much aware of the many blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us. It is very true that daily He loadeth us with blessings. How sad it is to realize how many days go by when we fail to recognize His blessings and give Him praise for them. We would certainly have to list our family as being one of the blessings He has sent to us. Our children now number 12. I heard someplace that things are cheaper by the dozen so we thought we should try and be as efficient as possible in these days! Actually, no. ‘s 11 and 12 just joined our family and we are so pleased with both of them.

1986:

MOTHER, FATHER GO TO BRAZIL

Ivan and Linda Ford were privileged to fly to Brazil in

Jan. 1986 where they completed the necessary legal work in order to bring home their newest daughter, Tania Patricia, who is nine years old. The Ford’s enjoyed the 40⁰C weather and described it as a pleasant break from Jan. weather in Alberta. They state that it was a very good learning experience to be in a position to be the only Eng­lish speaking persons present. However they state that the Brazilians they encountered were polite and helpful. The Fords spent their 10­day stay in a hotel in downtown SaoPaulo, a bustling city of over 12 million people.

On the whole, they describe the Brazilian adoption as being a positive experience. Unable to speak any English when they first met her, Tania was understanding enough in 3 weeks to be able to, handle everyday living experiences and in 6 weeks was understanding most English spoken to her. Tania has required extra help in school­work, in learning living skills and in adapting to a family but is a lively, cheerful nine-~ear old currently taking grade 3 at school.

The Fords wish to thank those who made it possible for them to go to Brazil and for the support and encouragement received from many friends and family members. Special thanks are sent to John and Donna Armstrong who looked after the family. A later interview with Donna reveals that she spent most of her time doing laundry. Linda and Ivan also send special thanks to their son, James, who looked after the farm chores in their absence.

1988: Captioned: Things are about the same here.

1990:

BIRD – PART OF FAMILY

Scotty, an African Grey parrot, has become a valued member of a farm family. They acquired Scotty almost 1 1 / 2 y when he was still a baby. Since then be has developed an amusing personality that has endeared him to the family. Already a good talker (the For ds recently counted almost 40 words that he says) he entertains them. He calls of Here kitty, kimme a kiss, thank-you –as well he wolf whistles and chuckles. He climbs up and down off his cage to participate in family meals, watch TV, or check out activities in other rooms. The only problem is he acts completely when there is company to perform for.

1994:

IVAN AND LINDA HAVE BOUGHT A NEW FARM.

A much smaller farm near Olds. They plan to move as soon as the kids finish school in June. James and Lori are to take over operation of the family farm at Chinook. It is a big move for everyone but on the whole, one that is anticipated.

There you go. A trip down memory lane. How about you? Do you enjoy writing and/or receiving yearly updates even if they are computer generated? I sure do.

Merry Christmas to you this coming week.

Christmas will soon be here. If all the advertising didn’t make me aware of the season, the weather would. We had a huge dump of snow this week and then frigid temperatures. In fact, yesterday Alberta was the coldest place in the world. Not a record I’m particularly pleased about. I finally decided I couldn’t hibernate until the warm weather returned and went to town. And laughed at the crazy amount of snow piled up everywhere.

Enough about the snow. Suffice it to say it puts one in a Christmassy mood. (Also puts me in the mood to travel to a warmer place.)

Many have already put up their Christmas trees. Did you know it was Queen Victoria’s German-born husband Prince Albert who first introduced Christmas trees to England. In 1841 he put one up in Windsor Palace. The custom soon caught on.

I remember one year, as a child, there was a shortage of Christmas trees in our little town. My mother improvised by creating one out of clothes hangers and green crepe paper. I’m sure it was very nice but I missed the real thing.

Later, while I lived in a dorm with a bunch of girls (that was quite an experience) our floor decorated our tree with handmade, old-fashioned decorations. We made sleighs, bell shapes and tree shapes from old cards and hung them with colored yarn or ribbon keeping mostly to red and green. It was very becoming. In fact, we won a prize for it. Likely the prize was food as we never got enough to eat on our food allowance.

Since marriage, our trees have gone through a number of developments. Once we moved to this area where there are trees in abundance, we cut down our own for a few years. But once the kids all left home that wasn’t so much fun anymore. So I took a lesson from a friend. I bought an artificial tree and decorated it. Each year I cover it with a large plastic bag and store it in a corner of the basement. All I have to do is bring it up and park it in a corner and I’m done.

It’s not that I’m lazy. I prefer to think of it as efficient. The truth is, I can think of so many other things I prefer to spend time at–reading, writing, baking, visiting, etc.

Are you the sort who loves to decorate? Or does your preference for Christmas activities go a different direction? What is your favorite part of the activities?