CHRISTMAS and the CONTAMINATED CANDY 12/07

GRANDMA RITA’S RAMBLINGS

Life on a Nebraska Farm
December 2007

To my grandkids with love


CHRISTMAS AND THE CONTAMINATED CANDY

It was Christmas about 1934 and my daddy was in charge of purchasing the candy, peanuts, oranges and hard candy for the treats to be given out after the children’s Christmas program at church. Much of our social activities centered around church and specifically around Mt. Zion Methodist church, which was only a mile and a half from our farmhouse.

Christmas was always looked forward to and especially our church program. Not only for the treats we would be getting but also the Miller kids were often the stars when it came to musical numbers. Daddy loved music and encouraged us to sing.

We were so excited when daddy came bringing the boxes in to our living room to later be sacked and taken to the church.

Except for one problem------

A few weeks prior to Christmas my sister Vara, who was about twelve at the time had contacted the dreaded disease of Polio. And now a dark cloud hung over our home as little was known about this serious illness. Would Vara be crippled for the rest of her life? Or worse yet, would she die as many in that day had?

A quarantine sign hung on our front screen door that forbid anyone other than family to enter or leave. Many stories were circulating about how this disease was spreading fast and no cure was known for it. . It might have been similar to the dreaded disease of Cancer or Aids in our present day.

So when the word got around in the community that our doctor had quarantined the Miller family and that Vara had Polio, the rumors started spreading. The party line telephone with five or six families on a line was a wonderful way for the news to spread.

People were naturally concerned for my sister. And a few days later the concern also grew that we had all this candy in our house that was under quarantine. What should be done about it? Many had concern even though the boxes had not been opened, that the candy should not be used --just to be on the safe side. There was not a small discussion over all this. Then the word came to us--- the decree was that they would not be using the treats.

Since I was only six or seven, I don’t remember all the details. I think my parents were surprised. They felt the treats could not have been contaminated. At any rate they were so sure of this that we were permitted to open up the boxes and enjoy!

The Miller kids didn’t get to go to the Christmas program that year because of the quarantine, and things were terribly uncertain regarding my sister’s future. But there was a bright light--never in all our lives had we enjoyed so many of those delicious “cheap chocolates“!



Sequel to the story: Vara had a deformed foot from the results of Polio but lived quite a normal life. She married John Holloway and they had two girls, Kathy and Donna-- . (Kathy Murphy and Donna Marvin)

The last fifteen or so years of Vara’s life was when Post Polio Syndrome set in which caused her much pain and suffering She was 82 when she passed away.



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MY CHRISTMAS GREETING TO YOU THIS YEAR OF 2007!


It’s been over ten years now that Ramona and I went to Israel. There we entered a huge cathedral called the Church of the Nativity. In one area we came to some rough, steep steps that wound around to the place that supposedly Jesus was born. As we stooped and stepped, and stooped and stepped we finally came to the lower cavelike area.

There is a sacred thought that we can remember from this experience. After I got back home I read an article written by Max Lucado He brought out this truth that came to him as he entered this same cave like place.

He said that it continues to be true that before we come to Jesus we all must bow our heads and stoop in humility. We must acknowledge that He is and always will be KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS. And furthermore, one day “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord .The crux of the story of Christmas--Immanuel, God With us.