Christmas Preparations and Family News

Date: 1942-12-10
Sender: Ada
Recipient: family
Location: Rosemary Cottage, Granville Terrace, Bude Haven, Cornwall
Original scan: 1942-ada-to-family-christmas-preparations.pdf




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Summary

Ada writes to her family about Christmas preparations during a hectic time in 1942, including sending parcels and calendars, making presents, and arranging Christmas dinners despite wartime challenges. She discusses family health issues and expresses interest in hearing news from relatives.

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Transcription

Rosemary Cottage,
Granville Terrace,
Bude Haven,
Cornwall.
Dec 10 - 1942.

My own dear ones,

What a hectic time you have been having - well I hope we will be able to give you a little real Christmas peace and quiet.

It was good to hear your voice over the phone! Don’t you remember filling in the headings in the red Xmas book when you were here?

Well much has been filled in since - I've posted parcels to

Many and her family -
Chris & Bobbie
Winnie's family (early books & small things from the children to Frederick Heather McInnes & Hazel),
Rita & her children -
Edith & Mary (4 present all Gillian’s work)
Gracie (a plum pudding)

I have yet to pack & send off parcels to
Mrs Stevens (cats)
Susan (book(s) & calendar made by Gillian
& Gallagher-

I plan to send calendars to folk like Mrs Hulbert, Marie & Lile - in Marie's I shall put sawett if Gillians are making - probably a lavender bag - she is getting a little tired of making things -

After I heard you had got the piano I decided we must spend the least possible on Xmas presents so (as we did in 1930) I went through all things we had and - I mean mostly my chest of drawers - and made lovely parcels - that is for my folk. I'd be a little shy to do this for young folk.

Then we got Gillian's box of cards she has been working for 2 years and I got tiny calendars & fasten to these. She had great fun pasting them on and those with lavender bags she has made & kettle holders made nice presents where we wanted to express sentiment but not expense - (i.e. to Edith & Mary, etc.)

About 18 months ago I bought through Smales a big box of choc: biscuits which have been put away. They are what

[Sketch of a wrapped bar]

they call Penny Bar - about as big as this and each wrapped in most marvelously coloured silver & gold & other coloured papers. I put a few of these into each parcel in a little tin - I shall hang some on our own tree - they will be most decorative and a nice tiny present for any child who peeped into the museum. So I think altogether our parcels were not unworthy of an ardious Xmas let alone a War Xmas. Mrs O'Sullivan gave me the cardboard boxes.

The cards have already taken a lot of time and are so difficult to dispose of correctly - since we can't get cards printed in War time I suggest that another year we choose a nice p.p.c and get about 100 (or whatever we need) of these - so that all get the same - I'll try and get a little further with the cards before you come - but last day of posting is 20th.

We are now cleaning and tidying the house.

Don't worry about food - we have Xmas puddings - jellies, soups & tinned meats - all in the house also a Xmas cake - so even if that real emergency they speak of come - we could yet have a Xmas dinner - and room for a guest.

I've posted Anna a box of ends and will send greetings telegram. We have only sent £1-1-0 to the others - so £2 will be nice of Anna - especially as you are a little pressed.

I'm so interested in the programme of your busy week - glad to note that your food arrangements (not to mention dining arrangements) looked very good.

My "flu" or whatever it was seemed to leave a rather unbearable neuritis especially down back of thighs (sciatica?) I have since your last visit taken very little aspirin lest they were damaging my stomach and causing mental depression.

I'm glad of your advice and am stood an empirium which for 4 hrs at a rate always wakes me up - the coffein lamprose.

Another of G's pictures - the small figure with the pipe is you - an as she said what you might be if you smoked.

The snaps you sent me were all of yourself no extras of the children - I thought you had made a mistake as Daisy had asked for some of you. I have only one set of the ones taken when you were here.

How exciting to be challenged by sentry.

What price Japan & U.S.A now.

What about Bullen & Clarice.

I shall write to Nina and ask her to send me any news she may get. I should imagine that if they had left China they would have gone to California.

What about Sanatoriaised being blocked out? Can you imagine it even?

Anyway Moscow is not yet & not likely to be reached.

Anyway you are coming - unless I hear differently by the 5.9 pm train on Wed Dec 17. - This is probably the last letter I'll send - No - there'll be time for Sundays which you can read on the train -

All my love beloved one

Your Ada.

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People mentioned

- Chris
- Bobbie
- Winnie
- Frederick
- Heather McInnes
- Hazel
- Rita
- Edith
- Mary
- Gillian
- Gracie
- Mrs Stevens
- Susan
- Mrs Hulbert
- Marie
- Lile
- Anna
- Mrs O'Sullivan
- Nina
- Bullen
- Clarice

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Topics

- christmas
- family
- presents
- calendars
- cards
- health
- war

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Uncertain words / phrases

- sawett
- lamprose
- Sanatoriaised
- ardious
- coffien
- p.p.c
- O'Sullivan

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Archivist notes

- Handwritten letter dated Dec 10 1942
- Written from Cornwall, UK
- Discusses Christmas parcels, calendars, and wartime gift-giving
- Mentions family health issues and wartime challenges
- Contains a hand-drawn sketch of a chocolate bar (Penny Bar)
- Sender is Ada, recipient is her family
- Letter spans multiple pages with personal and detailed family notes

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