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Show Wednesday, December 13, 2006 A5 Sanpete Messenger/Gunnison Valley Edition Have a ‘beary’ merry Christmas Just add a tisp Words are magical. Even when they’re nonsensical—like “mairzy doats and dozy doats” or “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”—they stick with you, following you wherever you go, popping up at the oddest times. Being filled with Christmas cheer one year, my husband, his mother and I were making Christmas cookies. Russ and I were newlyweds and still learning each other’s enduring young charms. That explains why I made the mistake of letting him read the ingredients out loud while his mom and I put them in the bowl. It wasn’t that I was naïve about his abilities; I’d already watched his gift-wrapping skills at work. He would enclose a present in layers of wrapping paper and tape, which became more wrinkled and wadded as he worked with it. No matter what the initial shape, when he was finished it was lumpy and round. His version of a bow was ribbon crisscrossed several times around the package and tied in a knot. For some reason, the “bow” always had a dangling six-inch tail, and the cat attacked it every time she walked in the room. It’s no wonder all the packages under the tree looked like they’d been fed through a paper shredder two weeks before Christmas. But I thought it would be safe to let him read the cookie recipe. After all, how much could he goof up reading a few lines on a three-by-five index card? Things went well for the butter, sugar and flour. I suppose those were words Russ had learned in middle school, and with which he had some familiarity. It was the measurement for the baking soda that was the problem. “You need to put in one tisp of baking soda.” Russ wriggled his eyebrows on the word “tisp” as if disclosing some great mystery. He was right; a tisp was a mystery. His mom and I looked at each other. Russ’s mom is a wonderful person and wouldn’t dream of making him feel bad. “That sounds like a lot of baking soda. Are you sure it’s not supposed to be a half a tisp?” she asked. I stared at her in amazement. What in the heck was a tisp? I was sure she had no clue, but I admired her ability to bluff. And I had to ask myself why she was spending her time as a career secretary in the postal service, when she could have been winning her millions as a poker player in Las Vegas. I jiggled the box of baking soda. It powder-puffed into the air and made me sneeze, but didn’t do much to clear my brain. Stalling for time, I checked the expiration date on the side, but since it didn’t say “expires in a tisp,” I was at a loss. In all my years of Catholic girls’ school, I’d never heard of a tisp. So why would the Catholic boys know something the Catholic girls didn’t? The boys didn’t even have to take Home Economics 101. They learned useless things in class ... like how to make their armpits belch, or the best way to get a spitball to stick to the ceiling, or how to convince a girl to kiss them behind the bleachers. Leaning over, I took the card from his hand and skimmed it quickly. I couldn’t find the word “tisp” anywhere, so I asked Russ to show it to me. He pointed to the line where the recipe clearly stated, “1 tsp. baking soda.” The mistake gave us a giggling fit, and pretty soon we were having such a good time we began throwing balls of cookie dough onto the baking sheet from five feet away. It was just as effective as flattening them with a fork like the recipe suggested— and a great deal more fun. Many years have passed, and words have even more meaning now than before. A word can make me a kid on roller skates again, or bring back the memory of the fragrance of a summer’s night. The right word can bring tears to my eyes. A simple word can even make me feel like a newlywed on Christmas Eve again. And you can’t ask for more than that from a tisp. KAREN PRISBREY / MESSENGER PHOTO Bonnie Olson poses with the monkeys she made for her family. The monkeys illustrated the circus theme she had planned for that year’s Christmas party. Whimsical holiday parties full of fun and service, culminate in spiritual feast for Ephraim family By Karen Prisbrey Staff writer EPHRAIM — The family Christmas celebration at the Douglas and Bonnie Olson home in Ephraim is always a day full of fun, adventure, games, and service, that ends in an uplifting spiritual feast. Bonnie is the party planner and says “ideas start rattling in my brain only a few days after the current celebration is over.” Each year Bonnie chooses a theme for the celebration and sets to work planning the party. Often special guests are welcomed to the celebration and the gifts and favors for the party follow the theme. According to daughter Carolyn, “mom puts her whole heart into planning out our fam- “ ” —Bonnie Olson Short or long-term Medicaid or private pay beds available. We Care Call us at 528-3550 for details Don Olson is Goldilocks for the Olson’s “Goldilocks and theThree Bears” family Christmas party. Obtenga Vacuna de Gripe, No la Gripe. Consistent, individual, loving care from Administration and Nursing staff with over 25 years of geriatric and Alzheimer’s experience. We provide your loved one with health care by professionals who will meet their physical, social, and emotional needs. opened at the family party and all the items found inside will be shared with the newest family members. The family will fill another capsule this year to be opened again in another 10-years. Even though the celebrations are about fun and family time, the Olsens do not forget those less fortunate than themselves. For all the clowns and characters Bonnie comes up with, the highlight of each year’s celebration is a service project for a needy family. The Olson children and grandchildren, Jeff and Sharon of Spanish Fork, Julie and Val Hawks of Orem, Carolyn and The Spirit of Christmas is found in giving to others. Our family enjoys sharing the love we feel toward one another with those who are in need. Mayfield Community Care Center “Long-term health care that makes a difference” ily Christmas party. She works all year at gathering ideas and materials for her chosen celebration.” One year there was a circus theme so Bonnie made stocking monkeys for each member of the family. To entertain the family, a circus clown and a friendly tiger were the special guests of honor. Of course the smell of popcorn was prevalent throughout the day. The year of “A Beary Merry Christmas” Bonnie could be found making bears for each family member, and the surprise guest was Goldie Locks. For an exotic island Christmas they had a Hawaiian Luau, com- It’s Not Too Late to Get a Flu Shot and Not the Flu. Flu Shots are Covered for People with Medicare For Information, call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov Medicare Paga por las Vacunas de Gripe. Para Información, Llame al 1-800-MEDICARE o visitanos al www.medicare.gov plete with hula dancers in the snow. Another year Betty Crockpot was the guest of honor and the family celebrated a homemade Christmas. Everyone was required to make gifts from things they had lying around the house. Bonnie’s gift to each family member was a cloth napkin and some homemade jam. Not all of the celebrations are quite as whimsical. When the family celebrated the fortitude of our pioneers in making do with what they had to celebrate Christmas, a mountain man paid a visit to tell pioneer stories that Bonnie had researched. That year Bonnie handmade rag dolls for all the gals, and coonskin caps for the guys. The evening was not without some fun though as each family was handed a stack of Popsicle sticks to construct a gift for someone else. “The kids were pretty resourceful when given this challenge,” Bonnie said. Last years’ Christmas theme was “Angels Amongst Us” and several family members were dressed in toilet tissue to represent angels. The basket of gifts went to needy missionaries who were serving in the New Jersey LDS mission with grandson Joshua Olson son of Don and Denise. This year is a special year because ten years ago the party was centered on preserving their family’s heritage. Each member of the family at that time put something special into a time capsule that had been brought to the party by special guest Father Time. This year, the capsule will be Tom Osmond and Don and Denise Olson of Ephraim, 21 grandchildren and 10 greatgrandchildren, and 3-more due within the year, all work together in providing a basket of Christmas gifts for another family. Each year one family is the recipient of the Olsen family’s love and generosity. Taking alternating turns, one of the children and his family is asked to choose a needy family in his or her area. Then the entire family works to fill the basket based on the needs of the recipient family. The family that makes the delivery to the special family then writes about how they made the delivery, and how they felt when the deed had been completed. The stories, along with all the pictures from the family party are then placed into a scrapbook. Bonnie has compiled a record of each of the family celebrations that can be reviewed many times throughout the years. A western theme is being planned for this year, with Jeff and Don cooking a Dutch oven dinner. Don says, “They’ll probably be cooking pork, chicken, potatoes and all the trimmings.” Of course a special guest will put in an appearance, and only Bonnie knows what other surprises are in store and again basket for the needy will also be assembled this year. Bonnie concludes, “Our family enjoys sharing the love we feel toward one another with those who are in need. We reap many blessings from being together, and wish everyone a joyous holiday season. The Spirit of Christmas is found in giving to others.” |