Show f B2 i ii Sanpete Messenger Sanpete tvi Wednesday November 24 2004 Valley Edition Messenger-Gunniso- n Mayfield senior recalls sweet and simple Christmases By Margaret Amy Staff writer MAYFIELD— Sheldon Sheldon Bjerregaard at Bjcrregaard remembers when Christmas was a sweet simple celebration that included only a few gifts but lots of warm camaraderie with family and neighbors Bjcrregaard 90 and a lifelong resident of Christenburg and Mayfield says that on Christmas Eve his three brothers and sisters and he helped his mother decorate the tree by making paper chains of bright colored paper and garlands of threaded popcorn The tree was decorated on Christmas Five and taken down the day alter Christmas The children hung their socks Of course there were no decorative socks Sheldon about age went through his clothes finding the longest sock he could He made sure it didn’t have a hole Then the children anticipated the arrival of Santa Claus with one or two toys They were happy for just one or two The children knew what they would find in their stockings the next morning: an orange nuts hard candy and a banana 1 () - Jt0' v a j n o L' Sheldon Is seen here chatting ably still a kid at heart with Santa In 1996 He’s prob- 14 The next day the Bjcrregaards had their family Christmas dinner then joined their friends and the town for the rest of the day’s celebration Bjcrregaard joined his friends in going from house to house to see what Santa had brought other kids in town the town’s At 2 pm children’s dince was held in the old church After that if things got too slow the youngsters went to Kate Scow’s to play “Rook” a card game The parents went to their dance later that night Young and old alike loved the huge decorated Christmas that stood in the intersection of Main Street and Canyon Road in Mayfield Sleigh riding was an important activity during the holidays Bjcrregaard and his friends hitched a team of horses to a bob sleigh and found some girls to take for a ride When they went over the ditches the girls squealed The more they squealed the more ditches the boys found When Bjerregaard was 8 he wanted a Flex Flyer sled more than anything else He had seen one in a store window in Mayfield for $5 and thought it would be just the ticket for riding down the many sleigh ride trails around town He hoped and wished that Santa would please bring him that sled One day he noticed the sled was no longer in the window His heart sank He knew that he wouldn’t be getting it for Christmas He still had hopes though But on Christmas morning the C & M v y BRUCE VAN DER RIET Sheldon Bjerregaard reminisces about holidays during his boyhood was always doing that sled wasn’t under the tree He was so angry with Santa His mother asked him to get something out the back door but he was still so outraged he balked Finally she persuaded him to go to the door and when he opened it there was the sled at his feet! He said he felt a twinge of guilt He said that he Bjerregaard was always happy with his gifts except for one One year his grandfather gave a little red purse to his sister Wanda He gave Sheldon a little red purse just like it That didn’t endear him to his grandfather at all Bjerregard was born in Christenburg and later moved to Mayfield He was reared in hard should have known that his mother was playing a trick She In MESSENGER PHOTO Gunnison Valley times without knowing how hard they were because of the love of his parents He says the children had no idea if they were poor or not at ChnsUnas because they always had food and it was good food They didn’t expect more than a gift or two and they were content with what they received They made their own fun during the holidays They made good memories j ust a Few 'Left 9 Your holiday family letter printed on beautiful full-col- season stationery! or mmm r rcs&ir xx i Jp 5 A i m m Jr I it HOW mm turn f J&Y Holiday Stationery Matching Holiday Envelopes Regularly $12 now just ccrcs0yanprfatedcf t 280 sides: 250 i j Year letter espied cn cro side: Send check to Sanpete News Company 35 S Main Manti Year letter copied cn fcs& rRnpnnrcrprr JLiUJ til U til 1: or call (toll-fre- to order by phone j 35 S Main Manti I ' j jU 4 i v esc!) J i Volume Discount: “N di j d C J 835-424- t 10 or more of any of the above take 10 OfF 1 POOR C |