December 20
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
December 20, 1997
Up at 10:00 ish. Showered. Courtney took me home. Betty Saphim and her daughter Jill here. We all (cousins) went 2 mall. Got new coat! Ran 2 Zach’s and gave him present with Renée and Ashley. Went 2 “Scream 2” with cousins and Jill.
Crisis, age 20, London
December 20, 1980
Tiny portion of Chinese food. Eventually got to sleep about 11am till 4pm then upstairs to see Frank and Mary. Then home then ½ 6 to Gate 3 until 1.30am. Simon worked. Then cab to meet Jeff at Gate 1 and collect grass from Gus then back to Iain’s to smoke and be silly.
Anna L., age 76, Illinois
December 20, 1960
Doing usual round of everything. After getting in from cabin went up to see Bess and Edw. She going to Vera’s on her birthday. I had my hair done in forenoon. In P.M. Lo took me to see Mrs. Wynhoop. Wards brot washing machine. I not here so haven’t learned how to run it.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
December 20, 1938
Didn’t get up till 11:00. Cool but nice day. Didn’t eat any breakfast but quite a little dinner. Daddy home for dinner. After dinner and dishes and a few odd jobs I got dressed and at 2:00 left for Mrs. Moore’s to practice. Mother took the car and went to the church with Mrs. Stevens to make up some bags for the poor. There were 2 little children there (at Mrs. Moore’s), a boy and a girl. I have met the girl and the boy’s name was Tommy and he was awfully cute. Mr. Moore was there at first and one of his brothers who had come from someplace in an airplane. Mr. M. teased me and wasn’t a bit baseful [sic], though he usually is. Then another brother came and the others left. I waited for Tommy and the little girl to sing one of their pieces for the program in Jan. This time I did my “Mrs. Mosely’s Offsprings,” which I am to give at the Jan. program. Soon another little girl came and went in the other room and said her piece for Mrs. Moore. She was too baseful [sic] to come in the other room and play with the rest of us so I went in there and played checkers with her. Soon little Barbara Holmes came and Ramsey Buchanan and John Law Robinson. The latter doesn’t take from Mrs. M. but he was visiting Ramsey so he came, too. It was kind of a party for Mrs. M.’s little pupils because most of the big ones couldn’t come. (I was the only one.) Soon we had some cookies, cocoa, and suckers. I helped Mrs. M. serve. Just as we were finishing who should come in to see Mrs. M. than Mr. and Mrs. Lyons, Maxine and Barbara June. They had to be back at Mossip with Barbara at 4:00 so they couldn’t stay long. The rest of the party broke up so I left, too. I went to town but not finding what I wanted I had left for home. Just as I was passing the meat market Mother and Mrs. Stevens drove up. We took Mrs. S. home and then Mother and I went back to town. Shopped. Didn’t get home till nearly 5:00. We turned the lights on on our 2 little Scotch pines outside and the holly lights Daddy had fixed over the door. It was dark. I got George to go with me to the Foster’s to take the milk. They had come while we were away. I came home and read “Tale of 2 Cities” till supper time. Daddy not home all night. About 6:00 I went over to George’s and up to Helen’s to see if they would like to go with us to Mossip at 7:30. They both could. After supper I got ready to go. Soon Helen and George came over and about 7:20 we left. The play was half over when we got there. Lots of people were there. We couldn’t sit together, any of us. Music very good. Barbara Lyons sang and it was very sweet. Helen and I congratulated her afterwards. I asked Miss Fowler for her address but forgot it before we left and had to ’phone for New York City on the 6:30 train in the morning. “Donald Duck” was there from Kingston with his mother and sister (really A.B.’s cousin). When we came out it was raining. Drove home and I read awhile then dishes and to bed. Rained most of night.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
December 20, 1887
Mrs. Bilderback did Kate’s washing this forenoon. I spent the time in writing and practicing. It snowed some and rained some this forenoon, but finally quit storming and just thawed. I received a couple of blocks with my name engraved on them, but they are so large I cannot afford to have them put in the papers. I have been writing cards all the evening to send to my folks for Christmas, it’s all I can do this year. Have been getting the blues someway, but hope I can get over them.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
December 20, 1871
The days slip past so fast. Philip came last week. He will soon grow stronger here, and to me, such a relief to know he is here. What a varied fifteen months it has been for me. Thanks be to Providence no calamity befel me.
Tomorrow brother H takes me to W and I will be home in time for Christmas.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
December 20, 1862
I finished Pinck’s shirt before dinner & mended the children’s old shoes by putting new soles. Twisted a little sewing thread & several other things. Jinnie & Atheline scoured my room this morning. I replaced the things. Willie’s bowels still loose. It does not stop his running about. Mr. Henry came home just at dark. We were all glad to see him. He was gone three weeks & one day this last time. I will be glad when he is done with his hogs so he may stay at home all the time. Sam Peake is dead. I am sorry to hear it. He was a good hearted young man. He died rather than be taken a prisoner. He sold his dear. He fought as long as he had a bullet & then was killed. I sympathise with the family. They thought a great deal of Sam.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Samuel P., age 34, London
December 20, 1667
Up, and all the morning at the office with Sir R. Ford and the same company as on Wednesday about my Lady Batten’s accounts. At noon home to dinner, where my poor wife in bed in mighty pain, her left cheek so swelled as that we feared it would break, and so were fain to send for Mr. Hollier, who come, and seems doubtful of the defluxions of humours that may spoil her face, if not timely cured. He laid a poultice to it and other directions, and so away, and I to the office, where on the same accounts very late, and did come pretty near a settlement. So at night to Sir W. Pen’s with Sir R. Ford, and there was Sir D. Gawden, and there we only talked of sundry things; and I have found of late, by discourse, that the present sort of government is looked upon as a sort of government that we never had yet — that is to say, a King and House of Commons against the House of Lords; for so indeed it is, though neither of the two first care a fig for one another, nor the third for them both, only the Bishops are afeard of losing ground, as I believe they will. So home to my poor wife, who is in mighty pain, and her face miserably swelled: so as I was frighted to see it, and I was forced to lie below in the great chamber, where I have not lain many a day, and having sat up with her, talking and reading and pitying her, I to bed.
*(The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., edited by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., London, George Bell & Sons York St. Covent Garden, Cambridge Deighton Bell & Co., 1893.)