The Trip to Granna’s House
We always decorated a tree at our Yerington house and had all our gifts under, it but come Christmas Eve day, we would load all the gifts into Mom’s station wagon and head for Granna’s house in Reno. This was the most exciting trip of the year. We would sing Christmas carols the whole hour and a half ride. Sometimes we would make it in an hour if Mom was running late as there was no speed limit in Nevada in those days. As soon as we left Fernley, we had a contest to see who could see Reno’s lights first. Many times we were fooled and disappointed by the lights of the power plant halfway between Fernley and Reno. One year there was a flood during the polio epidemic and we had to turn around and go back home. This was the only time we missed spending Christmas at Granna’s house and we were heartbroken. We did make it to Granna’s a week later, but it wasn’t the same.
Granna’s house 445 Thoma Street, Reno, Nevada
Granna’s house was a 1930’s two-bedroom house with a den and had a full basement. She bought it in 1936 when her husband died and they had to sell their dairy ranch in Mason Valley. She alway decorated for every season, but Christmas was her speciality. Everything about her home emanated with love and Christmas cheer.
Granna in front of one of her many floor to ceiling Christmas trees dressed in her usual “mumu”.
The Tree and Gifts
Granna always had a floor to ceiling Christmas tree fully decorated positioned in her front living room window for all to see. Since all the aunts, uncles and cousins brought their presents to be opened on Christmas Day, the gifts on some years would take up almost a third of her living room floor. This large display of gifts made for a magical display.
The gifts under Granna’s tree were abundant.
1966 Christmas gifts under Granna’s tree
Me with my brothers Danny and David practicing for our “night before Christmas” caroling which we did in a two block area around Granna’s house on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve Dinner: The menu for Christmas Eve was simple, but delicious. Homemade ravioli and garlic bread with a tossed green salad. Since my grandmother had an Irish-Jewish background, I do not know where she learned how to make Italian ravioli. I suspect in Mason Valley from the many Italian ranchers in the valley.
Christmas Eve Caroling: It was our custom to go Christmas caroling with our cousins on Christmas Eve around a two block area of my grandmother's house. We had so much fun and occasionally some appreciative home owner would give us a little monetary gift which made it even more rewarding.
Midnight Mass: There was a little Catholic Church not far from my grandmothers that held a midnight mass on Christmas Eve. We would all try to stay awake so we could go but more times as not would fall asleep before the midnight hour.
The Great Sleep-Over: Granna usually had between 15 to 20 overnight guest on Christmas Eve. She would rent roll-a-way beds and place them all over her large basement. It was like a dormitory with aunts, uncles, cousins and babies all sleeping in one large room. The basement had no heat so once you got tucked in, you did not want to get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom because it was so cold.
My mother Clara Barnett taking pictures of the relatives with cousin Mike McGee seated with his mother and father Uncle Charles and Aunt Jerry. (Dec 1964)
Christmas Day
Opening Gifts: First thing Christmas morning the uncles started passing out gifts, but no one could open them until all gifts were dispersed. It was our family tradition that we watched each person open their gifts starting with the youngest and working their way up to Granna who was the oldest. This increased the anticipation of what was in your gifts, but you had the chance to admire everyone else's gifts.
Cousins Bart McGee and Jack McGee admiring the presents and anxiously waiting to open them.
Cousin Jack McGee, Uncle Charles McGee, Aunt Anna Lee McGee, & Aunt Jerry McGee. I think the child on Aunt Jerry’s lap was one of cousin Jimmy Mover’s children.
At Granna’s all gifts were passed out before any gifts were opened. Then gifts were opened one person at a time starting with the youngest.
Brother Danny Barnett opening gifts as Aunt Connie watches and waits her turn.
My turn. My sister Lexie approves this gift.
Cousin Jack McGee scratches his back while watching Granna opening her gifts.
My daughter Shannon with Granna in the background under a stack of presents.
Christmas Dinner: Uncle Charles McGee, Granna, and sister, Lexie at head of table.
Christmas Breakfast: After opening the gifts we were all starving so Granna would make us German Pancakes (which I believe she learned to make from her Jewish mother), bacon, sausage, ham, scrambled eggs, toast and jelly and orange juice and coffee. This was a team effort with Granna making the pancakes, Aunt Anna Lee buttering them, and me or Aunt Jerry sprinkling them with sugar.
Christmas Dinner: Christmas dinner at Granna’s was a royal thing. We had turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, steamed green beans, tossed salad, some exotic jello salad, deviled eggs, and lots of relish dishes, cranberry sauce, and homemade rolls with real butter. For dessert we had pies made by Aunt Connie and homemade steamed plum pudding made by Granna with assorted Christmas candies.
Granna did not have a dishwasher but all the girls and aunts made quick work of cleaning up with one clearing the dishes, one putting the food up, one washing, one drying, and one putting the dishes away. As we worked we would sing Christmas carols and joke with each other which made the work seem fun.
Christmas Dinner: My mother, Clara Barnett, at other end of table.
Christmas Dinner: Head of Uncle Jack McGee, me, cousin Jackie McGee, Aunt Jerry McGee, Uncle Charles McGee, and Granna
Christmas Dinner: Cousin Bart McGee, brother Danny Barnett, cousin Mike McGee, cousin Holly McGee, and Uncle Jack McGee at the head of the table.
Christmas Dinner: Aunt Anna Lee McGee, brother David Barnett and Linda (his second wife), daughter Shannon Brown. Aunt Connie McGee, cousin Jackie McGee, brother Dan’s wife Robin Barnett, Uncle Jack McGee, Granna, Me.(left to right around the table)
Christmas Dinner: Granna, my daughter, Shannon Brown, Me, cousin Holly McGee, brother David Barnett, cousin Diana McGee
Christmas Dinner: Granna with my daughter, Shannon Brown (one of my favorite pictures)
Playing in Grandma's kitchen cousin Bart McGee and brother David Barnett with cousins Mike McGee, Holly McGee, and Jimmy and Jolene Moyer in the background.
