This blog post contains excerpts from “As I Remember,” a compilation of oral histories from Scott County’s senior citizens in 1980. The following are the memories of Agnes Morlock of Jordan, Edna Weckman of New Market, Josephine Skluzacek of New Prague, Elizabeth Schultz of Shakopee, Margaret Haas of Shakopee, Ann Chalupsky of New Prague, Carol Rybak of New Prague, and Anne Juni of New Prague. We have also included some photos of Christmas celebrations of the past!
Agnes Eilers Morlock, Jordan
Winter approaching, Christmas thoughts were in the air. Christmas was always a special event. Mother, with all her handiwork, provided many surprises. Dad, being a carpenter at hand, did his part with the toys. Everything was homemade. Our Christmas Tree was the most beautiful. It was usually a large tree with white real candles. These were burned only once, while we sang Christmas carols. The ornaments were animal cookies. It took nine days to mature the dough and then it was rolled and cut out and frosted in white on both sides. These cookies and candles were intermingled with garlands of strung white popcorn. What a sight! Christmas Eve was special too, when Dad, with his band, furnished the Christmas carols in church while we children sang at the top of our voices, unheard as the band music shook the rafters, but so, so, festive. Next morning there were gifts, some hanging from the ceiling, some hidden. Christmas excitement is universal to this day.
Edna Weckman, New Market
The one thing I’ll never forget is going to midnight mass on Christmas Eve with the horses and sleigh. We bundled up to keep warm. The stars shining brightly, the church lighted up and the Christmas songs made one feel peaceful and happy.
Ray and Loretta (Mamer) Robel of Prior Lake in their living room at Christmas, 1950. SCHS.
Josephine Skluzacek, New Prague
Have you ever heard of the mythical “Golden Pig” that was prevalent in Czech homes during the time I was growing up in the 1920s? I was born into the Czech family of Frank W and Agnes (Bouda) Skluzacek of New Prague, Minnesota. The family had three girls, Christina, Mary, and Josephine (myself) and six boys: the twins, Frank and Andrew; Wenceslaus; Joseph; George; and baby Edward, who died minutes after birth.
One year when my oldest sister, Christina, was about ten, she decided one Christmas Eve morning that she would see the Golden Pig. To see it, we were told we had to fast all day from food and drink until the Christmas Eve supper. She started out all right, left the breakfast table without partaking in food or drink. Mother felt so sorry for her because she knew the Golden Pig was nonexistent. No one ever got to see it. During the course of the morning, Mother started the dough and put the prunes for kolacky to cook. When they were cooked, Mother asked Christina to pit them. She was willing to do it and Mother watched her. Pretty soon, Mother saw Christina licking her fingers. Mother said to her, “You liked your fingers, and now you might as well take something to eat because you won’t see the Golden Pig.” Christina was so disappointed and never again made an attempt to see the Golden Pig. None of the rest of us ever tried it but we kept the secret of the old wives’ tale for the younger members of the family.
Christmas Eve supper was always a memorable event for all of us. It meant a lot of work for my mother, who put in days of preparing and used all the love she could muster to make it really worthwhile for all concerned.
Soup was first on the menu, from the Czech translation it meant, “a no good soup.” It was made from water, salt, saffron, and homemade noodles, and for our hungry stomachs, it hit the spot. Then came dried peas soaked overnight and cooked for hours on the back of the old cook stove. Buttered homemade noodles were followed by fried pike. There weren’t very many words exchanged, everyone was busy picking bones out of the fish.
Kolacky, rolls, and calta (Christmas bread) were on the table. Now came the goodies, “sisky.” They were made like potato dumplings from mashed potatoes, but the flower was slightly browned and then the sisky were made about 4 inches long and 1 ½ inches around. These were placed in a well greased pan and put in the oven to brown. Every few minutes they were turned so that they would be browned all around. These were served with a lot of syrup and no matter how many Mother made, all were always eaten. Then we had apple strudel and the Christmas fruit soup, two kinds of the latter. My father liked his with cooked fish and the rest of us only liked the fruit soup.
Last came the nuts. Each of us cracked a walnut and depending on how the nut was inside indicated if we would be well during the coming year or not.
Our Christmas Eve supper table was laden with food all made from scratch and to this day we can always look back and say, “Everything was always the best.”
Elizabeth Schultz, Shakopee
When I was a little girl, they tell me all I asked for constantly was a big reed doll buggy (out of the Sears Wishing Book). My folks didn’t have much money so it was almost out of the question. But one Christmas morning it was there, a big navy blue reed doll buggy trimmed with cream colored wheels and handle, with a big jointed doll! I don’t know what happened to the doll, but I still have the buggy. It seemed Aunt Rose worked somewhere or knew someone so as to get a discount to make it possible for me to have the buggy. One year we did it all over to give to Mary, our oldest daughter, for Christmas, so it’s hers.
A decorated Christmas tree with a winter village in an unknown living room, 1963. SCHS
Margaret Haas, Shakopee
Christmas was an enjoyable time. We would go out in the woods and cut down our tree, place it in the dining room so the kitchen lamp that had a reflector would make the tinsel and trim sparkle and shine. We prepared lots of food and had lots of relatives come.
Ann Chalupsky, New Prague
Our godmother invited us for Christmas Eve to their house. They lived just across the woods. Dad hitched the two horses and bobsled. Our neighbor went with us. It was their married son. There were eleven of us in the sled. It was a dark, cold, winter night, lots of snow. The lantern was in front of the sled. All of a sudden dad drove over a stump, the sled tipped over, we were all in the snow. The folks took some peanuts, candy, and nuts along for the party, that was all over the snow. Dad set up the sled, brushed the snow off the blankets and clothes and we went on. We had a very nice party. The next day the neighbor went for the peanuts, candy, and nuts; he did find them in the snow.
A child, only identified as “Clark’s daughter,” posing for a photo next to an inflatable Christmas display featuring Santa Claus and a reindeer, 1963. SCHS.
Carol Rybak, New Prague
We celebrated Christmas with gusto. There was always a big Christmas tree in the parlor. The tree had long strings of candy which wound around like garlands, candies wrapped in foil, beautiful ornaments, and dozens of candles. My mother and father decorated the tree after we were sent to bed, and they would wake us when it was finished. They set a pail of water on each side of the tree in case of fire. After we had admired the tree in its glory, the candles were extinguished and then we enjoyed our gifts. There wasn’t much sleep that night because at that time instead of midnight mass, we had mass at 5:30 a.m. We usually walked to town to mass and so did many of the neighbors. It was wonderful trudging through the snow on a glorious Christmas night with everyone happy and shouting greetings.
Anne Juni, New Prague
The Christmas season meant Rorate, Baborky, Mikolas, and special food. Rorate was early mass during advent, starting at 6:30 a.m. Mass was in the chapel in the church basement. Czech songs were sung during the service. It was the challenge that urged us to attend and then some mornings we were allowed to stop at Dobihal’s Bakery for freshly baked crescent rolls. These rolls were delicious! That building was torn down last year. Nobody could compete with Dobihal’s rye bread or rolls.
Mikolas (St. Nickolas) came on the eve of December 6. We never saw him in our house but in the morning we each had a plate of goodies. Of course, only good children were thus rewarded. We carried on that tradition with my children.
Baborky came on December 8. Young women masked and dressed in white representing Saint Barbara went around the neighborhood asking the children to be good and pray. Those children who prayed were rewarded with treats and the parents in turn gave the good saints a monetary reward. I myself was a Baborka many times. Guess we looked like the ghosts that we see at Halloween time.
All the town musicians turned out for midnight mass. The same music was played then as now but maybe with more gusto. All the Komarek men played, father and three sons. Paul is the only one left. It was truly an ecumenical service. The late Professor Kovarik was the choir director in my time and he had the respect and cooperation of all the local musicians.
The day before Christmas, my grandmother would make the most beautiful and delicious vanocka. It was a braided sweet dough bread with several tiered layers. Sometimes raisins and candied fruit were added. She also made the vomacka for our Christmas Eve supper. That was the Christmas soup made of a variety of sweetened, cookies, and dried fruit with cinnamon and ginger snaps added for flavor.
The Christmas tree was in the parlor, sometimes called the front room. It was rarely used and heated only when company was expected. After Christmas Eve supper, the door was opened, the candles on the tree were lit, and treats and gifts were handed out. December 26 was St. Stephen’s Day and called second Christmas. That was the day for visiting.
The Coller family Christmas tree in their home in Shakopee, 1916.