Chapter 4: Christmas

"Christmas was coming.

The little log house was almost buried in snow. Great drifts were banked against the walls and windows, and in the morning when Pa opened the door, there was a wall of snow as high as Laura's head. Pa took the shovel and shoveled it away, and then he shoveled a path to the barn, where the horses and the cows were snug and warm in their stalls.

Ma was busy all day long, cooking good things for Christmas. She baked salt-rising bread and rye'n'Injun bread, and Swedish crackers, and a huge pan of baked beans, with salt pork and molasses. She baked vinegar pies and dried-apple pies, and filled a big jar with cookies, and she let Laura and Mary lick the cake spoon."

It's almost Christmas and the little log cabin is full of activity. Uncle Peter, Aunt Eliza, and the cousins are coming to spend the whole of Christmas day, and when they arrive, what fun everyone has. The children play in the snow and the adults get to enjoy each others' company. Everyone finds it hard to sleep Christmas Eve, wondering what Santa would bring them the next morning.

The next morning the children are delighted to find their stockings full of wonderful things. Each child gets a pair of bright red mittens and a stick of peppermint candy. What riches, but Laura gets the best stocking of all, because in it, besides the mittens and candy, is a beautiful rag doll. Laura names her Charlotte.

After Christmas dinner, it's time for the cousins to begin the long trip back to their house. They wrap up in as many layers as they can because they have to ride in an open sled. Ma slips piping hot baked potatoes into their pockets and Aunt Eliza's flatirons go under their feet. On go the blankets, quilts, and buffalo robes, then it's good-bye.

Laura was the happiest of all. Laura had a rag doll. She was a beautiful doll. She had a face of white cloth with black button eyes. A black pencil had made her eyebrows, and her cheeks and her mouth were red with the ink made from pokeberries. Her hair was black yarn that had been knit and raveled, so that it was curly.

Christmas was a lot simpler back in pioneer days. A lot simpler. But I don't think we've gained all that much since then, with our piles of toys (and piles of credit card bills). Imagine how happy you could be if a new pair of homemade mittens was enough to make you that excited! Nobody was complaining, and nobody was tired of their toys the next day and waiting for more. A stick of candy and bright red mittens was just about as wonderful as you could get.

I decided to make a rag doll, a charming Charlotte of my own. The only way the experience could have been worse would have been if I'd had to do it by hand! Making the body of the doll went fairly smoothly; just cut out a gingerbread man shape on steroids, then sew and stuff. I drew the eyebrows, sewed on the buttons, and painted the mouth and cheeks. Frozen strawberry juice (in the absence of pokeberries) did NOT work, so I used acrylic paints. I should have done the face before I sewed the body, but that would have been the easy way, and evidently I had taken a vow against ease for the duration of this project.

After the body, it was time for the dress. The original Charlotte had a dress of pink and blue calico, but since I didn't have any calico of any shade, in true pioneer fashion, I improvised. I took a skirt from my niece's desperately-grasping fingers and carted it home to be sacrificed for art. And sacrificed again, because the first dress I made didn't fit and went in the trash. This was supposed to be a how-to article, but I can pretty much sum it up in one sentence. Buy. A. Pattern. Seriously.

My second dress went better, but at 11:00 last night, I was blearily working away and wishing I'd picked a different project. At last I had the dress finished except for the detail work, and was ready to start on the hair. I used to have a real loom for sewing doll hair, but got rid of it years ago (I'll never use THIS again)and had to improvise with four chopsticks and some duct tape. I don't know how the west was ever won without duct tape. That's probably why it took so long.

Then I had to stop because all the rest of my supplies were at "Mom's Sewing Emporium" in Westby. After a quick shopping trip this morning, I was able to finish the rest of Charlotte. She was happy when she got her hair sewn on and could quit being bald. Now that I'm finished, I almost think it was worth it. Almost.

Even though I have a Laura of my own, at 15 she's a little old for Charlotte, so I am giving her away to some (hopefully) lucky winner of the "Little House on the Prairie Essay Contest." To enter, post a comment with your best idea for an upcoming activity. I am not making a hard and fast promise until I see what kind of ideas you come up with, but I will think about doing the winning suggestion during "Pioneer Experience Week" later this summer.

You don't have to use an idea straight from a "Little House" book; it's fine if you come up with your own, but do some research and make sure it's true to pioneer experiences in the 1870's. Originality is important, but simplicity might win you points, too! I can't get too complex or I will bog down. And ideas that involve life-threatening activities will not be too popular with the judging panel.

Have lots of fun with your entries and make sure to have them in by May 31st. Soon one of you will have your very own Charlotte to cuddle or share with a special little girl in your life. The rest of you are out of luck, because I don't think I'll be making another doll anytime soon!