There he is

December 24, 1931 - The kids were terribly excited today.  We exchanged presents this afternoon.  Ray came after me and we took down the decorations.  After we got home and had supper we went to the program at the church.  There was a large crowd and the program was good.  We opened our presents after the program.  I must have been a good girl this year because I surely got some lovely presents.
December 25, 1931 - We all went to church this morning.  After dinner we played pinochle and ate candy and nuts.  Mayme brought me her picture this evening.  We all went to the show at Norfolk.  They had good vaudeville acts.  There was a dance at Hoskins but we didn't stop.
December 26, 1931 - Mother dyed two dresses for me today.  This evening we went to the Dane Christmas Tree at Carroll.  Edwin went along.  We had a real good time.  Howard Iversen asked me why I didn't join the Rebbekah Lodge and Irene I. asked me to come to their meeting Monday nite.

There's Grandpa popping up, finally!  I think it is neat that this mention of him comes from the Dane Christmas.  I surely wish I had been around for those.

As exciting as it is that Grandpa has entered the picture, albeit briefly for now, I must comment on the Christmas Eve opening of gifts.  I asked Mom once upon a time why our family opened gifts on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas morning.  She said, kindly I should add, that it was probably because anxious kids were being pests about it and the adults just finally gave in.  While this might be true, I feel it is safe to say that it wasn't my generation nor Mom's that set that precedent.  Boy, did I just lose some childhood guilt.

Here's a fantabulous photo of Grandpa.  Such a looker!