Saturday, December 2, 2017

Christmas Memories with Laura Ingalls Wilder


It was a little something that I knew my youngest daughter would enjoy.  A local library was advertising Christmas Memories with Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Of course, the real Laura Ingalls Wilder passed away in 1957.  A beautiful woman named Laura Keyes, who tours around giving a monologue as Laura Ingalls Wilder, put on a wonderful performance.



Megan, my little inattentive girl, sat and watched the performance from beginning to end, barely moving.  The actress told stories of Laura’s Christmases growing up from when she was a little girl to when she was engaged to Almanzo.  We knew most of the stories from reading the books, but it was such a fun time!




There were little trinkets that respresented different things from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Christmas Memories...  the tin cup, ribbon candy, the muffler that was on the tree, the button necklace made for Carrie, the beautiful mirror and brush set. There was even a rag doll to represent Charlotte.  




Megan was thrilled with the beautiful things.  I am seriously considering buying her a beautiful brush and mirror set for Christmas...  and perhaps making some button necklaces!  Maybe I’ll fill her stocking with a tin cup and old fashioned candy!  




This is what having a reading culture provides... memories that last forever!  Little things in books take on new meaning forever.  A small figurine of a person might always be a Borrower.  A mean, stuck-up old woman will always be a Miss Minchin.  Every lion could possibly be Aslan.  Every time we read a book aloud we could have an Inkheart scenario. And with each new word we create, the possibility of a Frindle could happen. 




We had such a great time today.  The experience brought the Little House on the Prairie books to life.  The only thing better might be to get the opportunity to travel to the museums and homes of Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Who knows?  One day, we just might...

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