25 Years of Chirstmas Fun

Interview Contact: Maurice Eaton

This story tells about my grandfather's boyhood, and the special occasions that were held at the Oak Vale Clubhouse. "The name of the clubhouse Oak Vale is not used often anymore. Today its really called the Barbour Reunion Hall." My grandmother has told me this story many times, but my grandfather helped me get this on paper.

"In the early 1900's, a clubhouse was built in the Greenlaw Distric. The name that was given to the building was the Oak Vale Clubhouse. In the neighborhood, there were 12 families that had their Christmas there. I was at the age of 5 when they first started having special occasions. The clubhouse was right down the road from where we lived. Most families went there by car or by horse-and-buggy. As far as I can remember, I went to the clubhouse for 25 years of Christmas fun. More than the Christmas holiday was held at the clubhouse. Church was held, Ladies Aide meetings, church meetings, Wednesday night prayer, and for all special meeting.

Our mothers spent weeks ahead preparing for the Christmas dinner. They always had a meeting for the men on the first Monday before Christmas to organize it so they could start preparing. [The way the families decorated the tree was to] slice apples and string them to dry, string cranberries and popped popcorn and put it on the huge tree. And the kids that were old enough made paper chains to go on it also. On Christmas Day, the dinner was cooked by each family at home and was brought to the clubhouse at noon. The people mostly raised their own food like chickens, turkeys, and pigs, and also grew their own vegetables.

The kids got together and played games and sang Christmas carols, and had pieces to recite. At about 1:00 the dinner was set on a long table where everyone ate together. After the meal was cleared from the table, Santa Claus came and everyone got a gift. [Because there was not much money, most gifts were handmade; like gloves, socks, and sweaters.] Sometimes you would get more than one gift from your own family. Today the clubhouse is used mostly for family reunions and may be used for more things and occasions. The man who used to own the clubhouse died in the 1960's. Its now owned by Doug Barbour.

The tradition was carried on in the Oak Vale Clubhouse 'til we gew up and had families of our own. By then there was more money and we got more presents and didn't want to go back to the clubhouse because we had our toys to play with. And then they didn't really feel like taking their Christmas dinner to the clubhouse so they did away with going. And [by] then they called it Christmas supper instead of Christmas dinner. [And they didn't want to go through all the hassle with the children and to get them to the clubhouse.]"

During all of these years of the Oak Vale Clubhouse, there have been records kept of all the exciting events that happened at the clubhouse. Afterwards it was made up into a book. They have given it to the Historical Society and is still there waiting to be read. It tells of all of the exciting events that went on at the Oak Vale Clubhouse.

Clint Eaton