Fruit Sled, Christmas, 1972
Traditional Christmas Gift to the Family
Kathy, Susan, Bill, Carol
Vegter Values
Traditional Christmas Fruit Basket
A Bygone Age
In the fall of '65, relieved to be finished with high school, I had no intention of any further education. When my draft notice had not arrived by January '66, hating factory work and happy to go anywhere, I enrolled in Pillsbury, a step I never intended.
Our first Christmas basket was not even a basket. I didn't have a lot of imagination, but I was working a full-time job. When Christmas arrived, I had some available cash so I brought home two or three bags of a variety of fruit with some cheese thrown in. It was a big deal because we were not used to such variety and availability. To be allowed more than one piece of fruit was a big deal! What cost me very little provided a lot of good times and happy memories. (recollections by Jerry)
The brothers and sisters remembered the fruit tasting so very good, and so made a fruit basket the next Christmas. The tradition had begun. Imagine an era when all the family gathers to get a look at a basket of fruit, juice, cheese, sausage, and crackers.
Fruit Sled, Christmas, 1972
Excitement and happiness
over something so simple and wholesome
as fruit, juice, cheese, and sausage.
Why did I choose Kathy? The final decision, besides all the other reasons, ran like this: I'd already met her older brothers and sister, so when I met Kathy I thought, "Kathy is just like Dianna, Jerry, and John. And they are all just like me: they have the same values I have. Their family is like my family. I think this partnership will work." (by Steve)