GC Christmas Story: Oranges, Nuts, and Silver Dollars

by Robin Caldwell

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Ephesians 3: 20, 21 NKJ)

My aunt shared a special story with me about one Christmas of her youth. There were eleven children in her immediate family, three of which died young – the twins and my aunt, Jewel. Money was scarce, but the holidays were long on love and precious memories.

I suppose the blessing of growing up in the Depression-era in the United States is that there were no television commercials or Internet pop-ups advertising the latest toys and electronic entertainment. Consequently, the eight or so remaining children had little to nag my great-grandparents for at Christmastime.

Grandpa James, my great-granddad, worked for a very wealthy family in our community. The family was so wealthy it owned a bank. Grandpa was their messenger-slash-mechanic. My grandmother Irene, his oldest child, wore some of the swankiest party dresses in her day due to the generosity of Grandpa’s employers. Frankly, his children lacked for nothing.

Aunt Jeanne, my grandmother’s sister, told me about the Christmas Eve when Grandma and Grandpa went down to the city market and purchased bushels and bushels of fresh produce and meat for their Christmas dinner. If they were at the market when it was closing, prices would be slashed extremely low because the vendors didn’t want the food to perish over the holiday. With eleven people in the house, that food would hardly go to waste. Grandma cooked enough food to feed her small army and the army of relatives and friends who would stop by the house. After all, it was the Depression, and a hot meal would be appreciated by everyone, especially those who poured their hard-earned money into heating oil and coal.

On this particular Christmas Eve, a big car pulled up in their driveway, and a chauffeur opened the rear door for a distinguished-looking gentleman, a white man, the white man who happened to be Grandpa’s boss. He walked up to the porch carrying nothing but his weight, the chauffeur, however, toted several large bags to the door. They knocked loudly, causing a ruckus inside the huge house. The James children ran to the door, expecting Santa Claus, and perhaps were a tad disappointed that it was Grandpa’s boss instead.

Grandpa sent his brood packing to the next room when he recognized his employer at the door. “Scat,” I imagine him saying, which is what he’d say to us small children. And they scattered if they were as afraid of him as I was. (They were.)

The chauffeur brought in each bag and left them unopened by the Christmas tree, a fresh one purchased before the lot closed – another bargain. Grandpa exchanged holiday greetings with his boss and the chauffeur who immediately left. Before the door was closed good, the James children scurried back into the living room and stood absolutely still until their father, Grandpa, gave the command to open each of the bags.

They unpacked a few crates of Florida oranges, a real treat in December, and an expensive treat during the Depression. My aunts, uncles, and grandmother Irene let out gasps of delight.

Also inside of the duffels were nuts – walnuts, almonds, cashews, and pecans. They were even more excited about the nuts, another rarity during the Depression; an expensive rarity for a family of eleven.

But they were even more floored by the little drawstring bag that contained eight or nine, I can’t recall, silver dollars. Each silver dollar was newly minted and had come straight from the bank. In those days, a dollar – green or silver – could buy quite a bit and the James children knew exactly how to stretch a buck thanks to their parents.

Aunt Jeanne said that was one of the best Christmases they had as children. They had the meal that Grandma prepared with the bargains she bought at the city market, and they had the wonderful treats of oranges and nuts, not to mention the silver dollars.

My aunt’s eyes lit up as she recalled that Christmas. In fact, they twinkled. What she didn’t know was that I’d heard that story many times over in my childhood. My grandmother and her mother, Grandma James, had shared it with me. I just believe that Aunt Jeanne’s version was more exciting, because it confirmed that there was indeed something special about receiving oranges, nuts, and silver dollars for Christmas, especially in a day and age when kids would be sorely disappointed to receive even the silver dollar as a gift.

Frankly, it doesn’t matter how many times I hear that story, because I still love it. I love it now, the days before Christmas when folks are fighting at department stores, shoplifting, and anguished over how to pay for the expensive gifts for family and friends. I love it especially since a couple of retailers were open on Thanksgiving and some will be open on Christmas day.

(As a child, I naively believed that there was no room at the inn for Mary and Joseph because the innkeeper closed early on Christmas Eve. Wasn’t that funny? I honestly didn’t make the connection that the first Noël was not some commercial event or national holiday. For that innkeeper, like businesspeople of today, it was business as usual.)

Back to the oranges, nuts, and silver dollars …

That banker brought priceless gifts to my Grandpa and Grandma’s children. Aunt Jeanne told me that they didn’t expect much for Christmas except for the usual penny, and some new socks and underwear. And she told me that they were thankful to receive those things, so the oranges, nuts, and silver dollars were exceedingly and abundantly above what they had asked for or even thought to receive.

I would, however, suspect that my young relatives would look at me with crossed and rolling eyes should I appear at their doors this Christmas Eve with a crate of Florida oranges, some nuts, and a silver dollar for each of them. They would, sadly, pocket the dollar, and cast the nuts and oranges to the side. You would call them ungrateful, but their actions are closer to trained. Someone taught them, by example, that the stuff they see on TV is more desirable than some fruit and nuts. Oh well, if they only knew that back in the day oranges, nuts, and silver dollars were like PS3 and MP3 players …

On that note: Please receive my Christmas blessing of oranges, nuts, and silver dollars, which only represent more than you thought or asked to receive. Enjoy and savor every last memory and moment. Bless the day to be one you’ll share with your family throughout the years to come. And it is my prayer that God be glorified in all that you do. Humbly in Him, Robin