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Life in Motley County Texas 1850 - 1950
A Christmas Memory from Matador Texas

A DOLLY THAT OPENS AND SHUTS HER EYES

When I was growing up, Christmas at our house was a happy time, with family and friends, and lots of delicious food to enjoy. But it was during the Great Depression, and Santa Claus didn't deliver a lot of toys to our house. I'm not sure I really believed in Santa, but I played the game well and went along even when Santa didn't come through with my wish list. But there came a time when I wasn't content to rely only on Santa Claus.
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The Sears and Roebuck catalog with a toy section that came in the mail in late summer wasn't called a Wish Book for no reason. This particular year the toy section contained a picture of a doll that would fulfill my wish. I knew that particular doll, with eyes that open and shut, was meant for me. Wasn't that line from the song, "Up on the Housetop," requesting Santa to fill little Nell’s stocking with "a dolly that will open and shut her eyes," written about me? Grandpa said it was.
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I might not believe in Santa, but I did believe there had to be a way for me to make sure I got that doll. The rule in our house was that you didn't cut anything out of the catalog unless it was last year’s copy. That rule got broken as I carefully cut out the picture of the doll I wanted. My plan was to bypass Santa and send my letter, with the picture from the catalog, to my older sister.
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The plan worked just as I had hoped it would. My sister might not have a direct line to Santa, but she did have a Sears and Roebuck catalog. On Christmas morning, just as in the song, little Nell got a dolly that would open and shut her eyes--the very doll I had chosen from the catalog.
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My plan worked even better than I had hoped. Not only did I get the doll I wanted, but she came with her own little wooden bed. Later, I would learn that my sister’s husband, who was better at woodworking than any of Santa’s elves, had hand-crafted the perfect bed for my doll, and my sister had made the mattress, pillow, and linens for it.
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I was one happy little girl that Christmas morning and didn't feel a bit guilty about going over Santa’s head to get the gift I wanted--a dolly that opens and shuts her eyes.
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Janelle Jackson Shirley
Photo: Me & Dorinda

. . . for more like this please see Christmas in Texas

Resources:

West Texas History & Memories (Face Book Group)

Early Life in Texas County by County

Books about Texas People and Places

Famous People from Texas County by County

Texas History in the 19th Century (Amazon)

Texas History by Category and Event

Life in Motley County Texas 1800-1950Life in Motley County Texas 1800-1950 (B)
Books about Motley County People and Places

Books about Motley County People and PlacesBooks about Matador, Roaring Springs, Whiteflat and the Matador Ranch

Famous People from Motley County TexasMore People from Motley County Texas
 

What's your Favorite Book about a Texas County, Town, Person or Place? Here's our best reads list County by County

 

Mysterious TexasTrue Stories of Amazing People and Places in Texas
 Loneliest, Least Populated Counties in Texas
Texas Cowboy HistoryBooks about Texas People County by County

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