"The Other Swedes"
Celebrating Them
~ The Lindsborg Swedes, Their Neighbors & Friends
<> Their Legacy Art Community <>
Pelham Remembered by Birger Sandzén Art Gallery Director Larry Griffis, 2008,
Sandzén Gallery Archives
Celebrating Them
~ The Lindsborg Swedes, Their Neighbors & Friends
<> Their Legacy Art Community <>
Pelham Remembered by Birger Sandzén Art Gallery Director Larry Griffis, 2008,
Sandzén Gallery Archives
"Christmas morning, Margaret and I get up at 5:30 or earlier and go to church... "
Pelham's letter to his family in Pasadena, California
1942
Pelham's letter to his family in Pasadena, California
1942
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Note from Larry Griffiths, director of the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery
The name of the article is "Christmas morning, Margaret and I get up at 5:30 or earlier and go to church... "
This is from the Sandzén Gallery Archives, is a December 20th,1942, letter written by Pelham Greenough, son-in-law of Birger Sandzén to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pelham. Greenough II in Pasadena, CA.
On Thanksgiving Day in 1942., Pelham married Margaret Sandzén in the studio of her father, Birger Sandzén saying there was a snowstorm that day in Lindsborg. The ceremony was performed by Pastor Alfred Bergin, Oscar Torsen lit the candles, and Haggard Brasse played a pump organ. The reception followed in the house.
Pelham and Margaret did not move immediately into their home at 123 E State St. while their house was being renovated. They rented. a house at 303 N Main St.
The letter has been edited for ease of reading and content about the holidays.
-- Larry Griffis, Director.
The Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from Larry Griffiths, director of the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery
The name of the article is "Christmas morning, Margaret and I get up at 5:30 or earlier and go to church... "
This is from the Sandzén Gallery Archives, is a December 20th,1942, letter written by Pelham Greenough, son-in-law of Birger Sandzén to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pelham. Greenough II in Pasadena, CA.
On Thanksgiving Day in 1942., Pelham married Margaret Sandzén in the studio of her father, Birger Sandzén saying there was a snowstorm that day in Lindsborg. The ceremony was performed by Pastor Alfred Bergin, Oscar Torsen lit the candles, and Haggard Brasse played a pump organ. The reception followed in the house.
Pelham and Margaret did not move immediately into their home at 123 E State St. while their house was being renovated. They rented. a house at 303 N Main St.
The letter has been edited for ease of reading and content about the holidays.
-- Larry Griffis, Director.
The Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery
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Christmas Time, 1942 Lindsborg
303 North Main Street
Lindsborg, Kansas
December 20, '42
Dear Family,
This past week has been busy, of course, keeping house, getting food, et cetera. Then we did most of our Christmas shopping, received a few more wedding presents...
During the week we have had these different groups of singers at our door singing Christmas carols. The first two were not so hot, but the third and last group were fine. The second group of small boys we invited into our house. We made the great mistake of not asking them to wipe their feet. Our house looks like an army had marched through it.
Nothing much of exciting news from here, I am sorry to say. I am so glad you like Margaret's sketches of the house. We are here until we go to New York. I hope to get some pictures made of the house, but films are very hard to get. I can't get any film for my camera, but when some come. I'll try to buy some. At best, this town will get a very little supply. Every so often during the week, this town goes absolutely dry on Coca-Cola. When we can buy it, we can't buy very much.
But Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be quite different from any I have experienced before. This is what we are going to do-- Margaret says, what we are going to go through. "At noon, Christmas Eve, December 24th we have Birger Sandzén and the Mr. Eric Leksell, Margaret's grandfather, and Oscar Torsen over to our house to eat the Swedish traditional noon meal of slowly cooked meats and meat bullion in which we dip bread which is specifically made for the occasion. After the meal, we shall have to do the dishes as usual. And then we, Margaret and I, shall go to the Sandzén studio about 4:00 PM. There we light the tree with many candles, and then we have our presents. After our presents have been opened, we go to the Sandzén House where we'll have Christmas coffee. Later on in the evening of December 24th, we have the traditional Swedish Christmas Eve fish dinner, I'm told. I don't like the fish, but I'll try it anyway. After dinner we sing some Christmas carols and then go to bed.
Next, Christmas morning. Margaret and I get up at 5:30 or earlier to go to church with Sandzen and Mr. Leksell. Then at 9:00 we go to the Swanson's for Christmas breakfast. They are old friends of Sandzén. After, Margaret and I shall come to our little house and have our own little party and open presents. We are getting each other??
The breakfast at the Swansons will be so large, or rather so good and hearty, that we won't need any lunch. About 3:00 PM we go to McPherson, where we and Mr. and Mrs .Sandzén have our Christmas. We'll have our Christmas dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Engstrom. Margaret's great uncle and aunt. Harold and Bertha Ingstrom. So, after all those meals and everything, plus the presents, I know we'll like. Christmas Day and Eve. Looks rather strenuous. It's nothing like I've had before and so I thought you'd be interested to know what I'd been doing.
I know, just about what you'll be doing. But I can't make out how long Helen and George will be with you. [ Hamilton and Helen Greenough, Pelham's brother and sister-in-law, and their son George.] Will they be home Christmas Eve or with you? Anyway, my thoughts will be with you all on Christmas Eve and day, and although I'm afraid our presents will be late, a great deal of love goes with them from the both of us.
Margaret sends her love to you all. And so do I, and we both wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Love from Pal.
