 |
|
|
Ralph Heiden - Many people mentioned the Christmas Eve’s at Grandma and
Grandpa’s house. What do you remember about those parties?
Norma "Jeanie" Heiden - After church everybody would come over and people would be
all over the house, sitting in the bedrooms and everywhere. There
were so many people in the house all at once on that night!
 Mildred (Roggerman) Heiden - I used to wonder why Grandma
(right holding Bruce Eipperle) would set quietly in the
background during those parties. Well, after I had all my children
and grandchildren home at once, I could begin to understand. It gets
so hectic.
Norma "Jeanie" Heiden - It got to be too much. Pa went down to the basement one time
and put an extra brace under the floor because he was afraid that so
many people being there at once would collapse the floor.
 Wilma (Heiden) Bicking - The men used to try to play cards out in the dining room and
the kids would race around the whole house. They would tear around
that table. You could just see Pa get frustrated but he never said
anything.
Mary Lou (Heiden) Opfermann - I remember Helen saying that the next morning she would
find half-eaten sandwiches down beneath the furniture.
Norma "Jeanie" Heiden - There would be food everywhere and wrapping paper wadded all
over the place.
Christmas Day was never anything special for us. People would go to
the other side of their families for visits. We would be all by
ourselves, cleaning up the mess and returning chairs we borrowed
from the church.
Mary Lou (Heiden) Opfermann - I remember Grandpa got plenty of shirts, pipes and
tobacco for presents at Christmas.
 Norma "Jeanie" Heiden - Ma would sit there in the living room and unwrap her gifts.
She and Pa both got a present from everybody who came. The children
all drew names and then got a present from whoever picked their
name. Sometimes your godparent gave you a present too.
We were lucky, we got an orange and some candy from church.
Hilda
and Carl
stood up for me so they would each give me a present and
that was about it. Helma (Heiden) Nickel - I had seven godchildren to buy presents for each year. Five
girls and two boys.
Norma "Jeanie" Heiden - I remember one time Ma and Pa gave me a harmonica for
Christmas.
Helma (Heiden) Nickel - When we were young, we would usually get something like a
sled or a wagon for all the brothers and sisters to use.
 Ralph Heiden - Everyone would go to the service at
St
Matthew Lutheran Church on Christmas Eve. The kids were part of a Christmas pageant
play. What do you remember about those?
Norma "Jeanie" Heiden - Yeah, my heart was always beating like crazy before we had
to stand up in front of everyone and speak our lines. I was so
scared to do that sometimes.
Helma (Heiden) Nickel - I remember when they had the real candles on the tree in the
church. Carl Miller stood nearby with a fishing pole that had a wet
sponge attached to it. He was supposed to put the candles out when
they burned down close to the tree.
Wilma (Heiden) Bicking - We used to have candles on the tree at home too but Pa would
never allow us to light them.
Norma "Jeanie" Heiden - Pa was always concerned about fires in the house. |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 Over
the years, we have also received written memories and
remembrances about this person or topic from various family
members. |
|
 |
 Linda (Berns) Miller
- The Christmas Eve gatherings were
great fun and most expectant as you wondered who had your name
and would give you a gift. Also a house full of cousins couldn't
be beat. We were all over the house - what "great sports" they
were to allow that. It was always fun to try Grandma's "anise"
cookies. My mom didn't make them. I was never sure if I liked
them, but always had to try one. |
 |
 Laura (Berns) Shoemaker
- I also remember everyone going
there after church on Christmas Eve and had ground bologna and
chicken sandwiches. In the spring, we had big red delicious
apples because Grandpa kept them in the hay in the barn all
winter. I can still see Grandpa coming up the basement steps
with a small jug of cider for the card players. I also remember
Grandma leaning her head propped up by her elbow so she could
play cards. They sure had a great time. |
|
|
 Karen
(Berns) Wheaton - My Christmas Eve memory is
Grandma sitting in her rocking chair in the living room with her
family (women) around her. Grandpa would be in the dining room
playing cards with all of the men.Today I appreciate them for the invitation every year to come
to their home as one big family and to know that love and
security I felt then. I will always remember those Christmases
and the reunion that was the high light of every summer with
great affection. |
|
|
 Verdell (Heiden) GeibelChristmas Eve - After the church
Christmas program, we would all go over to Grandma and Grandpa's
for a gathering and gift exchange. I never saw so much Christmas
wrapping lying around. It was at least a foot high. William and
Helen who lived on the west side of the house opened the
door between so everyone had a place to sit. |
|
|
 Mary
Lou (Heiden) Opfermann - Every Christmas Eve after church
at nearby
St
Matthew Lutheran Church (above), the whole family would
gather at their home for a lunch and everyone brought gifts for
Grandma and Grandpa. I can still see Grandma sitting in the
front room opening her gifts. As I remember it, Grandpa got a
lot of shirts, pipes and tobacco. |
|
|
  Arlene (Fuller)
Johnson - As
a young girl, I mostly remember going to Grandma and Grandpa's
for Christmas where we all drew names for the gift exchange. It
was also fun to visit on the many weekends during the year. We
were able to visit Grandma and Grandpa and go places with Jeanie
and Sister Helen to visit some of our cousins where we would often get
into a ballgame. Always enjoyed the 4th of July Heiden reunions
too. Picture:
"Sister" Helen Esther Heiden as she was known in order to
distinguish her from Helen (Henning) Heiden, the wife of her
brother, Wm Frank Heiden. |
|
|
  Marilyn
(Fuller) Glubke - Christmas Eve for many years was
spent going to the Christmas pageant at church and then back to
their house to eat and exchange gifts. Everyone drew names and
you also received gifts from your godparents who, for me, were
Aunt
Marie (Heiden) Tommelein and Aunt
Helma (Heiden) Nickel.
This was an annual event as long as I can remember for all the
years that Grandma and Grandpa were alive. |
|
|
 Dianne
(Heiden) Houpt -The Christmas Eve get togethers were
incredible. The number of people who stopped by was astounding. |
|
|
|
Cheryl (Heiden) Stevens - I used to love Christmas Eve when
the whole home would be opened up and all the aunts, uncles and
cousins would be there. Heiden Reunions were great too. I
remember Lela and Lila organizing bingo games and us kids making
sure we knew
where our mother's chicken dish was because we were picky
eaters!
|
|
|
|
|
Pictured
is what was called a cassette tape back in pre-digital
times.
Wilma, Jeanie, Wm Frank, Helma & Marie were
children of 
