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A Foxfire Christmas: Appalachian Memories and Traditions
This captivating book of recollections celebrates the holiday traditions of Appalachian families as passed from one generation to the next. Based on Foxfire students' interviews with neighbors and family members, the memories shared here are from a simpler time, when gifts were fewer but perhaps more precious, and holiday tables were laden with traditional favorites. More than just reminiscences, however, A Foxfire Christmas includes instructions for recreating many of the ornaments, toys, and recipes that make up so many family traditions, from Chicken and Dumplings to Black Walnut Cake, and from candy pulls to corn husk dolls and hand-whittled toy cars. The students who created this book attended Rabun County High School, where the innovative Foxfire program originated, in the mountains of northeast Georgia. They conducted the interviews, shot and developed most of the photographs and edited the final manuscript.
144 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1990
13 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
Eliot Wigginton
87 books71 followersEliot Wigginton (born Brooks Eliot Wigginton) is an American oral historian, folklorist, writer and former educator. He was most widely known for developing the Foxfire Project, a writing project that led to a magazine and the series of best-selling Foxfire books, twelve volumes in all. These were based on articles by high school students from Rabun County, Georgia. In 1986 he was named "Georgia Teacher of the Year" and in 1989 he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship.
Wigginton was born in West Virginia on November 9, 1942. His mother, Lucy Freelove Smith Wiggington, died eleven days later of "pneunomia due to acute pulmary edema," according to her death certificate. His maternal grandmother, Margaret Pollard Smith, was an associate professor of English at Vassar College and his father was a famous landscape architect, also named Brooks Eliot Wiggington. His family called him Eliot. He earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in English from Cornell University and a second Master's from Johns Hopkins University. In 1966, he began teaching English in the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, located in the Appalachian Mountains of northeastern Georgia.
Wigginton began a writing project based on his students' collecting oral histories from local residents and writing them up. They published the histories and articles in a small magazine format beginning in 1967. Topics included all manner of folklife practices and customs associated with farming and the rural life of southern Appalachia, as well as the folklore and oral history of local residents. The magazine began to reach a national audience and became quite popular.
The first anthology of collected Foxfire articles was published in book form in 1972, and achieved best-seller status. Over the years, the schools published eleven other volumes. (The project transferred to the local public school in 1977.)
In addition, special collections were published, including The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Cookery, Foxfire: 25 Years, A Foxfire Christmas, and The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Toys and Games. Several collections of recorded music from the local area were released.
Wigginton was born in West Virginia on November 9, 1942. His mother, Lucy Freelove Smith Wiggington, died eleven days later of "pneunomia due to acute pulmary edema," according to her death certificate. His maternal grandmother, Margaret Pollard Smith, was an associate professor of English at Vassar College and his father was a famous landscape architect, also named Brooks Eliot Wiggington. His family called him Eliot. He earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in English from Cornell University and a second Master's from Johns Hopkins University. In 1966, he began teaching English in the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, located in the Appalachian Mountains of northeastern Georgia.
Wigginton began a writing project based on his students' collecting oral histories from local residents and writing them up. They published the histories and articles in a small magazine format beginning in 1967. Topics included all manner of folklife practices and customs associated with farming and the rural life of southern Appalachia, as well as the folklore and oral history of local residents. The magazine began to reach a national audience and became quite popular.
The first anthology of collected Foxfire articles was published in book form in 1972, and achieved best-seller status. Over the years, the schools published eleven other volumes. (The project transferred to the local public school in 1977.)
In addition, special collections were published, including The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Cookery, Foxfire: 25 Years, A Foxfire Christmas, and The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Toys and Games. Several collections of recorded music from the local area were released.
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December 18, 2018
Christmas Appalachian Style
by the Makers of the Foxfire Books
Let’s go a Caroling, Then Again, Let’s Not
The children living in the Appalachian Mountains left their homes just before midnight on Christmas Eve and headed to their neighbors’ carrying their shotguns, cowbells, and firecrackers. As they approached each house they would begin shooting off their shotguns and firecrackers and ringing their cowbells, just trying to make enough noise to wake each neighbor up. When a neighbor came to their door, they would give the children treats, such as oranges, apples or candy. And the children would then sing them Christmas carols. Caroling, I would love, but only in the early evening, say, as soon as it got dark.
But it didn’t stop there, because often the kids would dismantle wagons and place then on rooftops of barns where they would then put them back together again, In the morning, the farmers would have to dismantle them in order to get them back down. Or the kids would hide some of the farmer’s tools. Sometimes, they even put a horse in a cow stall, doing a switch-a-roo, and when the farmers came to milk their cows in the morning, well. If this be Christmas, what be Halloween? Plus, I could not imagine that anyone would wish to be awakened at such ungodly hours on Christmas Eve and into Christmas morning. They didn’t like it at all, I read, but that was their tradition.
Little to Give
Christmases were sparse. The families didn’t make enough money to give their children toys or clothing. Sometimes, it was hard enough to just make enough money for food. Their clothes were often made from flour sacks, and once a year some kids only got a pair of shoes that had to last all year, if not, then they went barefoot. Mothers would knit pairs of wool socks to put over their children’s shoes in order to keep them dry in the winter, especially to keep snow from getting inside of them.
Oh, How I Love Oranges
Fruit was hard to come by. A child may only get a piece of fruit once or twice a year. Oranges appeared to be a favorite, and I can understand why, as I love oranges myself, so much so, that my friend Cathy, whom I met in Berkeley in the 70s, took me to her aunt’s home for Christmas one year. They had a male relative dressed as Sinterklaas, and it was his job to pass out gifts. To 56 delight, I was given a bag of oranges65, as well as a poem explaining why I received them as a gift. Their Christmases were always wonderful to me, and I was happy to go every time I was invited.
The Old Rugged Christmas Tree, Handmade Ornaments and Gifts
While we look for the perfect tree, they looked for one with the most imperfections, because the better trees were sent to the saw mills to turn into lumber.
Then they decorated their trees with popcorn, berries, homemade cookies, and dough ornaments that they made by using flour and water, which were then baked and painted with food coloring. They also made those paper chains that kids always made in school when I was growing up. I always thought that they were quite ugly, and when reading this, I wondered if I had ever made one for our tree at home. I even thought of my mother’s ornaments, just tinsel and glass balls that were old, some with chipped paint. Sometimes, we added angel hair to our tree and thought it quite pretty.
But while the children in the mountains had very little, they enjoyed making ornaments and decorating their own trees. They just enjoyed Christmas, that is, unless Santa didn’t bring them anything.
I can’t imagine just getting hard candy, oranges, apples, and a few nuts for Christmas, but I can understand it being special since they didn’t get them during the year. But then some kids got more for Christmas, as this book showed photos of the handy work of some fathers who made great sleds and wagons for their kids or even carved them small toy horses and life sized pistols. Some fathers actually carved wood ornaments for the Christmas trees. Their handcrafts looked beautiful.
And then there were the handmade dolls. Scraps of material were used to make the bodies, and rags were used to stuff them. Some dolls were made from just one piece of cloth, where the head was stuffed and the neck was just a piece of string tied tight just under the head. The remaining fabric became the dress. Next, they sewed on buttons for the eyes and the noses and painted on or used yarn to make the lips.
Still, they knew how to celebrate Christmas. They went to church pageants, had dances, big feasts, went hunting the day before, and then there was the caroling. Yes, the caroling. Sigh.
I don’t recall if they talked about wrapping paper, outside of the handmade Christmas stockings. I once read that pioneers used cloth material or their own clothing in which to wrap gifts. So one year I bought a lot of different Christmas fabrics and made several cloth bags in various sizes and used ribbon for ties. Now, we don’t have to buy wrapping paper unless it is for a gift to a friend.
Best of All There Was the Food
Molasses Cookies
1 stick margarine
¼ c. shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
¼ cup sorghum syrup
2 cups plain flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
Melt and cook margarine and shortening, then add sugar, egg, and sorghum, and mix well. Add flour, sopda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Chlll overnight. Roll into 1 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 375 degrees.
Note: If I were making this recipe I would use real organic butter in place of the margarine and shortening. Then I would use Grandma’s Molasses. I don’t know about this sorghum.
Black Walnut Pound Cake (from Christine Wiggington)
½ pound butter
3 teaspoons rum flavoring
3 cups flour
1 cup half and half cream
½ cup Crisco (I would use organic butter instead)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped black walnuts
Cream butter, shortening, and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat after each egg is added. Add flavoring and beat well. Add dry ingredients alternately with cream. Lightly flour walnuts and fold into mixture. Bake in greased and floured tube pan for 80 minutes in a 325 degree oven.
Note: My mother used to make a chocolate cake with Betty Crocker cake mix, and she would add ¼ c. oil to the mix to make the cake more moist. Then she made her own powdered sugar chocolate frosting and sprinkled black chopped walnuts on top. I just loved this cake with its black walnuts.
Black walnuts are expensive now, and I can see why. It isn’t easy taking off the black skin that dyes your hands as you work with it, and then to open the shell you need a hammer, not a nutcracker, and last of all, each nut only has a small amount of meat, which by the way, is not easy to get out of the shell.
My friend in Tahlequah had a black walnut tree and use to put the nuts in bags and set them on the street for anyone to take. There were no takers. One year I gave one of her bags to our squirrels, and they were not interested in them either. If they only knew how delicious black walnuts were in cakes and frostings. But you didn’t see me cracking them either.
Update:
Since writing this review I wanted to add what is happening at our home this Christmas.
My husband has COPD. I asked him if he was going to go up to the attic to get our Christmas boxes. He thought about it and asked, “What if I do a Charlie Brown Christmas this year? I can go out into our forest and get a branch off the red cedar tree. I said, “Sure.” Then he added, “And we can make those paper chains that we used to make in grammar school.” I began laughing, and then I quickly said, “I like your idea. It is just that I had written in my review of Foxfire Christmas that I hated those ugly paper chains that we had to make at school to hang on the Christmas tree. But let’s do it.”
He took his tractor out to the field, went into his workshop and came back with a small wispy branch that looked like a tree. It was on a stand that he had built. The tree was about 2 ½ foot tall. It was so cute.
Next he brought out some construction paper of various colors and began making small narrow chain links. I sat and read. Every once in a while I looked over to see how it was going. The next night he said, “Let’s make a popcorn strand. He popped some corn and gave me a bowl, as I said that I would help with this. So we sat there eating popcorn and making strings. He added that to the tree along with the paper chains. The next night she came in from his workshop with some yellow painted stars that were outlined with a black felt pin. These, he said were made out of beercans. I checked them out. Miller Light as printed on the other side. They were cut. I had mentioned that in Appalachia they made a star out of aluminum foil and also rolled up the foil to make small balls to put on the tree. The balls really added an interested affect to the tree. I just told him about making icicles out of the foil, and last night I had said, Now we need to get some cranberries and make another garland. Add some color.
I will always remember this Christmas as being special because of his creativity and because I had read this book. We will save all of this ornaments, except for the bopcorn and cranberries, for another year.
by the Makers of the Foxfire Books
Let’s go a Caroling, Then Again, Let’s Not
The children living in the Appalachian Mountains left their homes just before midnight on Christmas Eve and headed to their neighbors’ carrying their shotguns, cowbells, and firecrackers. As they approached each house they would begin shooting off their shotguns and firecrackers and ringing their cowbells, just trying to make enough noise to wake each neighbor up. When a neighbor came to their door, they would give the children treats, such as oranges, apples or candy. And the children would then sing them Christmas carols. Caroling, I would love, but only in the early evening, say, as soon as it got dark.
But it didn’t stop there, because often the kids would dismantle wagons and place then on rooftops of barns where they would then put them back together again, In the morning, the farmers would have to dismantle them in order to get them back down. Or the kids would hide some of the farmer’s tools. Sometimes, they even put a horse in a cow stall, doing a switch-a-roo, and when the farmers came to milk their cows in the morning, well. If this be Christmas, what be Halloween? Plus, I could not imagine that anyone would wish to be awakened at such ungodly hours on Christmas Eve and into Christmas morning. They didn’t like it at all, I read, but that was their tradition.
Little to Give
Christmases were sparse. The families didn’t make enough money to give their children toys or clothing. Sometimes, it was hard enough to just make enough money for food. Their clothes were often made from flour sacks, and once a year some kids only got a pair of shoes that had to last all year, if not, then they went barefoot. Mothers would knit pairs of wool socks to put over their children’s shoes in order to keep them dry in the winter, especially to keep snow from getting inside of them.
Oh, How I Love Oranges
Fruit was hard to come by. A child may only get a piece of fruit once or twice a year. Oranges appeared to be a favorite, and I can understand why, as I love oranges myself, so much so, that my friend Cathy, whom I met in Berkeley in the 70s, took me to her aunt’s home for Christmas one year. They had a male relative dressed as Sinterklaas, and it was his job to pass out gifts. To 56 delight, I was given a bag of oranges65, as well as a poem explaining why I received them as a gift. Their Christmases were always wonderful to me, and I was happy to go every time I was invited.
The Old Rugged Christmas Tree, Handmade Ornaments and Gifts
While we look for the perfect tree, they looked for one with the most imperfections, because the better trees were sent to the saw mills to turn into lumber.
Then they decorated their trees with popcorn, berries, homemade cookies, and dough ornaments that they made by using flour and water, which were then baked and painted with food coloring. They also made those paper chains that kids always made in school when I was growing up. I always thought that they were quite ugly, and when reading this, I wondered if I had ever made one for our tree at home. I even thought of my mother’s ornaments, just tinsel and glass balls that were old, some with chipped paint. Sometimes, we added angel hair to our tree and thought it quite pretty.
But while the children in the mountains had very little, they enjoyed making ornaments and decorating their own trees. They just enjoyed Christmas, that is, unless Santa didn’t bring them anything.
I can’t imagine just getting hard candy, oranges, apples, and a few nuts for Christmas, but I can understand it being special since they didn’t get them during the year. But then some kids got more for Christmas, as this book showed photos of the handy work of some fathers who made great sleds and wagons for their kids or even carved them small toy horses and life sized pistols. Some fathers actually carved wood ornaments for the Christmas trees. Their handcrafts looked beautiful.
And then there were the handmade dolls. Scraps of material were used to make the bodies, and rags were used to stuff them. Some dolls were made from just one piece of cloth, where the head was stuffed and the neck was just a piece of string tied tight just under the head. The remaining fabric became the dress. Next, they sewed on buttons for the eyes and the noses and painted on or used yarn to make the lips.
Still, they knew how to celebrate Christmas. They went to church pageants, had dances, big feasts, went hunting the day before, and then there was the caroling. Yes, the caroling. Sigh.
I don’t recall if they talked about wrapping paper, outside of the handmade Christmas stockings. I once read that pioneers used cloth material or their own clothing in which to wrap gifts. So one year I bought a lot of different Christmas fabrics and made several cloth bags in various sizes and used ribbon for ties. Now, we don’t have to buy wrapping paper unless it is for a gift to a friend.
Best of All There Was the Food
Molasses Cookies
1 stick margarine
¼ c. shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
¼ cup sorghum syrup
2 cups plain flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
Melt and cook margarine and shortening, then add sugar, egg, and sorghum, and mix well. Add flour, sopda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Chlll overnight. Roll into 1 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 375 degrees.
Note: If I were making this recipe I would use real organic butter in place of the margarine and shortening. Then I would use Grandma’s Molasses. I don’t know about this sorghum.
Black Walnut Pound Cake (from Christine Wiggington)
½ pound butter
3 teaspoons rum flavoring
3 cups flour
1 cup half and half cream
½ cup Crisco (I would use organic butter instead)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped black walnuts
Cream butter, shortening, and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat after each egg is added. Add flavoring and beat well. Add dry ingredients alternately with cream. Lightly flour walnuts and fold into mixture. Bake in greased and floured tube pan for 80 minutes in a 325 degree oven.
Note: My mother used to make a chocolate cake with Betty Crocker cake mix, and she would add ¼ c. oil to the mix to make the cake more moist. Then she made her own powdered sugar chocolate frosting and sprinkled black chopped walnuts on top. I just loved this cake with its black walnuts.
Black walnuts are expensive now, and I can see why. It isn’t easy taking off the black skin that dyes your hands as you work with it, and then to open the shell you need a hammer, not a nutcracker, and last of all, each nut only has a small amount of meat, which by the way, is not easy to get out of the shell.
My friend in Tahlequah had a black walnut tree and use to put the nuts in bags and set them on the street for anyone to take. There were no takers. One year I gave one of her bags to our squirrels, and they were not interested in them either. If they only knew how delicious black walnuts were in cakes and frostings. But you didn’t see me cracking them either.
Update:
Since writing this review I wanted to add what is happening at our home this Christmas.
My husband has COPD. I asked him if he was going to go up to the attic to get our Christmas boxes. He thought about it and asked, “What if I do a Charlie Brown Christmas this year? I can go out into our forest and get a branch off the red cedar tree. I said, “Sure.” Then he added, “And we can make those paper chains that we used to make in grammar school.” I began laughing, and then I quickly said, “I like your idea. It is just that I had written in my review of Foxfire Christmas that I hated those ugly paper chains that we had to make at school to hang on the Christmas tree. But let’s do it.”
He took his tractor out to the field, went into his workshop and came back with a small wispy branch that looked like a tree. It was on a stand that he had built. The tree was about 2 ½ foot tall. It was so cute.
Next he brought out some construction paper of various colors and began making small narrow chain links. I sat and read. Every once in a while I looked over to see how it was going. The next night he said, “Let’s make a popcorn strand. He popped some corn and gave me a bowl, as I said that I would help with this. So we sat there eating popcorn and making strings. He added that to the tree along with the paper chains. The next night she came in from his workshop with some yellow painted stars that were outlined with a black felt pin. These, he said were made out of beercans. I checked them out. Miller Light as printed on the other side. They were cut. I had mentioned that in Appalachia they made a star out of aluminum foil and also rolled up the foil to make small balls to put on the tree. The balls really added an interested affect to the tree. I just told him about making icicles out of the foil, and last night I had said, Now we need to get some cranberries and make another garland. Add some color.
I will always remember this Christmas as being special because of his creativity and because I had read this book. We will save all of this ornaments, except for the bopcorn and cranberries, for another year.
November 30, 2023
Very simplistic book of recollections of earlier Christmases. Still, it's nice to be reminded of how far off the track we've let the whole holiday become in modern times.
May 27, 2014
A heartwarming read of old Appalachian (up to 1950s) Christmas traditions: the presents, the food, the celebration variations. Sometimes a little would mean a lot, especially if there was very little money to use. One gift would be enough. Oranges were luxury. Crisco was used ;) But as I've said, it's heartwarming and inspiring to read - some of the traditions might be still used today, if one wants. A lovely piece of history.
December 26, 2022
Love the Foxfire series (documenting history of Appalachia) and this one was particularly good since it’s shorter and focused on Christmas. The contrast of a depression era Appalachian Christmas (where a good Christmas was waking up to a stocking of Oranges) is in great contrast to our modern problems. It’s especially amazing that the documentarians of this edition are from primary/secondary schools instead of University.
December 19, 2021
Most of the stories, memories and recipes in the book were collected by the Foxfire project, in the 1980s, in northeastern GA and southwestern TN. Interviews with older citizens there has them remembering their childhood Christmases, in the early decades of the 20th century, and the Depression. There's a wonderful poignance in these tales, made all the better because they were collected and edited by HS students.
I remember the Foxfire work done by Elliot Wigginton and his students--project-based learning before it was a thing. It's very cool to see the respect and care that students gave to the folks they interviewed, and reflect on publishing before everyone had a computer in their pocket. Many of the pleasures in reading the book come from seeing how carefully the work of publishing was done, and what the students learned through this book and the other Foxfire books.
There's nothing terribly profound in the books, other than the fact that it's possible to have fun, even when you don't have money.
I remember the Foxfire work done by Elliot Wigginton and his students--project-based learning before it was a thing. It's very cool to see the respect and care that students gave to the folks they interviewed, and reflect on publishing before everyone had a computer in their pocket. Many of the pleasures in reading the book come from seeing how carefully the work of publishing was done, and what the students learned through this book and the other Foxfire books.
There's nothing terribly profound in the books, other than the fact that it's possible to have fun, even when you don't have money.
June 16, 2013
This is a must read, period. I just inherited the entire Foxfire series after my mother passed away and this was the first one that I picked up and read. The stories are warm and real. Some will make you weep at just how little folks had, especially during the depression. It reinforces the meaning of Christmas completely apart from the commercialist garbage we are inundated with today every holiday season.
February 29, 2008
Reading this little volume is my annual kickoff to the holiday season. The first-person accounts of Appalachian Christmases past are the perfect antidote to today's holiday excess. The delight that was taken in simple & homespun traditions shines through years later as the older generation recounts their experiences to the Foxfire students.
December 31, 2019
This book has been a part of my family's holiday bookshelf for many years, but I hadn't taken the time to read it until this year. Having read the Foxfire series, especially the first book, I've learned a lot about what life was like "in the good old days" as some of the contributors call them. Reading these stories and interviews, reviewing the photos, recipes and drawings, has given me an appreciation for what life was like in extremely rural areas of the Appalachians.
Foxfire magazine was started in 1966 by Eliot Wigginton where he taught in the Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia. Most of the work of interviewing, editing and layout has been completed by his classes of ninth- and tenth-grade English students. The work they have shared via their magazine and subsequently published books has preserved a way of life and the memories of those who lived it as parents and children.
A Foxfire Christmas gathers stories and recipes and memories of holiday fun, tricks played, family tragedies, and community coming together to celebrate and support during the cold, hard time of the year. Some of the stories are a joy to share and laugh over, while a few did bring a tear to my eye to learn of loneliness, cruelty, ignorance, or simple neglect endured by children who grew up knowing nothing different existed in the world, until they were older and left the mountains that were their ancestral home.
This book reminds me to be grateful for good things, especially the wonder of my family's loving and sometimes overwhelming Christmas celebrations.
Foxfire magazine was started in 1966 by Eliot Wigginton where he taught in the Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia. Most of the work of interviewing, editing and layout has been completed by his classes of ninth- and tenth-grade English students. The work they have shared via their magazine and subsequently published books has preserved a way of life and the memories of those who lived it as parents and children.
A Foxfire Christmas gathers stories and recipes and memories of holiday fun, tricks played, family tragedies, and community coming together to celebrate and support during the cold, hard time of the year. Some of the stories are a joy to share and laugh over, while a few did bring a tear to my eye to learn of loneliness, cruelty, ignorance, or simple neglect endured by children who grew up knowing nothing different existed in the world, until they were older and left the mountains that were their ancestral home.
This book reminds me to be grateful for good things, especially the wonder of my family's loving and sometimes overwhelming Christmas celebrations.
November 17, 2022
A Foxfire Christmas: Appalachian Memories and Traditions by Eliot Wigginton
Amazing stories from the 1900's of people who lived near woods and farmed like Appalachains.
There were no toys to buy or decorations so they made their own. Love stories of the serenading, caroling as we know it by.
So fun and smallest items created were the best. They tell you how to make poppers, firecrackers and garland from paper and using foil for a star.
Love sand candles and how they are made as I've watched my mom make them in the 70's. Holly adds just that perfect touch as you go outside to collect a branch or two.
Love harmless pranks played also.
Storytellers are given credit with their name being stated.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Amazing stories from the 1900's of people who lived near woods and farmed like Appalachains.
There were no toys to buy or decorations so they made their own. Love stories of the serenading, caroling as we know it by.
So fun and smallest items created were the best. They tell you how to make poppers, firecrackers and garland from paper and using foil for a star.
Love sand candles and how they are made as I've watched my mom make them in the 70's. Holly adds just that perfect touch as you go outside to collect a branch or two.
Love harmless pranks played also.
Storytellers are given credit with their name being stated.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
October 13, 2018
Magical
Everyone should read this Christmas collection of stories at least once. I am anticipating our first forced dandelion salad for the holidays. I think it is the most original tradition I have ever heard of. This was a treasure of a read I wish it were longer I devoured it in a couple of hours. Our holidays will be richer as we add these traditions and recipes to our celebrations.
Everyone should read this Christmas collection of stories at least once. I am anticipating our first forced dandelion salad for the holidays. I think it is the most original tradition I have ever heard of. This was a treasure of a read I wish it were longer I devoured it in a couple of hours. Our holidays will be richer as we add these traditions and recipes to our celebrations.
January 2, 2018
I liked it, and I understand the storytelling flaws because of the nature of this project. The stories gave me a glimpse into lives of people whose Christmas celebrations are very different from mine, and I appreciated the effort to save these stories and share them. Just wish the editing could have smoothed out some very rough edges.
November 22, 2019
devoured this book today! Heart-warming and heart-wrenching, inspiring, hopeful, and sad, all at the same time. I think all children grades 4 and up to adults could do with a reading of thos, and gain an appreciation for how much over-abundance they're blessed with now.
December 21, 2021
Enjoyable book of stories about Appalachian Christmases past. Was struck by how much enjoyment was taken from so little. Also about how mean some people could be. Mostly very nice stories of people doing what they could with what they had.
June 12, 2023
This was interesting. Certainly different from my childhood. One story was a bit offensive but I do understand the time table we are talking about. The one story about the little girl that was abandoned at age 11 is amazing.
December 28, 2018
Nicre stories for the holidays.
November 30, 2019
The Foxfire books never disappoint me.
December 3, 2019
A cute little book filled with Christmas stories and traditions.
December 20, 2019
Itis interesting to read about Christmas traditions in a poor Appalachian community.
January 2, 2020
I loved this quick read. Real stories of Christmases as a child.
December 16, 2020
Although some stories were repetitive, the few treasures made you step back and evaluate your own life.
April 28, 2021
What a charming reminder of the life, love , and struggles of our ancestors during the holidays. They didn't have much but they appreciated what they had and that is what is important.
December 19, 2021
Exactly what it bills itself to be. It's interesting to read stores of how Christmas used to be celebrated.
November 20, 2025
The true meaning of Christmas
January 30, 2023
Overall, a cozy and nostalgic sort of Christmas read, with some practical ideas for homemade decor and foods. The 'cozy' feel is somewhat marred for me by how sad some of the stories are, and also how unnecessarily judgey the editorial comments get about how we're not poor enough in modern days. (I take the point about commercialism, but I'm skeptical that having electricity for lights is interfering with my appreciating the true meaning of Christmas.)
Recommended if you enjoy 'old timey' stories or enjoy making your own decorations and simple/traditional style foods!
Recommended if you enjoy 'old timey' stories or enjoy making your own decorations and simple/traditional style foods!
December 30, 2011
This book, which was apparently printed in the 1980's, is a really neat book. I know that all of the people the students interviewed have since passed away (which is a little sad), but it's still a fascinating look back into Christmases of long ago. I loved the simplicity of the holiday and how they would wait to put up the tree until Christmas and how they decorated, and gifts they made. They include lots of different stories so that it's not all the same "we got an orange in our stocking".
December 23, 2014
The holiday season is most often described as "joyful," "merry," "bright" - candles instead of cursing the the darkness - but both the Appalachian storytellers of "A Firefox Christmas" and Charles Dickens in "The Chimes" remind us that the holidays can be a time of loneliness and disillusionment
Read the full review at www.newsoutherngentleman.wordpress.com - link available at my Goodreads page...thanks for stopping by - and Happy Holidays!
Read the full review at www.newsoutherngentleman.wordpress.com - link available at my Goodreads page...thanks for stopping by - and Happy Holidays!
February 28, 2016
The Foxfire books were compiled by ninth and tenth grade students in Georgia through interviews with local residents. In the 80s, Doubleday asked the students to compile a collection of Christmas stories, recipes, etc. resulting in this book. The stories are humorous, touching, sad, about a simpler time when Christmas wasn't store-bought.
November 27, 2010
I was drawn to this book because of my family's Appalachian roots. The short interviews are very readable. If you want to get away from the excess of today's Christmas celebrations, escape to these hard-scrabble stories. Good old recipes are included.
December 30, 2010
A cute book of oral history about Appalachian Christmas traditions.
January 2, 2013
A completely charming collection of true stories. If you don't have the time to read the whole book, go directly to the last chapter which contains the most moving stories.
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