The Times

Gablegrams

by helen reynolds society editor Mrs. Louis J. Stajdel, president of the Coral Gables Woman's Club, probably represents the spirit for Christmas Day as well as any of the club presidents we interviewed. She has the "mostest" children, seven, ranging from 1 year old to 17, three boys, four girls. Christmas begins about 7 a.m. with the tree decorated and lighted. The children come trooping in to see and open their gifts which completely fill the area. Coffee is served, and any one who wants breakfast can have it in the kitchen. Before long, all the children in the neighborhood are in to "see and show." Then its off to church. Traditional turkey and all the trimmins' topped off with plum pudding is served later. But what makes this story interesting is the fact that Mrs. Stajdel's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Payne of 1213 Madrid St., her three sisters, including Mrs. Lee L. Gilbert (a past president of the Civic Club) and her brother, Dr. Edward R. Annis and their families all reside in the area. * * * STRICTLY A FAMILY AFFAIR Mrs. Weldon B. Lewis, president of the Coral Gables Junior Woman's Club, is another club president whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley F. Carlton (of N. Miami), and her sister and family, Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Sandell of 115 Romano, reside here. Christmas, Mrs. Lewis says, is strictly a family affair, and "we take turns being the hosts." The Lewises have three boys, 9, 10, and 11 years of age. The Sandell's have two [?] s, 2 and 5 years of age. This year the Sandell's will be hosts for the traditional Christmas turkey dinner served always at the same hour, 5 p.m. The Lewises will be hosts at noon eggnog. Mornings? "Well, you should see the house from about 5 a.m. on when the boys come trooping in to see what Santa brought them," Mrs. Lewis said. * * * EATING OUT Mrs. L. M. McConnell, president of the South Miami Woman's Club, and Mr. McConnell will "eat out" as the saying is on Christmas day. Originally they planned to go to Omaha, Nebr., to be the holiday guests of their son, Jerry McConnell and his wife, and to make the acquaintance of their first and only grandson, Jeffrey, (who will be one year old Christmas). Mr. McConnell said that with the temperature in Nebraska 10 above, he'd rather stay home. Jerry is the McConnell's only child. * * * NOT LIKE ANY OTHER DAY Mrs. George C. Hoover, president of the Coco Plum Woman's Club, said "Christmas begins at 5 a.m. at our house and it's not like any other day." The Hoover's two boys, 71⁄2 and 101⁄2, come running in to see the lighted tree and what Santa brought them long before daylight. After breakfast, it's church, if Christmas falls on Sunday, and turkey and all the trimmin's served at 6:30 p.m. * * * CHRISTMAS IS NO PROBLEM Mrs. Lloyd F. Davis, president of the Bayshore Woman's [?]ub, declared that Christmas is no problem "since we are a family of grownups" including her mother, Mrs. Anna Kearns, who resides with them. "My husband's sisters and brothers and their families all reside here and we are always invited to eat turkey at one of their households." * * * CHRISTMAS WILL BE DIFFERENT Christmas will be different this year at the home of Mrs. George F. Stebbins, president of the Coral Gables Civic Club. Mr. and Mrs. Stebbins are the parents of a son, Mike, who will [b?]e 4 years old in January. This is the first year Mike has taken any interest in Santa Claus, his mother says, and what's bothering him is "How is Santa, who is so fat, going to get down our chimney?" Yes, the Stebbins have traditional home cooked turkey dinner at 2 p.m. on Christmas.

Teacher Will Be Bride On June 16

MISS SHEAROUSE Mr. and Mrs. Ray Truman Shearouse, 944 North Shrine St., Orlando, are announcing the engagement of their daughter, Barbara Joan, to John Gerrad Perry, son of Mrs. Charles R. Perry of Winston Salem, N. C., and the late Mr. Perry. The wedding is planned for June 16 and will take place in the University Baptist Church. The bride-elect was graduated from Edgewater High School, Orlando, and received her Bachelor of Science degree at Florida State University, where she was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, science sorority. She is presently a teacher at Merrick Demonstration School. Her fiance was schooled in Winston Salem and was graduated from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He is presently a representative in Miami of the Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Coral Pines Club Christmas Party

Mrs. W. T. Criswell, 6440 SW 106th St., was hostess for the Coral Pines Garden Club's annual Christmas coffee recently. Mrs. M. S. Farrar of Coral Gables, an accredited flower judge, presented "Christmas Jewels," her flower arrangements, as the program. Co-hostesses were Mrs. Robert M. Burns and Mrs. William Crandall.

Pledges Phi Sigma Sigma

Phi Sigma Sigma's Beta Theta Chapter at the University of Miami recently pledged Marilyn Kroll, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Baer Kroll, 6600 SW 49 Ter., South Miami. Miss Kroll is a freshman pre-Law major and a member of the Hillel Foundation.

They Visit Jamaica

Judge and Mrs. Wm. L. Pallot, 6511 Santona St., were recent guests at the Half Moon Hotel and Cottage Colony in Montego Bay, Jamaica, W.I.

The Old Biltmore Glowed For Yule

By CAROL ANN YOUNG "Christmas in Coral Gables was brighter and more festive during the old days than it is now," say many of the city's first residents. Mrs. William McKibbeu, 641 N. Greenway Dr., recalls parties at the Coral Gables Country Club with lavish decorations and dinners at the Biltmore Hotel, now the Veterans Hospital, at $10 a plate. For Mrs. McKibben, Christmas was a time to gather with friends. "Everyone put more emphasis on outdoor decorations then," said Mrs. Don Peabody, 115 Mendoza Ave. "Cash pizes up to $250 were awarded for the best decorated homes. People often spent a lot of time and money setting up life-size Santa's and Nativity scenes on their front lawns." Big Parties "There were many big parties during the holiday season," Mrs. Peabody continued. "Name bands like Paul Whiteman and Jan Garber were brought in for tea dances, held from 5-7 p.m., at the country clubs. Afterwards the bands would often go to members' homes and play long into the night at private parties." "All holiday parties were formal occasions, complete with tuxedos and long evening gowns," Mrs. Peabody continued. Our children were home from college and there were many young people's parties. "At that time Ponce de Leon Blvd. was the main street in Coral Gables. There were few stores and little street decorations, but City Hall was always decked out in lights." "The family gatherings, trees and presents were about the same then as now," Mrs. Peabody concluded. Seemed Colder "The weather always seemed colder at Christmas time than it does now," says Mrs. R. C. Lipe, 818 Majorca Ave. A student at the University of Miami during the late 20s, Mrs. Lipe remembers wearing a fur coat to church on Christmas Eve. "If the weather permitted," says Mrs. Lipe, "the college students held beach parties during the holidays. We danced outside on the patio at the Country Club, even if it was cool." "We always had lighted candles in our Christmas tree," continued Mrs. Lipe. "We used no outside decorations except pine branches and a red bow n our front door." The first community Christmas tree was placed at the corner of Ponce de Leon Blvd. and Coral Way in December of 1928. More than 700 elementary and junior high school children sang carols at the band shell. Mrs. George E. Merrick, 732 Coral Way, feels that Christmas is just about the same as always with family dinners, Christmas trees, candles and poinsettias, "I think Christmas is just as much fun now," she added, "because we have more friends down here to enjoy it with."

Orange Bowl Queen To Be Feted At Coffee

Miss Pat Finn, Orange Bowl Queen, and members of her court will be honored at a coffee from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, Dec. 30, at the home of Mrs. V. V. Vandenberg, 1101 So. Alhambra Cir. Hostesses at the party will be members of the Zeta Tau Alpha Alumnae Association of Greater Miami. The Orange Bowl Queen is a member of Gamma Iota Chapter of ZTA at the University of Florida. Invitations have been sent to every active and alumnae chapter of the sorority in the United States to meet Miss Finn and to see the Orange Bowl Festival of 1961. Mrs. O. H. Council is general chairman. Mrs. Virginia Calloway of Coral Gables and Mrs. William Clot of Hialeah are co-chairmen of food. Food will be prepared in the Navy and Missouri style, and decorations in Mrs. Vandenberg's home will follow the colors of Navy and Missouri.

Nevelle Vaughan Wins College Honor

Mrs. E. Nevelle Vaughan, 1012 Castile Ave., has just learned that her daughter, Nevelle, a junior at Huntingdon College, Montgomery, Ala., has been elected president of the Social Standards Club on campus. Miss Vaughan also received the Williams Scholarship which carries a part tuition grant. Both Nevelle and her brother, Ellis, who attends the University of Florida, will spend the Christmas holidays with their mother.

Christmas Open House

Mr. and Mrs. Carleton Tweed of 927 Valencia will again hold open house Christmas Day from 4 p.m. to Midnight for their many friends.

Palm Beach County shipped 33,363 carloads of vegetables last year, valued an excess of $60,000,000.

Author's Brother Is Guest Here

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Geld[?]ser, 3934 Riviera Dr., have as their houseguests, Mr. and Mrs. Morris Mogelever of Asbury Park, N. J. Mr. Mogelever is the major research collaborator for the Doubleday Book Co., publishers of "Death to Traitors," by Jacob Mogelever. The book is presently on the best seller list. Mr. Jacob Mogelever is chief of the Savings Bond promotion department of the United States Treasury.

BANK HOLIDAY NOTICE CHRISTMAS DAY

Monday, December 26, 1960, being a Legal Holiday, the Banks comprising the membership of the Greater Miami Clearing Association, will not be open for business on that date. All orders for Currency, Payrolls, etc., should be obtained not later than Friday, December 23, 1960. GREATER MIAMI CLEARING ASSOCIATION F. J. Teschke, President

Peace on Earth good will to men

Nigh on to two thousand years ago, Christ the Prince of Peace was born. The greatest gift from God to man is ours forever. It is our Christian custom to celebrate this festival by the giving of gifts to those we love. Christmas is a day for giving ... a time of joy for us all. Even though we are unable to give material things to all those we love, we can give a more priceless gift, the turkey dinner to our fellow man, something of ourselves. A smile, a helpful word, the warm hand of friendship. For love divided multiplies. We pray we may show more good will to man so that there may be peace in our world. Richards