Today’s guest post was written by Jacob Rodgers.
Dora
Wool Socks, Paper Sacks, and the Things That Outlive Us
“A Christmastime reflection” by Jacob Rodgers of Saint Paul, Minnesota
Some Christmas treasures aren’t wrapped in ribbon. They don’t shine or sparkle beneath the tree. They wait quietly, pressed between the pages of a family Bible, waiting for the right hands to open them and the right heart to understand.
My treasure is only a single page—just a sheet of yellowed paper written by a child a century ago. Yet when I hold it, it feels warm and astonishingly alive. It feels as if time itself softens, as if heaven leans close enough for me to hear a whisper.
The handwriting belongs to my great-grandmother, Dora—ten years old on Christmas morning in 1920. A farm girl, the youngest daughter of German immigrants, a child whose life held more work than wonder, yet who understood gratitude more deeply than many of us do today. On that winter morning she wrote her Christmas gifts in careful, ceremonious script, sensing even then that the moment was holy:
“Wool stockings from mama, hair ribbon from papa, Bible from (oldest sister) Hulda, dolly from Oma Schultz, an orange, cinnamon candy, chocolate bar and peanuts from church.”
Then, as though setting a small lantern at the end of her list, she added the opening line of the Christmas story found in Luke’s Gospel:
Und es begab sich aber zu der Zeit…
—“And it came to pass in those days…”
At first glance the list appears plain. Simple. Almost nothing at all. But look again with the eyes of someone who has given gifts when there wasn’t much to spare—someone who has cherished small offerings given with great love, someone who has endured winters of the heart. Then the list unfolds into something far larger. You begin to see not merely the gifts but the hands behind them: a mother’s hands, chapped from work, knitting warmth into wool because she could not knit the world into gentleness; a father smoothing a ribbon he hoped would make his daughter feel lovely in a world that wasn’t always lovely itself; a big sister passing down a Bible because faith was the only and best inheritance they could afford; a grandmother offering a doll, proof that tenderness survives even hard times; and the steady hands of the church—quiet, unseen—slipping oranges, candy, and peanuts into brown paper sacks the way churches once did for children who had so little and yet, somehow, so much.
Those who remember those paper sacks remember them not for what they contained, but for what they meant: the simple assurance that someone had remembered you.
A century later, I understand why that little list was written—and why my grandmother kept it safe all those years. The gifts themselves are long gone. But, what lasts is the love that placed them in her hands.
In a world determined to make Christmas louder, brighter, bigger, richer, my grandmother’s list offers an eternal truth: Enough is a blessing. Small things are holy. Love, given honestly, becomes its own miracle. Her page invites us back to the heart of the season—to its warmth, its beauty, its scripture, its bits of sweetness, and the quiet certainty that we were loved enough for someone to remember us.
She wrote her gifts down as though they were pearls. Looking at that fragile page a hundred years later, I know she was right. The smallest gifts are often the ones that outlive us.
I hope you enjoyed Jacob’s beautiful post as much as I do. Two lines will stay with me for a long time: Enough is a blessing and Small things are holy.
Our church has continued the tradition of handing out small brown pokes of fruit, nuts, and candy. As old as I am, I’m still happy to get a goodie bag after the Christmas play.
Last night’s video: The Pressley Family Christmas Party.
Tipper
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Very nice penmanship for a 10 year old….looks like a teacher’s handwriting! I recently lost my son, his handwriting was the same since 2nd grade….”chicken scratch”
I cherish this, and indeed “enough is plenty.
God Bless you and your family.
Christie
This is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever read. Merry Christmas to all of you.
The word ENOUGH is truly a blessing BECAUSE if your hand is in God’s then what’s in your hand is ENOUGH. My son says this often from the pulpit!
I just love this!
Small things are indeed holy…the best gifts cannot be bought or wrapped.
Merry Christmas to you all ❤️
I was looking to see if I got a response to my comment, and I couldn’t find my comment, but after opening this up, and leaving this comment now I see my comment, God bless you have a great day
I’ll have to comment on this post yesterday but I don’t see it anywhere, God bless you
I love the simple words that convey such sweetness and sentimentality! Thanks for gifting us this piece!
Priceless. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank You. I needed this today.
We always look forward to the paper bag with an orange, apple, a small amount of candy from our little country church. It meant a lot to us. The Christmas play was always a tradition. Kids miss out on so many wonderful things.
What a beautiful story.
I enjoyed the Presley Family Christmas party & regional shopping. That hamburger soup looking delicious! I haven’t shopped at a Michaels in years, the closest one to me is in Oklahoma City. Your channel brings back so much memories for me thank you.
As always praying for Granny, pray she is feeling some better today.
That was a beautiful story, and little Dora had such beautiful cursive writing at such a young age. I’ve always been practical, and the greatest gifts I’ve ever received are the simple ones that I knew were given from the heart.
What a beautiful note written so many years ago. The simple things in life are the best treasures we can ever receive. Whether it is Christmas card or someone giving you a candy cane, those are the simple things that matter most. Things like that are more personal and mean more than a expensive gift that will be forgotten by next year.
Such a beautiful Christmas story. Thank you.
Such a beautiful story, thank you for sharing!
Good morning, Tipper and Tipper fans! Oh my gosh what a most beautiful and moving posting for today!! I absolutely loved the simplicity of the time. May God’s blessings cover us all and especially Granny!!
Tomorrow would have been the day for part of my family to gather and fill those small brown bags with fruit candy and nuts on the Saturday prior to the Sunday they would be handed out. It has been my family doing this pleasure since probably the early ’30s, my grandparents had a small country store so they could get the items needed easily from the salesmen who normally kept the little store filled with items to sell….but the filling of the bags had to be moved to this afternoon which just does not feel right when a tradition must be altered. The reason for the change, my uncle by marriage lost his oldest living sister a few days ago and her funeral is tomorrow–she had just turned 99 on the 3rd, she had had a long life and was ready to see Jesus. Another death, my aunt and I are a year apart so more like sisters and we both are so tired of the all too frequent untimely deaths especially of young people in our lives—But with this one even though sad especially here at Christmas, her going home can be a little more joyous life celebration than was the service of my aunts step son back in August as he was only 53…..how precious this ‘list’ was saved to be shared a hundred and twenty five years later….Tipper I too will remember that one line for the rest of my life
Absolutely beautiful !!!
A beautiful Christmas story – one of the best I have heard in a long time. Such a treasure – – and a good reminder in this world of ‘plenty’ on being thankful. I remember those little paper sacks of treats.
One of the most beautiful posts that I have ever read. It will make you think and be thankful for every single day. Finding joy in the simplest of things and being grateful for whatever we have is a true gift.
Every year, as the Christmas season approaches, I find myself looking for something that will help prepare my heart and mind for the upcoming celebration of our Saviors birth. I found it today. Thank you Tipper for sharing this beautiful story with us.
What A Very Heart Warming Story. It Really Is The Small Things In Life That Matters. I Remember Getting The Brown Paper Bags With Oranges,Nuts, Peppermint After Church When They Would Have The Christmas Play.
Wow…just wow!! Let me grab a tissue as I was moved to tears on this one.
Little Dora’s penmanship is wonderful for a 10 yr old ! Also it seams new hair ribbons were a big deal for young ladies back in the day. Thank you Tipper for sharing this it is truly a standout!
i thought to copy those two sentences and post them myself. seeing that you focused on them, too, only encourages me to do so.
I love that story. And Dora has such great penmanship. I received the Foxfire book yesterday. Thank you so much.
I have tears in my eyes after reading this beautiful story. What a treasure Jacob has shared. Thank you, Tipper, for sharing with us.
Precious!❤️
I am amazed at her lovely penmanship. It almost looks like a computer font, but of course I know it’s not. What a cherished reminder of Jacob’s great grandma! My mother in law lives in St. Paul, MN. We will be making a trip to see her soon as she’s in the hospital right now. Her health is not good. We got 7” of snow the day before last, and yesterday morning as we were shoveling and the kids were playing outside, I beheld the beauty of the heavily cloaked trees and the sparkling white earth and I had to think of you and your love of snow, Tipper. 🙂
One of the Christmases that I will never forget was the one in the early 80’s while we were living in Northwood NH. The weather for Christmas day wss going to be in the negative 50s. So the night before I removed the battery fro my Pinto Station Wagon and brought it in the house. I also got a basting and put a heating lamp in it and out that under my engine. The last thing I did was put a heating element into the oil pan to keep the oil from freezing. Got up early Christmas morning to get the kids ready for church and listened to the weather on the radio. The wind chill factor wad -72 degrees. That’s the coldest I have ever been in. We drove to the church for Christmas service and found about 20 other church members waiting to get in. Once in we found the church unheated so no one took off their heavy jackets. It was a beautiful burst short service and there was limited fellowship due to the freezing temps. By the way none if us had turned our engines off while we were in church for fear they would not start again. We only lived a short distance from the church so we arrived soon and got the house ready for the two families to come to our home for our Christmas buffet and to exchange gifts. Two other things about that day. My neighbor who has a diesel engine asked me for help in starting his car. Since he hadn’t taken the battery out of his car and it being a diesel I could not get it started. The next church service our pastor stated that due to the extreme cold he forgot to ask for the Christmas offering. So we did two offerings that Sunday. Again no matter the temperature or the weather our families always celebrated the birth of our Lord. It was at this church where I was on the church board and was a Eucharistic Minister so that helped me set an example for my sons. Merry Christmas!!!
This is so beautiful. This is what Christmas is truly all about.
That story Jacob wrote is beautiful. It could have been written by my grandson, Jacob, who is the most sensitive and tender-hearted of all my six grandchildren. I display a Christmas card every year that was sent to my grandmother, who erased the sender’s name, signed her name, and sent it to me when I was just a child. My grandchildren get emotional when they hear about pokes of candy and fruit being given out for gifts, but they can’t possibly understand how small things were holy to kids from a poor Appalachian family. I was surprised to see that Jacob is from Minnesota.
What a sweet story. I about teared up on my break at work.
Thank you for sharing this! My day has been blessed.
The post from Jacob today is heartwarming and beautiful. Thank you for sharing it. My mama called me the other morning laughing and crying at the same time. She was reading her Bible and found a note from my dad that she thought was lost forever. It was a small scrap of paper on which my dad had written “of all the girls I ever knew, the only one I loved was you.” —A simple gift with a message that will keep my mama happy for a long time. This is our first Christmas without him. This was a special gift for her—and so awesome that it was safe in the pages of her Bible all along.
Brenda, that is so wonderful!
This post has blessed my day! Thank you for sharing this precious of piece of your family heritage.
Last night I watched the Pressley Christmas. Loved it! I noticed Matt with the Yeti cup. I want to say. I love coffee. I have the same Presto percolator I see Matt using. I have several Yeti cups that were gifts from my children. I always drink my coffee from one. It keeps it very hot and is easy to carry. Matt will like those features. Praying for Granny.
“as old as I am”? Well, how old are you and how old am I? If we set aside the carnal what remains? That is our true being and that never ages. I am no older than at my conception. The vessel that carries me may be crazed and chipped and crippled and crushed but in spite of that the me that God created lives on.
My great grandmother’s name was Dora too.
Oh, what a small glimpse of this dear child’s heart! How our world would change if everyone could have and demonstrate her wisdom & love each day. Thank you so much for this post. “Enough is a blessing. Small things are holy” is something we should dwell on each day. I hope this post has changed more people’s minds than just mine today and has been a beautiful blessing to me.
Merry Christmas & prayers for Granny!
What a beautiful story and a treasure to have that inscription. I still fondly remember the little brown paper bag that our school bus driver, an older farmer, would give each child as we exited his bus on the half day before Christmas break. A few candies that were sold in bulk at the feed sture during the holidays and nuts in the shell — it was such a special gesture.
I ain’t even gonna lie-that’s one of the best little stories you’ve ever shared and I agree with you about the line that stuck the most. I’m so impressed, I’m screen shotting this one for further pondering and contemplation. I remember all the small things and honestly the big ones aren’t nearly as meaningful to me especially when I consider the warmth and thought involved in small gifts because it’s a well known fact those folks don’t have a lot. I have a friend who’s a millionaire. He eats like a pauper, wears worn out and GIVEN shoes and clothes, REFUSES to purchase even a new door and repairs it using glue and clamps. He’s so cheap, I fully anticipate him to die in starvation (by eating sodium nitrates and highly packaged nutrient densely extremely poor food.) He sleeps in a garage with an entire house above him and his belongings smell like head grease because he thinks washing his hair will make it fall out. He’s so cheap he hasn’t drove 70 miles since I moved to come see me and won’t get himself a new car although you can hear his Nissan’s transmission winding and begging to die. I’m speechless over the whole thing… claims he’s a Christian, but I think he worships sheckels. It’s not in anything we say yall. It’s in all we do that tells a tale on us… say nothing and I still will figure out your story and what makes you tick. It’s not that hard. You’ll know em by their fruity tooties. Oh God bless those who give and never count the cost because they KNOW EL SHADDAI…
Sadie, I just have to say that I love your comments and wish I could meet you in person! 🙂 You sound like a delightful woman and sister in Christ! I love the colorful way in which you speak. 🙂
Sadie Ledbetter, I absolutely love you through your comments! You always seem to hit the nail on the head and don’t varnish anything. Thank you!!!
Miss Dora had beautiful handwriting, especially for a 10 yr old! I’m always a little bit jealous of folks who have pretty handwriting, because my own is terrible. Hope everyone has a good day in the holler
We do know (just not as well as we’d like) that the ‘things’ that mean the most to us are of the soul and spirit. But we shortcut that to saying they are of the heart. And that is close, about as close as we can get for now. Don’t you guess the Lord knew we needed the Christmas story to keep us grounded to the wisdom and the practice of what matters most? Even though we find it hard to live there, we have been taught that is the best life. And we are blessed that he sees and counts the “mites” we put in. By His counting, the mites are of much greater value than does appear. Your singling out those two short sentences are examples.
Ron, a lot of your comments seem like a “devotion” to me. Your comment today is a good example. Thank you. The same could be said for comments other members write from time to time.
LOVELY. ❤️
BEAUTIFUL. ❤️
I thought thia story was wonderful, as were the stories from the other subscribers.
I believe that the richest people on earth read and respond to this blog
I’m not crying; you’re crying! This was beautiful.
Jacob’s writing about his great grandmother Dora was so sweet. A legacy he is carrying on by sharing Dora’s memories she recorded of her Christmas gifts that year in 1920. I love how she included the beginning line of scripture from Luke 2:1. The beginning that would change everything! I’m sure it meant more to her than just the receiving of her gifts or she would never had thought to write it down. I remember receiving the brown bags and yes I have heard them many times in my youth being called brown pokes. We received them from our church too back then and the church I attend nowadays gives out the brown bags to our seniors and since I’m now a senior, I get one too. They still bring back wonderful childhood memories and I am thankful for both.
What a beautiful remembrance/post! It brought tears to my eyes…so tender and true. A lovely reminder of what is truly precious and the love behind seemingly simple gifts and actions, that are actually the most precious.
That post brought me to tears.
What a reminder for this Christmas season, simple and sweet. The world needs this so much, a return to the simpler things of life, and a gentle reminder of God’s love for us through the birth of His Son Jesus.
brought me to a realization, tears to my eyes, a new appreciation for life and my Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for the story, God bless you very much
This is such a beautiful story! Thanks to the author for sharing it. Plan to read it again!
This loving account is priceless, and “having enough ” is great riches.
This touched my heart so! It rings so true. I enjoyed it so much!
Our gifts were not extravagant. I always got a dolly and a stocking. One year when I was a little bit older I got two gifts. A small birthstone ring (I still have it) and a poodle radio. I thought I was living in tall cotton. We treasured our gifts and my dolly would be plumb wore out by the next Christmas. I still have two of my dolls. I drug one of them out the other day to show our granddaughters and our two year old grandson said with much surprise, “Mamaw what is THAT”…she was worn and her hair a little scary. We had a big laugh!
Our momma did not receive ‘gifts’ for Christmas. She said they would get an orange, a few nuts, and a chocolate drop in their sock. That was very special to them. She was one of 13.
Momma worked hard to make it special for us. Christmas day was full of cooking and baking. That was special to me. I look back and I’m so thankful for not having an abundance as it made us truly love and enjoy what we had.
Hi Tipper. What a sweet post. She has such beautiful penmanship. It made me think of my MIL she had such beautiful handwriting. I think of Dora getting to write in her very own Bible. To record this precious day and the loving gifts she received. My Daddy gave me my first wristwatch when I was 10. I still have it. The numbers and hands still glow in the dark from the Radium Paint. I never got a Bible until I married when I was 18 and I carried it at my wedding instead of a bouquet. I gave it to my oldest child, Ann, my daughter, as it was a gift to me from her father.
I love those Christmas Church Pokes. We get an apple, an orange, a candy cane and 5 pennies. I guess there will be no more pennies since the government isn’t making them any more. I loved the trip to viit the Pressley’s. I keep y’all in my prayers. Love y’all.
I love this post so much. It touches me with memories of long ago when I was a child, receiving that special bag of fruit and nuts from church. I wish kids today could experience one of those most special Christmases. ♥️Your friend in SC, Jane
Thank you Tipper for helping me find my way back to the true meaning of Christmas. Needed Granny’s address to mail her a Christmas card and landed immediately on this particular blog. Needed this reminder now more than ever before. Funny how that happens every now and again. Like in church when you are certain the reading and message was meant specifically for you…Thank you again.
Christmas blessings and wishes to you and yours. ❤
I am not gifted enough to write something like that. Not the gifts, but the words wrote about the love that went into those gifts are very meaningful to me when I look back on my childhood life and think about the hardship it was for my parents to give me the few gifts I always got each year. I especially like the paragraph about what Christmas has became. Until a few years ago, my church gave out small paper bags of fruit at Christmas. Now much has changed at my church I have attended all of my life, many of the members have left for other churches because of these changes. No longer giving out the bags of fruit is only one of the changes.
One of my best, most memorable Christmas as a child was the year I only got a box of shotgun shells. It was the first full (25) box I ever had until then. But more important than the shells, my Daddy was home from being sick and in the hospital. This would have been in the mid 60’s when I was about 12 years old.
When we had less, I remember being more grateful for what we had or at least it seemed so for me. I was probably in my forties before I began to realize the hardships endured by my forebearers and really realized how “good” and “easy” our lives are today compared to even my grandparents time as children. I consider myself “blessed beyond measure” and thank the Good Lord everyday for those blessings. I can also can remember as a boy having a full box of shotgun shells. Nowadays, paying $65 for a case (10 boxes of 5) of shotgun shells at Walmart seems as routine as washing my face in warm water.
Jeffery, do you remember when the country stores and hardware stories would “break” a box of shotguns shells and sell the shells separately? My Daddy was not able to buy me more than 5 shells at a time. I mentioned Daddy being sick, in the hospital and unable to work at his cotton mill job, this would probably have been the first time my sister and me would have not gotten anything for Christmas because of not having any money. My aunt bought each of us one gift, I asked for a box of shotguns shells- they were 16ga. Remington Express #6 shot. I still have the old single barrel Sears shotgun I shot these shells in. I also remember our neighbor cutting his own trees and giving us a truck load of fire wood and Daddy’s coworkers giving him “a pounding” and bringing us a 53 Ford car load (trunk and back seat) of groceries-food. Neighbors and friends looking out and helping one another.
Those are very touching memories, Randy. Thank you for sharing them with us.