December 24, 2018
Granny (on right) and her sister Geneaive
The other evening I stopped by Granny’s after work like I usually do. I’ve taken to carrying a notebook with me every time I visit so I can ask her to tell me a story and write it down. That evening I said “Tell me a Christmas story about when you were a little girl.” Granny said “Well you know the one about the year mother cut down the holly tree for a Christmas tree because I wrote about it in my poetry book.”
I told her I remembered that one, but always wondered if Granny Gazzie didn’t miss the tree being in the yard. Granny said “No it didn’t come out of the yard, it come from way up in the woods behind Shady Grove Church. I reckon mother knew it was there, it was a good size one, and went up there and cut it down herself and brought it home. Although my brother always tells me it was our older brother George who cut it down and brought it home. I still think it was mother.”
I said I bet it was pretty with red berries and Granny said “No it didn’t have no berries on it at all. We decorated it with what we had and it was a pretty sight. I’ll tell you a story I’ve never told another living soul in all these years.
Mother always got each of us a bag of candy and since we didn’t get much candy we really looked forward to it. That year I went to bed with my shoes and clothes on so I could be the first one up to get the candy. See I wanted to steal some of the others candy and put it my bag so I’d have the most. It was way in the night and I got up and tiptoed into the room. No one heard me up and nobody got up to check on me either. I got one piece of candy out of a bag and realized it just wasn’t worth the feeling I had of guilt. Then I got scared. Thinking of all my family that I loved so much in the bed asleep while I was up trying to be a robber scared me bad. I went and got back in the bed and never did tell no one about what I had almost done. None of them knew that I had been up at all and the next morning we were all together and happy for Christmas.”
As Granny told me the story I smiled at the thought of a little girl thinking of herself as a robber. I asked Granny how old she was when it happened. Granny said she was in first grade so I’d guess the time period was close to the one when the photo at the top of this post was taken.
—December 24, 2018
I hope you enjoyed this sweet story about Granny from the archives. A lot of you have been asking how she’s doing.
Granny gets wore out easy these days. She’ll go to bed and rest for a while and then get back up and start again. Her brother Lucky is doing better but is still in the nursing home recovering from his fall. Granny tries to visit him as much as she can and always takes him something good to eat.
Tipper
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oh my what a cute Christmas story. I just loved reading that
What a sweet story. Please tell granny I pray for her and hope she had a very blessed and merry Christmas. I sent her a Christmas card and hope she gets lots of them this year.
Thank you for sharing that story. It brought a smile to my face. I wish you and the family and very Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you Tipper and to all your precious family members. Granny is such a blessing. She reminds me of my Appalachian Mother too. My Mother also had a good long term memory and she told me many details about her life. I hope to write down some of those memories and pass them on to my family members. I’ll continue to pray for Granny and her brother. Enjoy those grandsons Tipper. I am blessed with a new grandson in law this year and I already love him as my own. I have two grown granddaughters that I love dearly too. May God bless you and all in the coming New Year.
Prayers for Granny and the whole family. Merry Christmas to you all!
God bless her pure little heart, the thought may have entered but her love for family would not let her follow through. Granny is a treasure that I thank you for letting your readers discover, and come to know and love. Prayers for her and all of you! Those are two sweet little sisters.
Granny’s story is a shining example of good raising. What a sweet story about how her conscience got the best of her, even at such a young age. Merry Christmas, and special hugs to Granny!
Merry Christmas to all. I loved Granny’s story. Love and prayers to all.
God Bless you Tipper for sharing so much of your family’s life.
And a Very Merry Christmas to all of you.
I know Granny is so glad that she did not do it. It something how little children can think of such things on their own. I wish Granny a d you Tipper and everyone a very Merry Christmas
Such a sweet story ! Such a sweet Granny ! Wishing everyone a Blessed Christmas!
Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year are my wishes for all who come here.
Last week I drive to some woods where there is a grove of wild holly trees, none of them had berries on them. In the past years some of the trees would always have berries. I wonder if it was because of the hot, dry summer or because of Helene. There are a lot of oak trees blown down near the holly trees. I wanted to get me a few limbs.
God bless granny and all of your family. Merry Christmas.
God bless Granny and her brother. So happy to hear that she decided not to be a robber. LOL. She probably feels better telling the little story. Such a sweet looking little girls in the pic. Did their mom make all their clothes? Wishing the Pressley and Wilson families a very Marry Christmas and the Happiest New Year ever. Blessings to all.
Granny’s is the sweetest confession anyone will ever read or hear, period.
What a sweet story! Isn’t it wonderful to be brought up to know right from wrong from an early age. Prayers for Granny and Lucky.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!
I love your story Granny! Praying for you and your brother! Merry Christmas to you all!!
I am like Randy. Granny’s little conscience was well-informed and working. Bless her heart. The best kind of guidance is a moral compass.
That was a sweet story I love all your stories of Granny and her life. Tell her Merry Christmas from Kathy who lives in Millers Creek. Love you all and Praying for her
Good morning everyone and Merry Christmas Eve. I’m in awe that we have arrived at that special time of the year, when Jesus was born in the manger so long ago!! What a joyous night that was with the 3 kings on their way following the brightest star to guide them, where they would witness the baby Jesus. To know all the animals lowering their heads. To Mary and Joseph staring in amazing grace with their blessings of true love!
May everyone enjoy your day and tomorrow….Christmas !!
Peace be with each and everyone, may God bless and keep you.
Tipper and Matt, may this be the best Christmas ever. Thank you for sharing your wonderful family with me!
Hugs and kisses to Granny and Lucky and to the BP&A family.
Merry Christmas Tipper and to all your family and a special prayer for Granny. And a Merry Christmas to all of your wonderful readers.
Here’s a little Christmas story about my Gram. She’d come from Tampa to spend Christmas with us in north Florida; I’m guessing I was maybe four. One of the gifts under the tree really perplexed her. Size, shape, and sound when she shook it gave nothing away. Her curiosity finally got the better of her. She took her gift and me into my bedroom, shut the door, and—unwrapped the present. It turned out to be a little book light clip, great gift for an inveterate reader who often took a book to bed. Gram, who worked for years in the gift wrap department of Maas Brothers, perfectly rewrapped that gift and put it back under the tree. Neither of us said a word, and my mom never knew.
Debra-what a great memory 🙂
Wonderful story!Prayers for all of you. Your blog and videos are a blessing to us. Merry Christmas and peace on earth, goodwill to all.
Loved the sweet story about Granny & the candy. My Mom would put that typical Christmas hard candy, fruit & nuts in our stockings back in the 1950’s. The stockings were her old stockings (hose) & I just could not eat the melted candy stuck to her hose. I could only think of her wearing those stockings & then putting candy in them. Little did I know that was some OCD rearing its head. I “graciously” gave my candy to my siblings & they all thought I was so sweet for doing that, but it was because I thought the candy was dirty & I couldn’t eat it. I am 73 now & am very OCD, especially with Covid still hanging around. My Dad was OCD, too.
Praying for Granny, Uncle Lucky & the entire Pressley family. Merry Christmas to all!
Merry Christmas to your family from ours.
Sweet story! Praying for Granny and wish you all a Merry Christmas!!
Tipper, you are blessed to have so many wonderful stories from Granny. Thank you for sharing them with us all. May God bless you with many more memories to be made with Granny in the coming year. Merry Christmas Tipper, to all your family and to all your readers!
I think the photograph of granny and her sister is adorable! Just look at their little dresses, sweet little shoes and socks and precious faces!!!! I too think like granny and always have and I always will. Every time I’ve took stuff that wasn’t mine, I felt really bad and so as a way of life I cannot steal. I find it best to not do things the devil can torture me and hang me with cause he will and does! I woke yesterday to water dripping on my pillow. It was most rude. A pine tree hit the roof in that spot during Helene but it was got off fairly fast and there appeared no damage. Apparently the plastic washers got busted and screws raised up so it was leaking a slow leak, but rafters etc are intact. It was repaired as I await my new roof hopefully on Jan 11 or 18 I was told. My best friend passed away earlier that very day the drip occurred and all I can say is the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away so blessed be the name of the Lord!!! Goodbye 2024 and good riddance!!!! It all amounts to I found out a house is some sticks and boards and really not a lot of else except headaches and constant fixing… once I’ve seen the guts of my house, it wouldn’t take much to flatten her right out…that’s the truth of a stick hut yall… Im grateful for it the same.
Sadie-I’m sorry for loss of your friend and for the new leak.
Merry Christmas to all of your family! Have a wonderful, blessed day tomorrow. Merry Christmas to Ira and Woody on what is to be their first of many memories made starting tomorrow!
I never would have thought to take candy from my sibling’s bags. However I have been know to switch the candy I wasn’t fond of with the kind I liked when they weren’t looking. That’s different, ain’t it?
Merry Christmas Tipper and family!
I loved the story of Granny!
I am praying for Sweet Granny!
Joanna
I enjoyed Granny’s story she is in my daily prayers. God bless her. Merry Christmas, Tipper, to you and your family.
Merry Christmas
What a sweet story. Just shows what a wonderful person Granny has been her whole life. Keeping her and all y’all in my prayers. Your posts help keep me feeling close to my mountains and the wonderful life there. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to your entire family. Continued prayers for Granny for strength & pain free days.
Merry Christmas Tipper and family.
I am still praying for Granny. I understand all too well what you and your family are facing and how you are feeling. May God be with all of you now and always.
Such a sweet story. I’m with Granny…nothing is worth that guilt feeling. Merry Christmas friends! Thank you Jesus for your supreme gift of salvation and for you becoming poor so that I may become rich.
I’ve always loved that verse.
Such a sweet story. Love it when she is up to singing with Paul. God bless!
Merry Christmas Tipper to you and all your precious family! I look forward to starting my day with you and yours every morning. My husband just got home from the hospital and a re-hab facility a week or so ago. I’ve not had any time to do much shopping but I am so blessed and happy that we get to have Christmas in the comfort of our home and be together.
Cathy-so glad he is home!!
G-D bless you all. I adore your stories praying hard for Granny. I’m a Registered nurse and I pray plenty for granny’s and papaws, they teach us so very much. My father right before he passed at 97 still lived alone and I was fascinated listening to his stories of growing up in NYC he used to grab loaves of bread off the carts in Central Park where he played! (Imagine that) playing in Central Park. He said he knew grabbing loaves of bread was wrong but he wanted his family to have bread my grandma (his mom) put a STOP to bread grabbing. . He had a big heart. I learned more about my father’s life in that last year. We need to stop and listen to these fascinating stories, Tipper you writing these stories down is brilliant. Merry Christmas to your wonderful family I so enjoy watching your videos and reading your and granny’s stories!
Wonderful story. God’s blessings and care on Granny and all of her family.
May each of you have the Merriest Christmas!!!
What a beautiful little Christmas story about Granny. It turns out that she wasn’t a robber, but was a fine young lady. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thanks for sharing that sweet story about Granny. Sweet Granny is in my daily prayers along with the rest of you. Merry Christmas to all!
awe Granny! Pure loving heart. Love her story. It’s how we all grow, how we are raised to love the Lord & make better choices.
Christmas blessing to one & all. Enjoy those little guys, that will be so much fun.
hugs to you all!
Have a great Christmas with Granny and your Grandbabies. It is hard to see mama suffer.
Each day, I look forward to spending time with you and your family.
The stories that your mom can tell, that is wonderful!!!
Merry Christmas everyone!!!!
I never tire of hearing Granny stories. She was mischievous, wasn’t she?
I just love your family and I’m praying for Granny.
Thank you for the sweet sweet story of love of family in a little girl’s sweet heart. It touches me so that she learned love for her family is sweeter than candy.
She’s in our prayers and her brother too. Praying God blessed your family this Christmas and always,
Meg
praying for you all. and especially for Granny and lucky. merry Christmas to your family and loved ones and your blind pig and celebrating Appalachia families.
Merry Christmas!
prayers for Granny and Lucky
prayers for all y’all
I have updated my prayer list, Granny Wilson is on my list, I have a devotion I read to my subscribers, and I have about 70 people on the list, I call their name to the Lord and ask God to help, God bless Granny Wilson, Merry Christmas to everybody, at celebrating Appalachia, and the blind pig and the acorn
Merry Christmas Tipper and family. Prayers daily for Granny.
Aww, what a sweet story. I could just feel her emotions in my heart. God bless Granny and her brother.
Merry Christmas to all. I so enjoy all the old stories. thankful yall can still enjoy your mom. take good care of her. how blessed you are to still have her. I miss my mom so much, especially this time of year.
Poor Granny feeling guilty, to me that was proof that she was being raised to know the difference between right and wrong. I learned this early in life, there are two that always know everything you do- they are you and God. There has been times when I would look in the bathroom mirror before going to bed at night and did not like what I saw or remembered about something I may have done.
During the night, I have been thinking about my Daddy and Christmas Eve back when I was about the same age as Granny in her story. My sister was still a baby. Daddy would always take me somewhere on Christmas Eve for a very short time and Santa Claus would come early to see me and bring my presents while t was gone. I think he did because we would being going on Christmas Day to be with my Grandparents and I wouldn’t have time to play with any toy I may have gotten.
I hate to hear the news about Granny and her brother, my sister is also in a nursing/rehab home and going into long term care. My son and I plan to go to see and be with her tomorrow and take her some presents. Because of the arthritis in my knees and the problems it causes, it is getting harder for me to get around but I am going to visit her and my wife’s grave even if I half to crawl. I continue to pray for Granny.
Randy—Such a wonderful childhood Christmas memory!!! You could probably write a book. I agree with others, Mrs. Wilson had loving, nurturing parents as well.