Stairway to Christmas at Granny’s

I’d like to welcome Pam Popp as my December guest contributor. Pam and I connected because she also loves family stories. In fact, she’s written a book for her 12 grandchildren about her life and a collection of treasured stories. I think you’ll enjoy her Christmas remembrance from the late 1950s. Don’t miss her recipe at the end!

 

Stairway to Christmas at Granny’s by Pam Popp

Granny was a very special person in my life. She lived in Blackburn, Oklahoma. Of course I loved Pap-paw too.  He always had a job for us grandkids.  They owned a ranch with several ponds and raised cotton, hogs, and beef cattle.  He fed out hogs and called them to the trough each morning. He would yell, “Soouueee, soouuee, pig, pig, pig!”  Those pigs would come running.  One time he had us count out the wheat kernels in a sample feed as well as the vetch seeds.  I think maybe he was trying to keep us busy so we wouldn’t be in his way, but I’m not sure. 

Granny would scramble out the door of the house on a run when we drove into her yard. She always had an apron tied around her middle. She would dash out the door like she’d been waiting for us to drive in. We couldn’t wait to get out of the car to get one of her hugs. 

Granny and Pap-paw’s house was an old two-story with a smoke house nearby. They did their own meat processing and had a large garden plus chickens for eggs and meals. They were the real homesteader type of people and self-sufficient.  They had to be. The second story of the house was not heated.  But there was a transom window you could open. That would give us some hope of heat. A trip up the stairs in the winter was a quick one. We would fly under the covers and breathe deep so that our breath would warm the bed some. 

Christmas was a very special time at Granny and Pap-paw’s house. By the time all the grandchildren arrived, the tree had been selected from the ranch and was decorated with bubble lights, popcorn and other ornaments. Tinsel covered the tree from top to bottom. There were lots of presents under the tree.  Many were homemade as money was tight. 

Granny out did herself with the delights she made each Christmas. That stairway was filled with candy that she had made and kept cold until everyone arrived. There were tins of fudge, peanut brittle, divinity, peanut patties, and cookies.  I’m afraid that on those quick trips up the stairs to bed, there might have been some stops to open a can and sneak a treat!  I’ve never had any divinity quite like hers. Granny never seemed to be concerned about the missing candy! 

Here is her recipe for Granny’s Peanut Patties:

2 1/2 cups of sugar

2/3 cup of white syrup

½ cup of cream or evaporated milk

3 cups of raw peanuts

Dash of salt

Place all of the ingredients in a deep skillet over low heat, stirring constantly.  Cook for one hour or until it reaches 234 to 240 degrees, then add 1 Tablespoon of butter and a Tablespoon of vanilla.  Mix, then spoon out onto buttered sheet.

You must place it in a Christmas tin and put it on a cold stairway to really experience this delight.  Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

From Becky: As always, feel free to forward to a friend. Open in your browswer and scroll down to make a comment. I reply to all comments. I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and may all of you experience God’s many blessings in 2026!