THE CHRISTMAS THINGS YOU DO ALL YEAR

If you read our post "Christmas With Aunt Jo," you know that the Bullis family's Christmas celebrations were not as elaborate as those of most of their neighbors.  However, they were a kind and basically generous family.

Nettie Bullis exemplified these traits with the $12.3 million bequest she left to her community.  As a result, many individuals and organizations in Wayne County have benefitted  from that generosity (and continue to do so). This reminds us of two lines in the song, "The Secret of Christmas," which read:

"It's not the things you do, at Christmas time

But the Christmas things you do all year through"

Just as important as her monetary gifts to others - and maybe more so - Nettie Bullis consistently showed kindness to all of those she met during her lifetime. Her colleagues at Gleason Works noted that she mentored younger workers at that institution, where she served as Private Secretary and Private Assistant to President James Gleason.  Among neighbors and others who met her, Miss Bullis had a reputation for being very non-threatening, approachable and  kind. If someone needed help, she would be there, doing those Christmas things, all the year through. 

Our community is a better place because of Nettie Bullis and her "Christmas things." And for that, we once again say a sincere, "Thank you."

HOW-TO BOOKS

How-to (aka self-help) books continue to be a perennial Christmas gift choice.  Did you know there are several of books in this category in the Bullis collection? Here's a partial list:

How To Write Letters. 

(Formerly The Book of Letters)

A complete guide to correct business and personal correspondence

Author: Mary Owens Crowder

Publisher: Garden City Publishing Company, Inc., Garden City, NY, 1922

How To Read Character;

A new illustrated hand-book of phrenology and physiognomy, 

for students and examiners: with a descriptive chart.

Author: Samuel R. Wells

Publisher: Fowler & Wells Co., New York, c 1808

Flying Machines:

Construction and operation; a practical book which shows,

in illustrations, working plans and text, 

how to build and navigate the modern airship.

Author: William James Jackman

Publisher: The Charles C. Thompson Co., Chicago, 1910

So ... if you're looking for an almost-last-minute gift for that special someone (who may have an interest in how to write correct business and personal correspondence, how to read character, or how to construct and operate a flying machine), here's what we suggest. Stop by MPL and ask someone to help you access these books. Take your time looking over each one, and if you decide on one or more of them as a gift, you can purchase them online.  

There are also Kindle editions available. Two of the books have customer review ratings of 4-out-of-5 stars, indicating that books can continue to inform and entertain for more than 200 Christmases. Now, that's a gift that lasts.

CHRISTMAS WITH AUNT JO

Where did November go? We're not sure, but it went fast for us Bullis Room volunteers.  Now it's December and time for holiday celebrations.  This brings up the question (once again) of how the Bullis family observed Christmas. Here's an excerpt from a July, 2009 interview with an extended-family member who is connected with the Bullises through her grandmother.

Question: "Did you ever spend any holidays with them (Bullis family)?"

Answer: "Yes, Christmas with Aunt Jo. But Charlie and Nettie weren't there. I don't know if they celebrated Christmas or not. Auto Jo always celebrated. We always got books or we got money. We always got gifts from her and I still have all of the books. They were nice books. They were Richard Halliburton books, The Occident and The Orient, they were travel books (The Book of Marvels: The Occident; The Second Book of Marvels: The Orient). I had one about the Erie Canal. We had some of those Thornton Burgess books - children's books about animals and the seashore. I liked the books. I'm not a Bullis, but I like books."

The time frame for the Christmases referred to in the interview was the 1930s and early 1940s. Charlie and Nettie Bullis were adults  by then, which may be why they were not present at those holiday celebrations.  However, another source quotes Nettie Bullis as saying that when she and Charlie received gifts from their parents, they were books or practical toys.  This fits in with the Bullis frugality recorded in many other accounts.

Another question in that July, 2009 interview solicited Christmas memories as well:

Question: "Any Bullis family recipe?"

Answer: "Always had goose for Christmas. Nettie and Charlie didn't have much in the way of recipes (or food!) I don't mean to disparage them in any way at all. They were very good people. Aunt Jo used to have a big wooden bowl and her chopper and she would always chop a cabbage salad. That was one of the things that was always a part of Christmas dinner - cabbage salad."

So, in a nutshell (chestnut?):  The Bullises observed Christmas by giving books to the children and eating goose and cabbage salad for dinner.

From the Bullis Room: Happy Holidays to you.