December 2019

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DECEMBER 2019

F E AT U R E S

Treasured Christmas Traditions pages 24 - 27 7KH 1DWFKH] *DUGHQ &OXE·V $QQXDO &KULVWPDV /XQFKHRQa6RXS &DVVHUROH 6DOHa5DIÁH pages 28 - 30 Supper-Club Christmas with the Balls pages 34 - 37 Welcoming the Wonder of Christmas! pages 40 - 42 Page 6 { December 2019 { Bluffs & Bayous

DECEMBER 2019

F AV O R I T E S G’s Fare Santa Claus is Coming to Town! ...................................................................... 10-13

Legal Notes Texas Tea (Part 3) ...............................................................................................16

Southern Sampler Memories and Messages from Christmases Past ............................................... 57-58

Welcoming the Wonder of Christmas! pages 40 - 42

The Social Scene Krewe Mystique de la Capitalé Announces 2020 Royalty .......................................9 2019-2020 Krewe of Phoenix Announcement Party ....................................... 14-15 BARL Celebrity Dinner and Auction ...................................................................17 Cooking for a Cause ........................................................................................ 22-23 Fall Gathering for the Order of the First Families of Mississippi..........................31

The Wedding Scene Cocktails and Shower Honoring Conn and Bryant .......................................... 18-19

Up & Coming Premier Events....................................................................................................43

Santa Claus is Coming to Town! pages 10 - 13

Louisiana Up & Coming ................................................................................. 44-46 Mississippi Up & Coming ................................................................................ 48-56

ON THE COVER Michael Scott Alexander Smith, Esq., welcomes guests to the Natchez Garden Club’s Annual Christmas luncheon to be held this year on Friday, December 6, 2019, in downtown Natchez, Mississippi, at Historic Magnolia Hall. Feature story on pages 28 - 30; Photography by Cheryl Rinehart

Cooking for a Cause pages 22 - 23 Bluffs & Bayous { December 2019 { Page 7

PUBLISHER Cheryl Foggo Rinehart COPY EDITOR Jean Nosser Biglane GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Jan Ratcliff

Anita Schilling

S TA F F P H O T O G R A P H E R S Tim McCary

Bill Perkins

Cheryl Rinehart

Lisa Adams Whittington

SALES STAFF Cheryl Rinehart

Donna Sessions

CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Gary R. Bachman

Lucien C. “Sam� Gwin III

Becky Junkin

Alma Womack

Cheryl Rinehart

Jean Biglane

Jan Ratcliff

Tim McCary

Dr. Gary R. Bachman

Donna Sessions

Anita Schilling

Bill Perkins

Lucien C. “Sam� Gwin III

Lisa Adams Whittington

Becky Junkin

Alma Womack

Bluffs & Bayous is published monthly to promote the greater Southern area of Louisiana and Mississippi in an informative and positive manner. We welcome contributions of articles and photos; however, they will be subject to editing and availability of space and subject matter. Photographs, comments, questions, subscription requests and ad placement inquiries are invited! Return envelopes and postage must accompany all materials submitted if a return is requested. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Bluffs & Bayous are those of the authors or columnists and do QRW QHFHVVDULO\ UHà HFW WKH YLHZV RI WKH SXEOLVKHU QRU GR WKH\ FRQVWLWXWH DQ HQGRUVHPHQW RI SURGXFWV RU VHUYLFHV KHUHLQ :H UHVHUYH WKH ULJKW WR UHIXVH DQ\ DGYHUWLVHment. Bluffs & Bayous strives to insure the accuracy of our magazine’s contents. However, should inaccuracies or omissions occur, we do not assume responsibility.

OFFICE 225 John R. Junkin Drive | Natchez, MS 39120 | 601-442-6847 bluffsmag@gmail.com | bbupandcoming@gmail.com www.bluffsbayous.com

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THE social SCENE BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

Krewe Mystique de la Capitalé Announces 2020 Royalty rewe Mystique de la Capitalé proudly announced its 2020 Royalty at a formal coronation ceremony on October 27, 2019, at the Drusilla Reception Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with the crowning of Madison Elise Bennett as Queen and Charles Timothy Porch as King. They will reign over all 2020 Krewe Mystique Mardi Gras functions and other activities. Madison is the daughter of Alisha and Waylan Bennett of St. Francisville, Louisiana, and is a senior at West Feliciana High School in St. Francisville. Charles is the son of Virginia and the late Charles Porch of Pearl, Mississippi. He is married to Sheila Woodard-Porch; and they reside in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. King Charles is also the grandfather of Queen Madison. Other royalty announced were ten debutantes: Cecilia Campesi, Jullian Eskew, Morgan Gallegos, Sara Landry, Sophia Latino, Michelle Lorio, Mary Saia, Audrey Shank, Danna Thompson, and Emma Vaughn. Two pages, Kendall Shank and Darby Thompson, will attend Queen Madison; and two dukes, James Gregory and Reece Desormeaux, will attend King Charles. The royalty was introduced by Krewe Mystique President, Henry Pere; and they were escorted and crowned by Krewe Lieutenants in ‘mystique’—Enrique Osuna, David Pere, Dennis Pereira, Carolyn Pittman, and Tony Pittman. Coordinating the event were Krewe Mystique Royalty Committee Chairpersons, Patti Cameron and Rhonda Baird. The royalty members will make their formal debut and be introduced to krewe members and guests at the Krewe Mystique de la Capitalé 2020 Tableau and Ball on January 25, 2020.

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1 Charles Timothy Porch and Madison Elise Bennett 2 Waylan Bennett, Alisha Bennett, Queen Madison Bennett, King Charles Porch, and Sheila Woodard-Porch 3 Emma Vaughan, Mary Sais, Danna Thompson, Jullian Eskew, Cecilia Campesi, Queen Madison Bennett, Sara Landry, Audrey Shank, Michelle Lorio, and Sophia Latino 4 Front—Darby Thompson, Reece Desormeaux, James Gregory, and Kendall Shank / Back—Emma Vaughan, Mary Sais, Danna Thompson, Jullian Eskew, Cecilia Campesi, King Charles Porch, Queen Madison Bennett, Sara Landry, Audrey Shank, Michelle Lorio, and Sophia Latino

Bluffs & Bayous { December 2019 { Page 9

c G’S FARE

BY

Becky Junkin

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

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love the holidays, especially when my children come home for Christmas. They start arriving early on Christmas Eve, and the confusion begins. We head to church late that afternoon and then go around town to look at the Christmas lights. Once home, we put out Santa’s cookies, read ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, and head to bed to wait for Santa. The next day is a madhouse as Santa comes, presents are opened, and then we begin to get ready for about thirty people for a seated Christmas Dinner. All these activities are a lot of confusion and mess, but I would not change a minute of it. Having all eighteen of our children and grands under one roof is what memories are made of. To help with the confusion and make things simpler, I decided that I could get one group of grands together and make cookies early; so one night recently, I got together at Jordan’s home with some of my grandchildren, and we made Christmas cookies. We had so much fun and made a grand mess! We were all covered in powdered sugar and icing but with red and green mouths from the candy. The idea was good; and the making, decorating, and baking were fun; but most of the cookies we ate! So then, we had to redo our Christmas cookie preparations. Some of the recipes originally called for making the dough, but I simpliÀHG WKLV VWHS E\ XVLQJ FDNH PL[ LQVWHDG Everyone took part until it came time for clean up, and they scattered. These cookies were yummy and perfect to take to neighbors and family gatherings, or just to have for Christmas Eve and Santa. Some of the cookies were decorated by adults and others by the grands as you will see and understand in the pictures we took. I hope you and your family enjoy this Christmas Cookie Making tradition as much as mine did! I wish a Very Merry Christmas to each of my readers and your family.

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I made the dough for these sugar cookies early because it needed to chill before rolling out. For years, Jordan has used this recipe from Sallysbakingaddiction.com. In fact, this is one of her favorite baking sites, and she uses it frequently. You can tell which cookies were products of Jordan’s creative hands and which ones were fashioned by the children and me. Mistakes, though, made them special and the time spent together even more so.

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ROYAL ICING [Jordan puts the icing into several piping cones after she has mixed in the colors she wants.] WV\UKZ WV^KLYLK Z\NHY [LHZWVVU JYLHT VM [HY[HY LNN ^OP[LZ VY LX\P]HSLU[ [Jordan uses 2 teaspoons meringue powder and 2 tablespoons warm water.] 0M `V\ HYL WPWPUN [OL MYVZ[PUN VU[V [OL JVVRPLZ \ZL [OL JOHY[ ILSV^ [V NL[ [OL JVYYLJ[ JVUZPZ[LUJ` 7LY J\W PJPUN Bthe glue if you’re making a gingerbread houseD HKK ^H[LY PU [OLZL HTV\U[Z! 6\[SPUPUN! [LHZWVVU VM ^H[LY ;VW *VH[PUN! [LHZWVVUZ ^H[LY -SVVKPUN! [LHZWVVUZ ^H[LY

These were so easy. I put out the eggs and oil and cake mix, and the kids stirred it up on their own. They loved rolling the balls of dough in the powdered sugar and making a grand mess. We added the peppermint Hershey Kisses after cooking. These were 5-yearold Mad’s very favorite cookies that we made that night. I changed up the recipe just a bit, but it was from bettycrocker.com

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We have made these M&M Christmas Cookies from Themillenialsahm.com for several years since they are so easy for the kids to do. Of course, my grands eat half of the bag before we are through. At Easter, you can use pastel M&M’s, red ones with chocolate cake for Valentines Day, and so on.

M&M CHRISTMAS COOKIES IV_ JHRL TP_ VM `V\Y JOVPJL [We use butter cake mix.] SHYNL LNNZ H[ YVVT [LTWLYH[\YL J\W I\[[LY TLS[LK J\W 4 4»Z [We used red-and-green M&M’s bag.] J\W 4 4»Z MVY [VWWPUN 7YL OLH[ [OL V]LU [V KLNYLLZ HUK WYLWHYL H IHRPUN ZOLL[ ^P[O WHYJOTLU[ WHWLY -VPS HSZV KVLZ [OL [YPJR 0U H TP_PUN IV^S JVTIPUL [OL JHRL TP_ LNNZ HUK TLS[LK I\[[LY \U[PS `V\ NL[ H ZTVV[O I\[ Z[PJR` [L_[\YL :[PY [OL 4 4»Z PU[V [OL TP_[\YL I\[ IL JHYLM\S UV[ [V JY\ZO [OL 4 4»Z 6U H SPULK IHRPUN ZOLL[ ZJVVW [OL KV\NO V\[ PU[V SP[[SL IHSSZ (U PJL JYLHT ZJVVW ^VYRZ WLYMLJ[S` MVY [OPZ )HRL LHJO IH[JO MVY TPU\[LZ (SSV^ [OL JVVRPLZ [V JVVS VU [OL IHRPUN ZOLL[ MVY TPU\[LZ HUK [OLU WSHJL [OLT VU H JVVSPUN YHJR \U[PS M\SS` JVVSLK HIV\[ TPU\[LZ

Jordan tried quite a few on-line recipes, but none of the resulting cookies really pleased her children. Therefore, Jordan, being Jordan, created her own recipe; these cookies are a hit with all the grands.

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2I FRXUVH WR ÀQLVK RII DQ\ RU DOO RI WKHVH FRRNLHV \RX QHHG D &KULVWPDV PXJ RI KRPHPDGH hot chocolate.

HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE [HISLZWVVUZ JVJVH WV^KLY 7PUJO VM ZHS[ [LHZWVVU ]HUPSSH [HISLZWVVUZ YLHS THWSL Z`Y\W [V J\WZ TPSR Optional Toppings: 4HYZOTHSSV^Z 1VYKHU \ZLZ OVTL THKL VULZ >OPWWLK JYLHT 9LK Z\NHY ZWYPURSLZ 9LK WLWWLYTPU[ JHUK` JHULZ 0U H ZH\JLWHU V]LY TLKP\T OLH[ ^OPZR [VNL[OLY [OL JVJVH ZHS[ ]HUPSSH HUK Z`Y\W \U[PS JVTIPULK .YHK\HSS` ^OPZR PU [OL TPSR HUK JVU[PU\L ^OPZRPUN \U[PS OV[ 0M KLZPYLK HKK OVTLTHKL VY Z[VYL IV\NO[ THYZOTHSSV^Z VY ^OPWWLK JYLHT [VWWLK ^P[O YLK Z\NHY ZWYPURSLZ" H YLK WLWWLYTPU[ JHUK` JHUL MVY Z[PYYPUN HSZV PZ H M\U HJJLU[ Becky Junkin, mother of four and grandmother of eight, is a lifelong Natchez resident, a retired elementary teacher of WZHQW\ IRXU \HDUV DQG FHUWLÀHG 3LODWHV LQVWUXFWRU

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THE social SCENE NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

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2019-2020 Krewe of Phoenix Announcement Party he Krewe of Phoenix held its Royalty Announcement Party on October 25, 2019, at antebellum Stanton Hall in Natchez, Mississippi. The Krewe introduced its 20192020 Royalty—Rex XXXVIII Joe Stedman and Queen Rosalie XXXVIII Charlotte Brent, along with their court of Royal Dukes and Duchesses. Members of the Krewe of Phoenix in attendance welcomed the new royalty with a festive evening of celebration. Photographs by Bluffs & Bayous staff

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Charlotte Brent and Joe Stedman Billy Ulmer and Johnny Junkin Darla Knapp and Andrea Bradford Maggie Smith and Tanya Biglane Susan Cassagne and Eric West Mary Lessley and John Bergeron John Grady Burns with Tracy and Bo McCartney Lisa Whittington and Shanna Pollard Eric West and Charlotte Brent Bubba and Katie McCabe Jennifer Smith, Cheryl Rinehart, and Jennifer Lessley GA Mayers and Patricia Huffines Hampton Roane and Mary Catherine Wilkerson Lynette and Buddy Tanner Jenifer Smith, Lisa Whittington, and Shanna Pollard Daniel Case, James Brown, and John Hoggatt Pat Porter, Nancy McLemore, and Kaye Harris Curtis Moroney with Jennifer and Joel Lessley

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THE social SCENE

NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

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19 Renee Davis Wall and Cheryl Rinehart 20 Charlotte Brent, Billy Ulmer, and Joe Stedman 21 Valerie Bergeron with GA and Lisa Dale Mayers 22 Jim Franklin, Sue Stedman, and Charlotte Franklin 23 Ann Shaidnagle, Annette Burns, and Melanie Kennedy 24 Jim Ball, Lee Hinson, Donna Ball, and Dana McGivaren 25 Robin and John Hinton with Amy Brown and Bubba McCabe 26 Joe Stedman, Buddy and Lynette Tanner, and Sue Stedman 27 Kaye Harris, John Hoggatt, and Ronnie Harris 28 XXXVIII KOP Royalty and Court: Lara Biglane, Hampton Roane, Dana McGivaren, Jim Ball, Allie Winston, Joe Stedman, Charlotte Brent, Tracy McCartney, John Grady Burns, Mary Catherine Wilkerson, John Branton, Amy Brown, and Bubba McCade

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´7KH IHVWLYH OLJKWV DQG WKH JLIWV DQG WKH RUQDPHQWV DUH Ă€QH EXW WKH\ DUH RQO\ D VHWWLQJ IRU WKH UHDO MHZHO WKH ELUWK RI D %DE\ WKDW PDUNHG WKH GHVFHQW RI *RG KLPVHOI WR PDQNLQG Âľ

LEGAL NOTES

BY

Lucien C. Gwin III

Texas Tea (Part 3)

L

ast year, I wrote two articles on oil and gas rights, articles dealing with drilling on your real property when you do not own rights to any minerals and also dealing with something called “forced integration.â€? Forced integration is the process whereby your interest in minerals is “forcedâ€? into drilling even though you may not want to have those minerals mined. For this article, I want to talk about a third topic relating to mineral ownership: What if you own minerals and do not know that you do? You are probably wondering if this can happen. In addition, I will discuss what happens to your interest in the minerals when a well is drilled, but you were never contacted by anyone about your interest. You would be amazed how often this happens. In the past, both Mississippi and Louisiana have been very fertile ground for oil and gas exploration. Believe it or not, every surface acre has a mineral acre underneath. In most instances, the mineral acre is owned by someone other than the surface owner. Many times, multiple people or companies own the mineral acre. Further, in the great majority of cases, past surface owners (anywhere from forty to eighty years prior) have reserved the mineral acres. Now, assume that your grandfather bought and sold land around the state in the 1930s, 1940s or even 1950s. Assume that, when he sold a piece of land, he reserved his ownership in the mineral acreage under the surface of the land sold. Unless these minerals were developed by an oil well or sold by your grandfather, then there is a real chance that your family may still own an interest in the minerals. The question, then, is this: What if you do not know what real properties your grandfather bought and sold in his lifetime, and KRZ GR \RX Ă€QG RXW WKDW LQIRUPDWLRQ" 1RZ ZH DUH WDONLQJ DERXW the proverbial needle in a haystack, so to speak. The only way to Ă€QG WKLV LQIRUPDWLRQ LV WR YLVLW HYHU\ FRXQW\ DQG RU SDULVK LQ WKH states and research the land records, looking for the name of your grandfather in the deed indexes. However, this would be incredibly time consuming and impractical. Additionally, what happens when an oil company wants to drill a well in a mineral estate of which you are part owner, but you do not even know you are the owner, and the oil company does not know that you are the grandchild of your grandfather? What happens when the oil company strikes oil, but it doesn’t know who you DUH DV DQ RZQHU RU ZKHUH WR Ă€QG \RX" 7KLV WRR KDSSHQV RIWHQ Page 16 { December 2019 { Bluffs & Bayous

Guess what? If the oil company hits oil but doesn’t know you are an heir with a vested interest, then the oil company or their buyers will send the proceeds from oil production to the state, who holds your money for a period of ten years; and then after the ten-year period has passed, the monies are paid to state. In Mississippi, this is called “Escheatâ€? wherein money reverts to the state. In Louisiana, it’s called DTDD “Dat Tough Do Do.â€? There are other ways that mineral RZQHUV JHW ORVW LQ WKH VKXIĂ H RYHU WKH years, but the above scenario is one of the more common. How can a mineral owner prevent the above scenario? Often times, it is hard to do if you don’t know your ancestor’s business dealings. If you suspect there is past real estate activity by a deceased relative in a county or parLVK \RX PD\ Ă€OH D FHUWLĂ€HG FRS\ RI HVtate proceedings from your ancestor’s estate, which may identify heirs. In my opinion, Mississippi and Louisiana should follow Oklahoma with a mineral registry for every county in Mississippi and every parish in Louisiana. This registry would require all mineral owners WR UHJLVWHU WKHLU PLQHUDO RZQHUVKLS LQ WKH FRXQW\ SDULVK ZKHUH WKH\ own minerals. In addition, and in my opinion, a law should further EH SDVVHG WKDW JLYHV DQ\ PLQHUDO RZQHUV Ă€YH \HDUV WR UHJLVWHU WKHLU mineral ownership, which would be plenty of time to locate and determine what minerals you may own and where they are located. 7DNLQJ WKLV D VWHS IXUWKHU WKLV QHZ ODZ VKRXOGÂłLI Ă€YH \HDUV KDYH passed and if one hundred percent of the minerals under any surface have not been registered—allow that the mineral ownership would automatically vest in the surface owner, with the exception, of course, being that if minerals are under production, then they should automatically continue in the previous mineral ownership until production ceases. Again, in my opinion, this system would eliminate the uncertainty of mineral ownership. Louisiana currently has a law allowing minerals that are not under production to revert to the surface holder’s ownership after ten years of surface ownership. I think this adds clarity to oil and gas development. Lucien C. “Samâ€? Gwin III was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1981 and has been practicing many aspects of the law at the firm of Gwin, Punches & Kelley in Natchez, Mississippi, ever since.

THE social SCENE BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI

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BARL Celebrity Dinner and Auction he Brookhaven Animal Rescue League’s Celebrity Dinner and Auction was held on October 22, 2019, at the Lincoln Civic Center in Brookhaven, Mississippi. Featuring good food, costumed waiters, and Jill Conner Browne—THE Sweet Potato Queen, the event was a smashing success as the community came together to raise money for homeless animals.

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Al Conerly and Will Thibodeaux Cheli and Joseph Durr Becky and Dr. Don Doty Dr. Jay and Bethany Ballard Jessica Scott Jill Conner Browne and Deana Pendley Kelli Snider and Nancy Hoover Kendall Covington Rockie Netherland and Julie Montalvo Front—Cara Fulps, Kylie Ferguson, and “Cousin It” (as himself) / Back— Dr. Bob Watson, Carter Watson, and Dr. Ryan Case Courtney Owens, LeeAnn Griffin, and Karen Rogers Mark Giust, Becky Currie, and Anna Giust Nikki Rowells, Rhonda Rowells, Jill Conner Browne, Cathy Ditcharo, and Misty King Sarah and Don Underwood Nathan Peavey, Rebecca Peavey, Abigail Peavey, Alene Smith, Sarah Reynolds, and Dr. Asa Reynolds Breanna Ard, Dana Fleming, Jordan Kennedy, and Lori Perkins

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THE wedding SCENE NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

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Cocktails and Shower Honoring Conn and Bryant

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melia Conn and Wil Bryant, Jr., were honored with a cocktail party and shower on July 20, 2019, at The Elms in Natchez, Mississippi. Hosting the occasion were Joanna Bernard, JoAnne and Edward Phipps, Darby and Dennis Short, and Sarah Smith. The festive event was attended by members of the wedding party, friends, and family.

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Amelia Conn and Wil Bryant Amelia Conn and Alexa Salerno Gary Conn and Amelia Conn Jamie and Carrie Baucom Savannah Bryant and Collin Perkins Margaret and Leslie Baucom Kaitlyn Knotts and Alexa Salerno Stephanie and Keith Bryant Luke Bryant Claudia Estes, Roseland Seabrook, and Norma Williams Elizabeth Coleman, Amelia Conn, JoAnne Phipps, and Virginia Conn Savannah Bryant, Elizabeth Coleman, Virginia Conn, Amelia Conn, Wil Bryant, Stephanie Bryant, Carrie Baucom, and Margaret Baucom Elizabeth Coleman, Virginia Conn, Amelia Conn, and Roseland Seabrook Destin Crain, Allison Mackey, Amelia Conn, Breanne Cooper, Alexa Salerno, and Carmen St. Clair Allison Mackey, Destin Crain, Breanne Cooper, and Alexa Salerno

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THE wedding SCENE

NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

16 Sarah Smith, Joanna Bernard, JoAnne Phipps, and Virginia Conn 17 Claudia Estes, Roseland Seabrook, Virginia Conn, and Norma Williams 18 Steven and Elizabeth Coleman with Leslie Baucom

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Downtown and All Around Our City... VICKSBURG

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THE social SCENE SUMMIT, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

Cooking for a Cause he United Givers of Southwest Mississippi hosted Cooking for a Cause to raise funds for local charities. The event, held at Oak Hill Estate on October 24, 2019, in Summit, Mississippi, was designed for guests to assist in the preparation of a fourcourse dinner on which they thereafter dined. United Givers of Southwest Mississippi is a 501(c)3 organization that includes Pike, Walthall, and Amite Counties and supports eleven agencies.

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Brad Avant and Karla Holmes Katie and Heath Hughes Neel and Niki Gibson Landon and Kristin Ratliff Christina and Chris Mitchell Katie Hughes and Kimberly Nunnery Pender and Molly Johnson Carmella and Dr. Cedric Ellis Amy Avent, Kresta Blabton, Eva Bass, Ishia McKennis, and Crystal Whatley Darren Felder, Michael Parker, Jamy Jones, and Sean Doyle Aki Jackson, Louis Simmons, and Thresia Simmons Kimberly Thomas, Payten Roberts, Kelly Hart, Marcia Leonard, and Michael Guttuso Lee Rhodus, Kristen McBeth, and Hailey Hicks Joy and Kenny Speed with Chea and Chris Banning

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THE social SCENE

SUMMIT, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

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15 Cheyenne Murphy, Tamora Gill, Aida Butler, Zita Gray, Melanie Whitaker, Brenda Marsalis, and Michelle Brown 16 Front—Terrance Turner and Robert Wilson / Back—Dr. Valerie Turner and Tshelinda Wilson 17 Stacy Jones, Nikki Belote, Leslie Douglas, Jessica Troutman, and Betsy Rhodus 18 Shelli Felder, Melanie Whitaker, and Sara Doyle 19 Jeff Daughdrill, India Warshaueer, Robin Daughdrill, and Stephanie Carr Magee 20 Jim and Susan Hedges with Tina and Pat Brumfield 21 Jennifer Wallace, Karla Holmes, and Curtis Butler 22 Ted Purtell, Linda Purtell, and Cynus Houglund 23 Eddie Wallace with Mike and Kristie Authement 24 Crystal Whatley and Molly Johnson

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Bluffs & Bayous { December 2019 { Page 23

Treasured Christmas Traditions

By Cheryl Rinehart Photography by Cheryl Rinehart

aising four boys into young men left AndreÊ Gamberi little time for collecting trinkets and treasures; however, she made time and space for Christmas collectables. Each year, Santas, Nutcrackers, and Nativity Crèches, as well as ornaments for themed Christmas trees, she personally selected, purchased, displayed, and then packed away to be treasured year after year. Page 24 { December 2019 { Bluffs & Bayous

Two years ago, Andreé and her husband, Joe, longtime Natchez, Mississippi, residents, moved to a home south of town to make their frequent family gatherings more comfortable for their extended families as well as for their expanding immediate family—their four sons and WKHLU ZLYHV DQG ÀDQFpHV $V WKH &KULVWPDV KROLGD\V DSproached, she delighted in selecting throughout the home just the right new places and spaces for her Christmas collections, presenting, complementing, and embellishing each venue with her gifted touch—she is, after all, a degreed fashion merchandiser, licensed art teacher, and artist in her own right. Of course, the labor of gathering and unpacking the storage boxes, supplying and situating the trees, and tackling any other weighty décor was supplied by the “boys.”

Bluffs & Bayous { December 2019 { Page 25

Christmas is a jubilant and exhilarating time for the Gamberis as they welcome and entertain friends and family who drop by for visits and celebrations throughout the season. Whether for a relaxed, informal exchange of ideas and information or for the holiday’s family gatherings, all who enter are delighted both by the Gamberis’ hearty hospitality and by the various rooms of the home, enlivened with the ambiance of sentimental items and collections that are annually enhanced and periodically passed from generation to generation. Each room exudes a unique Christmas-time personality emanating from its distinctive collections and its inspirational, themed Christmas tree.

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“Greetings from the Gamberis” at Christmas time is not just a Christmascard message; it is who Andree and Joe are as they share their home and their hearts year round and especially at Christmas. It is the eager smiles and embraces of their welcome; it is the warmth and spirit of their spacious home; and it is the showcasing of collections, whether on mantles, sideboards, tables, or trees, with which Andree celebrates the traditions and generations of her family’s living and loving and sharing with others.

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The Natchez Garden Club’s Annual Christmas Luncheon ~ Soup & Casserole Sale ~ Raffle

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ne of the traditional highlights to kick-start Natchez, Mississippi’s “Christmas in Natchezâ€? festivities is the Annual Christmas Luncheon hosted by The Natchez Garden Club. The event this year will be held Friday, December 6, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Opening the grand entrances to their National Historic Landmark home, Magnolia Hall, club members will showcase a delightful lunch featuring their famous Corn Chowder complemented this year with the new-menu selections of Grits and Grillades and Shrimp Creole. Scrumptious cakes, cookies, and additional delectable desserts, all homemade E\ PHPEHUV SURPLVH D VZHHW Ă€QDOH WR WKLV DQWLFLSDWHG FRPPXnity event. Luncheon tickets are $20 and may be ordered early or purchased at the event. For those unable to stop by for this delightful holiday occasion, the club accommodates their needs with take-out orders. Bluffs & Bayous { December 2019 { Page 29

Throughout the leisurely and socially intriguing luncheon hours, members also will host the club’s popular sale of frozen soups and casseroles on the mansion’s back gallery. These choice items are prized purchases for stocking the freezers of those happily busy with the many exciting preparations and events of the holiday season. Casseroles are available in two sizes, small $12 and large $20; and soups are a pint for $5 and a quart for $10. These also make tasty and thoughtful Christmas gifts. Be sure to bring your totes to take home these frozen treats. During the luncheon, melodies of the season ZLOO ÀOWHU URRP WR URRP DFFHQWLQJ WKH KROLGD\ Gpcor throughout the house; and for comfortable seating and visiting, festive tables and chairs will be provided. Also, a cash bar will be available for those wanting an additional bit of holiday spirit to enjoy DORQJ ZLWK WKHLU OXQFK 7KLV \HDU WKH FOXE ZLOO UDIà H an elegant Christmas wreath created by Moreton’s Flowerland. For an opportunity to take home this ORYHO\ &KULVWPDV DFFHQW UDIà H WLFNHWV DUH HDFK and may be purchased ahead of time in the Magnolia Hall Gift Shop during the home’s tour hours as well as during the luncheon. The Natchez Garden Club members invite all from communities near and far to come to luncheon with them, bring family members and friends, and enjoy this holiday occasion. Many local businesses treat their employees to this traditional holiday feast either DZD\ IURP WKH RIÀFH RU WKURXJK WDNH RXWV³DQ HDUO\ and merry Christmas gesture, indeed! For ticket purchases, contact The Natchez Garden &OXE RIÀFH RU HPDLO ntzgardendclub@ bellsouth.net—/XQFKHRQ 7LFNHW 5DIà H 7LFNHW 6RXSV DQG &DVVHUROHV Page 30 { December 2019 { Bluffs & Bayous

THE social SCENE LAUREL, MISSISSIPPI

Visit www.bluffsbayous.com for all social scenes.

Fall Gathering for the Order of the First Families of Mississippi he Order of the First Families of Mississippi held its 2019 Fall Gathering in Laurel, Mississippi; on Saturday, October 26, 2019. The traditional Welcome Party was held at the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, the oldest museum of art in the State of Mississippi. Members and guests enjoyed refreshments and toured the gallery. The noon luncheon and program were held at the Young Women’s Christian Organization with the meeting called to order by Governor General Dan Johnson of Crystal Springs, Mississippi, and the program “The Downtown Comeback Story” was presented by Jim Rasberry and Josh Nowell, co-stars of HGTV’s Home Town. They focused on the revitalization of Laurel, which now has an impressive entertainment district in an area of town that stood empty for many years. Following the program, officers gave their reports and new members were introduced. Approximately seventy-five members and guests from Alabama, Florida, Texas, and Mississippi attended. Photography by Bill Perkins

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John and Eileen Ball are featured in front of one of their Christmas trees decorated with special ornaments that were gifts to the couple from friends, family, and former students, and were keepsakes from their travels.

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Left—Twinkling colored lights decorate the front door, accenting the Christmas garland, wreath, and reindeer. Below—Adding a mischievous sense of humor, the Balls love to hang their “elf ” upside down from the foyer chandelier.

Supper-Club Christmas with the Balls By Cheryl Rinehart • Photography by Cheryl Rinehart

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ince 2010, friends Eileen and John Ball, Kitty and David Bray, and Cheryl and Mike Rinehart, all of Natchez, Mississippi, have enjoyed monthly suppers and periodic traveling together, a tradition that began as a wedding gift for the Rineharts from the Balls and the Brays. The two couples took the newlyweds to the Florida coast over the Labor Day holiday. Since that time, annual trips together have been planned for that same weekend. Sometimes, Mother Nature has interrupted those trips, so the couples tried trips out West after the Christmas holiday. Also, they have shared weekend trips to New Orleans, Louisiana, to celebrate birthdays and to take in a Broadway show at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans. Of late, the three couples’ schedules and arrival of grandchildren have prevented the monthly dinner gatherings and yearly trips. However, gatherings several times a year at a nearby lake on the weekend or for dinner during the week, rotating among their homes, have been occasions the couples eagerly anticipate and thoroughly enjoy. Often, the supper gatherings are themed or orchestrated to accommodate the season. For example, once during the warmer months, the couples were surprised with their hosts having each course set and served in a separate room or area outside and inside the home. Other suppers have showcased seafood-featured dishes, or specialty items prepared by children of the couples, or each couple playing chef with new menus and new wine tastings. The preparation, staging, and Bluffs & Bayous { December 2019 { Page 35

One of the couple’s village scenes set out each Christmas, this one located in the study, invites the child in all of us to enjoy the winter scene as we dream of snow, Christmas Eve, and the arrival of Santa.

Eileen’s Nutcracker collection by Larkspur Lane, Lib Cummings Mead, rekindles her love for the treasured Christmas ballet The 1XWFUDFNHU.

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Top— The dining room table is perfectly decorated and appointed, awaiting the Supper Club guests. Middle— Prior to dinner, the group enjoys appetizers, champagne, and lively conversation. Bottom—John enjoys selecting special wines paired for dinner.

presentation possibilities are never exhausted and ever surprising, entertaining, and scrumptious! Christmas 2018 found the group having dinner at the home of Eileen and John Ball. These two entertain their children and grandchildren every Christmas; and each year, they add something special to the décor. Beginning curbside, Christmas at the Balls’ home inspires childlike Christmas wonderment. Their home is lit throughout its exterior with up-lighting and spotlighting and with colored lights in the exterior window wreaths. Eileen loves to bring the wonderment and brightness indoors as she decorates, spending weeks preparing each room for their entertaining during the season. She can point to almost any Christmas treasure and tell you when and where and how they purchased it or from whence or whom the cherished gift came. When Christmas Supper Club is hosted in their home, Eileen and John eagerly plan and prepare the china, crystal, and silver to complement the PHQX DQG ZLQH SDLULQJV 7KH FRXSOH·V ÁDLU IRU ÀQH ZLQH QHYHU GLVDSSRLQWV -RKQ HQMR\V WU\LQJ new wines and champagnes and pairs them with their signature four-course meal. The three couples always exchange gifts per couple, family, or individual; every year is different. Early on in the season, the girls share Christmas “happies” with each other to enjoy during the holidays. These gifts might be ornaments, Christmas hand towels, or candles, enticingly wrapped and excitedly opened during a holiday lunch as these long-time friends catch up with one another. For nearly a decade, the Balls, Brays, and Rineharts have continued and cherished their couples’ occasions—birthday trips, birthday or anniversary lunches and dinners, monthly or quarterly suppers—regardless of the time span between them, regardless of changing circumstances and reschedulings. Among these get-togethers, though, the Christmas holiday gathering is always booked well in advance to celebrate their expanding and deepening friendships. The couples concur that no matter how long a dry spell lingers between their celebrations, their Christmases toJHWKHU ZLOO ÀQG WKHP HQMR\LQJ IHVWLYH VXUURXQGings, delectable feasting, and treasured memories as they create new memories with each “supperclub” Christmas. Bluffs & Bayous { December 2019 { Page 37

BROOKHAVEN & MCCOMB, MISSISSIPPI

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BROOKHAVEN & MCCOMB, MISSISSIPPI

Bluffs&&Bayous Bayous { { December December 2019 2019 { { Page 39 Bluffs

Welcoming the Wonder of Christmas! Photography by Allen Laird

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, toys in ev’ry store. But the prettiest sight to see, is the holly that will be on your own front door.”*

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premier events

DECEMBER

NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI December 6 Natchez Festival of Music Christmas Cabaret Get ready for a swinging holiday kickoff when the Natchez Festival of Music presents its Christmas Cabaret Friday, December 6, 2019. “Ringin’ Swingin’ Christmas� features three of the Festival’s favorite musical stars, Maryann Kyle, Jessica Medoff, and David Walker. The event at the Natchez Community Center, 215 Franklin Street, begins at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $40 each or $350 for a table of ten. A cash bar with wine by the bottle and glass, cocktails, sodas, and water will be available. Attendees may bring the food of their choice to enjoy during the show. Sponsors of tables for ten are encouraged to create festive centerpieces. Decorations will be judged, and the winner will receive two tickets to all 2020 May Festival main stage events! The community center will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. the day of the event to allow for decorating. We hope to see you there! Visit natchezfestivalofmusic.com for more information and ticketing.

NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI December 8 Friends of the Library Christmas Tour of Homes Enjoy homes decked out for Christmas during the Friends of the Library Annual Christmas Tour of Homes in Natchez, Mississippi. A relaxed afternoon stroll in holiday-decorated historic downtown Natchez takes touring friends and guests to the doorways of warm and friendly homeowners inviting them to step in and enjoy the festive atmosphere of several unique home-town Christmas venues in Natchez. Homes on the 2019 tour are Garden Song, 705 Washington Street, home of Dan Gibson; the Crain Home, 206 Martin Luther King, Jr. Street, home of Paulette and Des Crain; and the Walker Home, home of Al Walker, 606 State Street. Tickets are $20 for the threeKRPH WRXU DQG EHQHĂ€W )ULHQGV RI WKH /LEUDU\ IRU $UPVWURQJ Library in downtown Natchez, Mississippi. For additional information, visit natchezlibraryfriends.org.

BROOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI New Sight Baptist Church Drive-Thru Live Nativity Program December 13 – 15 & 22 Christmas goes live at New Sight Baptist Church from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Friday through Sunday, December 13 through 15, and on Sunday Dec. 22, 2019. The Christmas story will be vividly told through New Sight Baptist Church’s live nativity displays that recount the life of Jesus Christ. The program will be enacted across twenty-plus scenes from an old barn in Bethlehem to the ascension at Bethany; and the experience will feature live farm aniPDOV DQG D FDVW RI QHDUO\ ÀIW\ DFWRUV EHJLQQLQJ ZLWK *DEULHO DSSHDULQJ EHfore Mary, then the role of Joseph and the wise men, and thereafter entrance into Bethlehem, the City of David. Once there, the story continues with the tax collector, the inn, and the people of Jesus’ day in the village market place and countryside—a blacksmith, a carpenter, and even Roman soldiers, as well DV VKHSKHUGV DELGLQJ LQ WKH ÀHOGV ZDWFKLQJ RYHU WKHLU à RFNV E\ QLJKW 7KH stable follows where the most important person, the baby Jesus, lies asleep in the manger with mother Mary, father Joseph, and numerous angels nearby. After the manger, several additional scenes portray the life of Christ. This live, drive-through nativity program is free to the public. For more information, contact Brenda Foster, Program Coordinator, at Bluffs & Bayous { December 2019 { Page 43

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December 14 – 15 The Nutcracker, A Tale from the Bayou 5DLVLQJ &DLQH·V 5LYHU &HQWHU 6 pm 225.766.8379 EDWRQURXJHEDOOHW RUJ

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December 14 – 15 & 21 – 22 The Nutcracker New Orleans Ballet Orpheum Theatre 2 & 7 pm QHZRUOHDQVEDOOHWWKHDWUH FRP

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NOVEMBER 0LVVLVVLSSL 8S &RPLQJ YLVLWPLVVLVVLSSL RUJ BROOKHAVEN Throughout December IDFHERRN FRP 9LVLW%URRNKDYHQ06 YLVLWEURRNKDYHQPV FRP EURRNKDYHQUHFUHDWLRQ FRP EURRNKDYHQOLWWOHWKHDWUH FRP December 5 Christmas Parade A Candy Cookie Christmas 6:30 pm December 7 Run Run Rudolph Downtown 8am – noon GHÀQLQJPRPHQWHYHQWV FRP UXQ UXQ UXGROSK

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December 7 0RYLH RQ WKH /DZQ 6HOÀHV Z 6DQWD Mississippi School for the Arts 5 pm 601.823.1300 PVDEURRNKDYHQ RUJ

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DECEMBER 0LVVLVVLSSL 8S &RPLQJ December 13 – 15 & 20 – 22 Frozen Jr. %URRNKDYHQ /LWWOH 7KHDWUH 7:30 & 2 pm 601.990.2243 EURRNKDYHQWKHDWUH FRP FERNWOOD Throughout December IHUQZRRGFF FRP JACKSON Throughout December GXOLQJKDOO FRP PVPXVHXPDUW RUJ YLVLWMDFNVRQ FRP MDFNVRQIUHHSUHVV FRP FDOHQGDUPVQOD RUJ December 6 – 7 87th Annual Singing Christmas Tree %HOKDYHQ 8QLYHUVLW\ 7:30 pm December 6 – 8 &KLPQH\YLOOH $UWV )HVWLYDO Mississippi Trade Mart Fri & Sat 9 am – 7 pm Sun 11 am – 4 pm FUDIWVPHQVJXLOGRIPV RUJ December 6 – 8 Ballet Mississippi The Nutcracker Thalia Mara Hall Fri 7:30 pm Sat & Sun 3 pm 6XJDU 3OXP )DLU\·V 7HD 3DUW\ The Westin Jackson Sat & Sun 1:30 pm balletms.com WLFNHWV YHQGLQL FRP December 9 Cirque Dreams Holidaze Thalia Mara Hall 7:30 pm eventful.com

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December 14 – 15 Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet The Nutcracker Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center Sat 2 & 7 pm / Sun 2 pm “Nutcracker Sweet” Tea Party Sat & Sun 4 pm PVPHWUREDOOHW WL[ FRP December 21 – 22 A Christmas Carol %DOOHW 0DJQLÀFDW Thalia Mara Hall 2 & 4 pm EDOOHWPDJQLÀFDW FRP VFURRJH MADISON Throughout December madisonthecity.com

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DECEMBER 0LVVLVVLSSL 8S &RPLQJ MCCOMB Throughout December SLNHLQIR FRP mccombarts.com mcrrmuseum.com

December 7 A Magical Christmas McComb Depot 1 – 4 pm / Free 601.395.6456 December 12 – 13 Christmas by the Tracks Railroad Depot Museum 601.395.6456 NATCHEZ December 14 Christmas Open House McComb Depot 10 am – 2 pm 601.395.6456

December 5 – 8 &KULVWPDV DW 5RQGD·V /LPHOLJKW &DIp Pike County Little Theatre 7:30 pm / Sun. 2:30 pm

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December 1 Meet & Greet with Santa Magnolia Hall 1 – 3 pm $10 per child 601.443.9065

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December 18 Caroling on the Steps First Presbyterian Church 5:30 – 6:30 pm 601.442.2581 December 21 Holly Half Marathon & 5K Natchez Bluff 8 am 319.719.9144 KROO\KDOIPDUDWKRQ N LWV\RXUUDFH FRP HYHQW December 31 .UHZH RI 3KRHQL[¡V 1HZ <HDU¡V &HOHEUDWLRQ Natchez Community Center 8 pm – 1 am $75 non-member 228.326.5371 or 601.443.1541 NUHZHRISKRHQL[QDWFKH] FRP )% .UHZH RI 3KRHQL[ PORT GIBSON Throughout December )% SRUWJLEVRQ FKDPEHU

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SUMMIT Throughout December SLNHLQIR FRP December 9 Christmas Parade Robb Street 6 pm 601.276.9536

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December 2 Holiday Appetizer Workshop Southern Cultural Historic Foundation William Furlong 5:30 – 7:30 $35 member / $40 non-member LQIR#VRXWKHUQFXOWXUH RUJ December 3 Lebanese Cooking with Lana Hand Southern Cultural Historic Foundation 5:30 – 8 pm $35 member / $40 non-member LQIR#VRXWKHUQFXOWXUH RUJ

Bluffs & Bayous { December 2019 { Page 55

DECEMBER 0LVVLVVLSSL 8S &RPLQJ December 7 5K Reindeer Run/Walk 1-mile FunRun 8 am raceroster.com )% 3DZV 5HVFXH

December 14 Breakfast with Santa 9LFNVEXUJ &RQYHQWLRQ &HQWHU 8 – 10 am / $ 7 advance / $10 door 601.630.2929 7LFNHWV # 9&& RU WLFNHWPDVWHU FRP

December 7 Pajamas, Pancakes, Planes & Santa Vicksburg –Tallulah Regional Airport 8 – 9:30 am & 10 – 11:30 am $10 318.573.2731

December 14 3rd Annual Cookie Contest & Swap Warren County – Vicksburg Library 1 – 3 pm 601.636.6411

December 7 Holly Days Arts & Crafts Show Southern Cultural Historic Foundation LQIR#VRXWKHUQFXOWXUH RUJ

December 14 2nd Saturday Downtown 2 – 8 pm )% 9LFNVEXUJ6HFRQG6DWXUGD\

December 7 Christmas Parade of Lights Washington St. 5 pm 601.634.4527 GRZQWRZQYLFNVEXUJ RUJ

December 14 Confederate Christmas Ball Old Court House Museum 7:30 – 9:30 pm $30 per person / $60 couple 601.636.0741 January 11, 2020 Chill in the Hills 10K, 5K, 1 Mile FunRun Martins @ Midtown 7 am Registration 601.330.5792 JUDFHFKULVWLDQFRXQVHOLQJFHQWHU FRP IXQ draiser WESSON Throughout December )% :HVVRQ &KDPEHU December 10 First Time Home Buyers Seminar Lecture Hall Co-Lin Campus 6 pm / Free Reservations 601.807.1700 WOODVILLE Throughout December ZRRGYLOOHPV RUJ )% :RRGYLOOH :LONLQVRQ &RXQW\ 0DLQ 6WUHHW $VVRFLDWLRQ

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SOUTHERN SAMPLER

BY

Alma M Womack

Memories and Messages from Christmases Past

M

the gobbling of the turkey penned for holiday feasting, a sister playing the square piano, the request of our mother to please crack walnuts for the Lady Baltimore cake, our father singing a carol as he went about his night chores. “Christmas, in Waresville, 1853. Give a thought to it as your family gathers to celebrate this year. Along with the Christmas story from the Bible, remind your children of the faith and endurance which they carried with them into the Sabinal Canyon, and having come, to stay on in dreams of making homes for themselves and for the generations to come. And with hard work and vision, making those dreams a reality.�

y beloved friend Loretta Taylor had a good friend in Texas named Anne Woodley. Anne was the descendant of the pioneers who settled the Sabinal Canyon in the Utopia, Texas, area. Anne and her mother, Annalee Burns, were writers for their local paper for many years; and their writings were put into several books. They wrote about and celebrated life in the Hill Country of Texas; and during their years of writing, they shared many good recipes with their readers. Today, I am sharing two Christmas stories, written by Annalee Burns. One is set LQ WKH RWKHU UHFRXQWV 0V $QQDOHH¡V FKLOGKRRG PHPRULHV IURP WKH V ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ “One hundred and thirty three years ago [now one hundred sixty-seven], in 1852, the Ware and Thompson families and other HDUO\ VHWWOHUV REVHUYHG WKHLU Ă€UVW &KULVWPDV season in the Sabinal Canyon in the little cabins which they had hastily built following their arrival in August of that year. In DOO WKHUH ZHUH SUREDEO\ Ă€YH IDPLOLHV “With the coming of Christmas their leader, Capt. William Ware, was ill and would die within a few months at the age of 53. His thirteen-year-old son, John Ware, and John’s sisters, along with the four Thompson children would have little gifts in their stockings—brought along in wagons and oxcarts—pocket knives, marbles, and balls for the boys; rag dolls, hair ribbons, and pocket handkerchiefs for the girls, and oranges and rock candy for everyone. “Christmas dinner was a hearty one of wild game—turkey and venison—served with sweet potato pies and hard gingerbread made with sorghum molasses. A few cakes were made from the precious hoard RI Ă RXU 2Q 1HZ <HDU¡V (YH WKH PHQ REserved the dawning of 1853 by going outside to shoot off their weapons. “Along with their muzzle loaders, their cattle, oxen, horses, their plows, and seeds for the virgin soil, these pioneers came IRUWLĂ€HG ZLWK SK\VLFDO EUDYHU\ DQG GHHS

religious faith. Else, how might they have had the courage to have come at all? “Gideon Thompson prized the Bible which had been handed down from his grandfather, another Gideon, who had been born in 1773. By the light of the Ă LFNHULQJ Ă€UHSODFH DQG WDOORZ FDQGOHV WKH &KULVWPDV VWRU\ ZDV UHDG IRU WKH Ă€UVW WLPH in Sabinal Canyon. “The Christmas season was only a brief LQWHUOXGH LQ WKH Ă€UVW KDUG ZLQWHU RI VLFNness, death, loneliness, and privation. Men, women, and children endured untold hardships. A little Ware daughter was to die of snakebite. But the families stayed in spite of all setbacks. In time they started D VFKRRO D FKXUFK D SRVW RIĂ€FH WKDW VWLOO stands, and a store. “I expect that along with me you can smell those early Christmases. The trees, always cedar. The trimmings, roping of red and green paper chains. The fruit in the stockings, and oh, the pure joy of red waxy real candles burning on the tree, giving off their own holiday scent and many WLPHV VWDUWLQJ D Ă€UH 7KH EXUQLQJ RI WKH VSDUNOHUV GRZQ WR FKLOGLVK Ă€QJHUV *HH Christmas was dangerous as well as wonderful in those days. Still as real to me are

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ “Christmas in the 1920’s of my childhood was a world away from our present celebrations. Our tree in childhood was always a native cedar; we knew of no other kind. Cedars dotted the hills and pastures and grew along the rivers. A few days before Christmas, our father took us out in the wagon to pick it out and haul it in. (Mama was busy making her Lady Baltimore FDNH 2XU IDWKHU ZDV WRUQ ZLWK FRQĂ LFWing emotions. He liked a well-shaped tree as well as anyone, tall enough and not too bushy, three “goodâ€? sides and the “badâ€? side could be put against the wall. But his natural sense of speed and tension told him that back at home the cows had to be brought in and milked, the hogs fed, the hay thrown out of the loft of the barn to the hungry horses below. We must hurry, hurry.......if Mama had supper ready on time, there might be a chance of getting a 42 game organized for that night. “At last the right tree was agreed upon, chopped, thrown into the wagon, and borne home, where Mama (who was particular and liked things done right) agree that it would do. For some days, we sisters had spent our spare time cutting, pasting, and coloring paper chains. From the top of the closet came the sheddy, shabby, red and green roping. Daddy nailed down the tree on a rude cross of planks. The tree stood in the north corner by the window. We hastily

Bluffs & Bayous { December 2019 { Page 57

began to string cranberries and popcorn for garlands. Out came the small red candles and the holders.......oh, what a beautiful tree. A really magic tree in our eyes. “The whole of Christmas was magic. Our parents supported the Santa Claus theory all the way...dropping one of a pair of mittens from his pack on the front porch, writing messages from the good Saint to go with our gifts. Then there was the sociability, the tree at school, another tree and program at church, evenings of singing around our square piano. Aunts and uncles, cousins for an overnight stay. Passing the fruitcake around with black boiled coffee. Walnuts, almonds, oranges, and apples. Chocolate covered cherries. The feet of the big turkey hung on the tree for an unsuspecting child. The new doll, the new handkerchiefs, the new books which we cherished. “You Baby Boomers and younger, you cannot fathom a time when there was no electrical power, no radio, precious little indoor plumbing, no car at your disposal, no clothing except what was ordered from mail-order catalogs or sewed by your mother. No fast foods, no television to rule your day. No school cafeterias and no...and no...

“To you it seems a Dark Age indeed. To us it was a precious time with loving parents who ruled the roost, stayed home nights, and somehow spared the money for piano and violin lessons, a few good books, and a toy or two at Christmas. “There was a dearth of material possessions. The few that we found in our stockings or under the Christmas tree were what made the magic of the season.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ As we spoiled Americans celebrate Christmas with all of our lights and gadgets and parties and food and decorations and excess, we would do well to remember the Christmases of our forebears and how they appreciated what they had and how they gloried in the true meaning of the Christmas story. Merry Christmas to all of our readers, and may God continue to bless us and our country.

Columnist Alma Womack lives on Smithland Plantation on Black River, south of Jonesville, Louisiana. In addition to her duties as maitresse des maison, she is the keeper of the lawn, the lane and the pecan orchard at Smithland.

*Christmas Quotations Richard Paul Evans, The Christmas Box / Page 10 Norman Vincent Peale / Page 16 Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! / Page 25 Garnett Ann Schultz, “My Christmas Wish” / Page 28 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow / Page 35 Meredith Willson, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” / Page 40 Charles Stanley / Page 57 Page 58 { December 2019 { Bluffs & Bayous

2018

2018

Natchez Ford 2018

2018

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