HANGING THE CHRISTMAS TREE

I am reflecting today about letters written by Caroline Krueger at Christmas time from her farm home near Withee, Wisc., during the 1920's, to her sons in prison.  She mentioned more than once about how they hung the tree, upside down I presume.  I wondered about this...

Letter from Caroline to Leslie at Waupun, Box C, Wis., Inspected Dec. 31, 1921

... Well we fixed up a xmas tree just a little one and hung it up.  L. [Louis] said if I can only see it even if there isn't very much on it, it shows more like xmas and their is more remembrance of the past too, so he hung it up near the east book case...

I've learned it was a German tradition to do just that, hang the Christmas tree upside down.  Other nationalities may have done so also.  The tree, hung in this way, represented the trinity.  

How many others in the Midwest did the same?  Was Caroline most likely following her own family traditions and not wanting to waiver from them.  That's what I'm guessing, just as her convictions were strong she was most likely strong with keeping up family traditions too.

Merry Christmas to all of you and a great New Year, no matter which way you stand up your tree!  Let's hope 2014 is a wonderful year but also reflect on the great things about the year that has just passed and be thankful for those as well no matter how small they might have been for some.  It's not always about the future, it's also about the past.  Peace to all!

The Krueger Home on Christmas Day 2013

CHRISTMAS LETTER

From Leslie Krueger, at prison in Waupun, Wisc., to Caroline Krueger at Longwood Township, Clark Co, Wisc.

(I've walked back in time one year from my original plan with this letter.  Here Leslie writes in his usual child-like style,  a letter home to his mother.  There is no envelope with this letter, but Leslie did pencil the date on the top left hand corner and in the middle at the top he wrote, "Xmas".  I've added some punctuation to make the words more readable.)

Dec 25, 1922

 Xmas

Dear Mother

Your letter from last week received, am glad to hear that you are well, am well yet.  

It is raining and thawing here.  Have you got another colt to harness up and brake in to work, where did you get him.  

Have a lay off today, next week we will have another .  I guess you can send fruit on that day, it is a hollow day, if you get it here on time.  I bought a dollars worth.   

Well winter will soon be over, about three months yet.   Hope that we will be out by that time.  It has been over nine months ago that he heard the case, have not heard that he has done anything yet.  There are others that have had their cases up after we did and they are out already, sentenced for a long time too.  

Well today we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, he came to save the world and to fullfil the law and the profit, if it was not for him the world would have been lost.  He is the prince of life everlasting, he is today traveling through this world the same as he did when he was seen on earth, only man can not see him now like that time.  Was to church this morning, the chaplain had preaching, they call him chaplin here, not preacher.  

They say a few went out this month, one had a life sentence, he had his sentence cut to 25 years before he was here over thirteen years.  Last week another one of the foremen in the twine plant died awful sudden.  

Well don't know much more to write so will close, maybe think of some more to write before they collect the letters.  Last week one of the motors got hot, it threw a streak of fire of all colors, green, red, blue, it looked like some of the fireworks you see out side.  L. K.  

Have you another colt besides Dixie, where did you get him.  I thought Jensen was killed there by Vaters house on the road.