The Abraham J. & Maria (Eitzen) Loewen family lived in Pretoria (village #14), Orenburg from 1904 – 1926. Jacob and Tina were two of their 12 children, from whose memoirs this description is drawn.

     Jacob Loewen’s recollection of Christmas in Pretoria was that the first observations and activities occurred at school:

The first Christmas joy we experienced was at school. We had a beautiful Christmas tree – the only one in the whole village. At home we did not have a tree, as we had no forests with spruce or fir trees in our region. To get one for the school, we had to travel to Orenburg, 70 km. away. The majority could not afford this.

     Apart from school, Christmas was a three-day celebration in Pretoria. On the first day, in the morning, church services were held, followed by two days of visiting grandparents, uncles, aunts, and friends. Christmas dinner was usually fruit ‘moos’ and ham. Protocol had the adults eating first, followed by the children, a practice which continued after their arrival in Canada (this writer recalls that practice). The children enjoyed asking the adults, while they were eating, for the plum or apricot pits (in the ‘moos’). They would then find a hammer and a board, break the pits, and eat the inside, which they found very delicious (children’s appetizers?).  

     On Christmas morning, the children would be eager to get up and look for their plate of goodies at the table, which the parents or older children had prepared the evening before. This was their Christmas gift – a plate of a few nuts, candies, cookies, and a handkerchief. Jacob recalls:

Christmas Eve was the most important for us younger ones. We received presents from Santa Claus (Grandfather Frost). We would receive walnuts, cookies, dates or dry figs, candies, and sugar candies. It would make a nice full bag. We also received similar presents from our aunt, my mother’s sister, Margaretha Driedger, who lived in our village. On the second day of Christmas, the Driedger and Loewen families usually gathered at the Eitzens (parents of my mother and Margaretha Driedger). They lived in Suworowka, 3 km. from us. As a result, each one of us had three bags of sweets, which was very much appreciated. This we enjoyed twice a year – at Christmas and at New Year. During the following months we were not spoiled with candies and sweets. That is why we were so excited at Christmas and at New Year’s.”

     The children might also have received one of their toys (a doll) that had mysteriously disappeared shortly before Christmas and fixed with either a new wooden head or a new stuffed body and new clothes, along with new bedding for the cradle.