Life With the Gustafson Family
This information, as well as the much of the other narratives, comes from Clendon Gustafson in talks with Emogene and Dorothy.
The Gustafson's were a somewhat typical poor farming family struggling their way through the early part of the 1900's.  Money was scarce and times were tough.  The Gustafson's did not have easy lives, but worked very hard from sun up to sun down.  Through it all they maintained their sense of humor, their love of the land, their love of sports, and their love for each other.

In 1934-35, the Gustafson family lost the farm.  This was a difficult, sad time for the entire family.  Many of the animals were auctioned off, another painful event for the children.  They were quite attached to the animals.  The two horses were named Nellie and Beauty.   The two horses were named Nellie and Beauty.  The children even named the cows, two of whom were Goldie and Lily.  It was a sad day indeed when these animals had to go.  Ida moved away from the farm during this phase and had a house built in town.  After Walter's death, Ernest wanted the insurance money to go to the farm.  Ida did not allow this to happen.  For awhile Ernest and Ida split up, as Ernest stayed on the farm and Ida stayed in town.  A few months before Ernest's death, he moved back in with the family in town.
Thanksgiving
A Thanksgiving celebration at the Gustafson house was not very typical.  They did not have a turkey as the main course, but instead ate traditional Swedish food.
Christmas
Christmas at the Gustafson's meant food and festivities.  One signal that Christmas was drawing near was when Ida would hang a large, decorative, red paper Christmas bell from the ceiling.  That bell was about 1 1/2 ft. tall.  When the children would see it, they knew that Christmas was drawing near.

There weren't many presents for the Gustafsons at Christmas.  Times were tough, and money was not to be spent on toys.  The younger children did receive gifts from the older ones who were working in Chicago, however.  The Christmas celebration would begin after the chores were done in the evening.

Some of the typical Swedish food that the Gustafsons enjoyed at Christmas included:

blood sausage (palt), sliced and fried, served with apple sauce
rice pudding
Swedish meatballs
lutefisk, served with milk gravy and dry mustard
baked Swedish brown beans
headcheese
rye bread
skorpass
potato sausage
coffee and hot chocolate

Very often the family would enjoy playing card games and other games together during this festive day.
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day was a somewhat special celebration at the Gustafson house.  The reason for this is that Ernest's birthday was on Valentine's Day.  Very often, Ida would bake heart-shaped cookies for this special day.  Other birthdays were really not celebrated, according to Emogene.
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