28. From Claudia to Her Parents

This letter was written by Claudia Lange in Provo, Utah, in December 1969, to her parents, Marvin and Barbara Lange, in San Gabriel, California. There was no date on the letter itself, but the envelope was postmarked in Provo on Tuesday, December 16. Claudia was a freshman at Brigham Young University during the 1969-70 school year. The Grandma she refers to was her mother’s widowed mother, Bernice Dixon Fraughton (1902–1992). Aunt Pat was her mother’s sister, Patricia Fraughton Smedley. She died in 1990.

i went to Salt Lake yesterday and visited Grandma. Aunt Pat and Uncle Dan picked me up and Janine drove me home. (She’d come up for the weekend.) It was nice to see everybody. Grandma’s just thrilled with her footstool—she was really excited about it & it’s fun to watch her! She’s got the most darling new rocking chair and the cushion just matches the footstool. We had a yummy dinner and once again I got stuffed! i’m going to bring the Christmas presents home with me rather than mailing them (i hope there’s room!)

Aunt Pat is knitting a cute cap for Mike for Christmas. It’s one of those LONG caps that you can even wrap around your neck and has a ball or tassel on the end. i’m knitting a scarf for Carol for Christmas and so we sat and knitted together while watching TV (Has Brinker & the Silver Skates). There was a fire in the fireplace and Christmas decorations all around—it was truly cozy!

Right now we’re singing Christmas carols in German (Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht). i went to the German Club and they even had der Weihnachtensmann (Santa Claus)! It was jolly and everyone spoke German—even the prayer was in German! There were German goodies to eat and singing & dancing. Joyful! i met my German teacher’s wife too, she a cute little German girl he met on his mission & married.

it seems like i spend my whole life in the library and i may have to spend some more during vacation. You can’t believe my English. We’re now doing two research papers at once and the pressure is awful!! My whole life is in the library & i think i’m going crazy! i’ll be glad when this semester is over—we’re the only 115 class who’s doing this much & it’s really wearing me down! i’m so tired & i don’t get hardly any sleep.

It’s beautiful up here. Everywhere you go it’s Christmas. There are four Christmas trees in Cannon Center alone! The decorations are joyful & everywhere. It snowed for about 4 days last week and that made it even jollier!! So there was even snow for winter carnival & they didn’t have to cart any in for the snow sculptures! (they’ve had to for the past 3 years, but not this year!)