28 Dec 1935
John Griffin to Family / Washington D.C.

I know that I should have written sooner and thanked you for every thing but we have just been on the go ever since Xmas and it looks like we'll be going until almost this time next week.

I should start off by giving you a right good scolding. You never should have sent us so much and so many things. The home made candy would have been more than enough in itself. By the way it is the best candy we have and we have Bluebirds too. Really though Mother you should not have bought things for us. The tie is just swell and Dot thinks her hanky is the prettiest she has seen, and everyone wants to know where we got the outs clock. You shouldn't have sent those things, though we do appreciate them very much and thank you a thousand times for them. Now for the real scolding. I did not want you to send the fruit cake that Grandmother gave you. It arrived yesterday and really I feel like sending it right back. As much as I like Grandma fruit cake I did not want you to send me the whole thing that way. If you had sent me just about a fourth of it or a taste. I am afraid that the rest of the family feel like I get every thing, and I guess they have reason.' We appreciate your self-sacrificing very much and know that you do it out of love for us, but you must nod. do that again. When Grandma gives you a fruit cake you keep it for yourself, And do give it to any unappreciative doctors, or to your children. We have not opened it as we have so may other sweets etc. We are saving it for a big occasion some time. It surely looks good.

Now that the scolding is over I will tell you about our Xmas. We stayed home Xmas Eve until about 10:30 and had people come and visit us. We had the cutest tree that we have ever had. It is about as tall as up to my shoulders, and we have three strings of lights on it and then we have a bunch of little houses scattered all about under it and each of these little houses it lit up with a light. We have oars, parked in from of the houses, and then Santa in a sleigh pulled by a reindeer coming down over the snow, Everyone says it is the prettiest tree they have seen. Sure wish that you could see it. After people came to see us we went out to see other peoples trees and then to the organ recital at the church from 11:30 to 12. Xmas day we went out to Verna's and visited with a lot of other friends and ate dinner at Dots mothers. It was a big swell dinner and we all ate so much we could hardly budge. Thursday night we did some more visiting and last night we went to the Utah State Society Xmas Ball. We had a grand time, but kind of feel worn out today.

Santa was most generous this year. He had my watch fixed all up so you, cant tell it from new and then gave me two shirts ties, sox hankies, a shoe polishing outfit and candy and nuts in stacks, Dot got her watch fixed, two nighties, a bunch of hankies, perfume, bedroom slippers towels etc, All in all it has been a big Xmas and the best we have spent in Washington as we were not parried by the prospects of one of us losing our jobs right away. We hope that some time you can spend Xmas with us. That would be the best time to come as Dad would not be so busy at the store. You know Merril drove out there this year.

John

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