Bernard John Holmquist

Bernard Holmquist or 'Buddy' was the son of John and Ruth Holmquist who were children of immigrants from Sweden. His grandparents, Johannes and Emma, after arriving in America, settled in Chicago where thousands of other Swedes and other immigrants also put down roots.

Bernard John Holmquist was born on May 27, 1923 in Chicago. Both his parents, John Theodore Holmquist and Ruth Elfie Swanson, were children of Swedish immigrants.

His father was an inventor and owned a manufacturing plant with two other partners. The plant manufactured many of the things John invented. The family was fairly well off, more so than the average Chicagoan. They lived in a nice house in the suburbs and owned a nice car. They were well regarded in their Swedish Baptist church (Swedish Baptist Church of Englewood) and among their friends and relatives. Their position in society changed dramatically, however, due to the Great Depression.

Bernard was called 'Buddy' when he was a kid. He was the second youngest of six children. That the family had less money probably was of little concern to him. However, financial worries did affect his family, which did directly affect him. The home became more crowded because more family members moved in. Lack of money and cramped living conditions naturally caused stress. And, his childhood was interrupted by frequent moves to other homes. Life though was not without it blessings. First there was the small family farm in Indiana which brought much joy to Buddy, and his family. Then there was also the move to Ludington, Michigan for a two years.

Early Childhood in Chicago

The Holmquist family had lived in a solid middle class home in the south side of Chicago. His dad co-owned and managed the company Standard Tool and Die, which gave the family a comfortable living.

Buddy as mentioned above was the fifth of six children. Alden, the oldest of the family was almost fourteen years old when Buddy was born in 1923. Russell followed at eleven years, Eleanor at almost ten years, and Laverne who was almost seven years older than Buddy. Elaine, the baby of the family, was born seven years after.

When Buddy was born the Holmquist family was probably living in a bungalow at 7725 South Park Avenue. About 1924 his dad sold the bungalow, and they moved into a two story apartment a few blocks away at 79th and Eberhart, which John had just finished building. A year or so later he sold the two story apartment building, and started building a three story apartment a block away on 8041 Vernon Avenue. While this apartment building was going up the family lived for about a year on the 5500 block of Lowe Avenue. The new three story apartment building was in an area called Chatham Fields where new apartments were springing up in what was probably farm fields a few months before.

While attending a school named Ruggles Bud and his family lived at 8041 Vernon Avenue, Chicago, one block east of what is now Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive.1

Ruggles was located about 79th Street South, near south Parkway.2 The school was fairly new being only about five years old and was attractive. It was two stories of dark brown-red brick. Bud's classroom had little kids' chairs and tables. The room seemed big to little Buddy. It was furnished and decorated with school posters mounted on boards. The teacher was nice.

The principal, Mr. Shank had a wooden peg leg. He would come down to Buddy's classroom and read stories to the kids. The kids loved him.

For nap time the kids were required to spread out newspapers on the hard wooden floors to lay on. Bud didn't like the hard wooden floor, but he said he "went along with it." The students were given a cookie each day which Buddy liked a lot.

Arthur Dixon, Chicago - Fall 1930 to Spring 1932

After the summer break Buddy switched schools attending Arthur Dixon in the fall of 1930 when he was six years old. Arthur Dixon was a big three story new, attractive yellow brick elementary school located at 83rd and Prairie Street. The school did not have a cafeteria so the kids ate in class rooms, outside, or at a deli about a half block down the street.

The school was near Aunt Mable and Uncle Joe Swanson's place on Eberhart. Uncle Joe then worked as a carpenter for the Chicago School Board, and later taught carpentry at Washburn Trade School. Uncle Joe spotted little Buddy eating lunch outside Arthur Dixon on a cold winter day. He introduced Buddy to the school's custodial staff, and arranged for Buddy to eat in the custodial facilities in the basement whenever he wished. In the weeks and months that followed, whenever Uncle Joe would spot Buddy at the school he would give him 25 cents, which was big money back then, to buy lunch at the deli. Buddy usually bought a sandwich and a "pop" which was either an orange or grape soda.

Buddy had good and bad teachers at Arthur Dixon. One teacher was good to Buddy, liked his work, and had Buddy go to other rooms to get stars on his paper from other teachers. Another teacher, Esther Nelson would give Buddy a bad time for some reason. Buddy's mom defended him. While Miss Nelson was Buddy's teacher his family decided to move to Ludington, Michigan. Miss Nelson told Buddy's mother that had Buddy stayed he might have passed, implying that he was not a good enough student to make it to the next grade. Upon arrive at Ludington, however, and completing the semester at school there, Buddy had no trouble passing his courses though he had come into the class mid-way through the semester. The teachers at Ludington told Buddy's mom that they didn't understand why his former teacher, Miss Nelson, would say what she did. The Nelson family was acquainted with the Holmquist family. Perhaps something happened years before between the families which prejudiced Miss Nelson against Buddy.

Miss Nelson was an "old maid" school teacher who looked every bit the part. One day the girls in class had a bridle shower for her which their mother's arranged. Miss Nelson was very much embarrassed because she was not getting married. Why the girls thought their teacher was getting married Buddy never knew. Many years later while a student at Wheaton College a girl came up to Buddy and said she was Miss Nelson's niece. They chatted a while and Buddy related the story to her. The niece enjoyed the story and they both laughed. In defense of Miss Nelson though Buddy thinks he missed several days of school because of illness. The previous year he believes he was out most of the year returning to school in the late spring, and so didn't pass . Illness was apparently not diagnosed initially, but turned out to be an extended ear infection.

Buddy made friends with several kids and his best friend was Raymond Miller on James Street. In Ludington things were more settled so "little Buddy" performed normally.

Buddy was very afraid of Miss Nelson perhaps because at home he was in everyone's way and he transferred this feeling to Miss Nelson. They probably all loved him he thinks, but because of the stress in the home he did not understand their apparent lack of love. Neither did little Buddy understand the situation very well himself. Nelson never smiled, was grumpy and kept reminding Buddy that he wasn't achieving - not a good thing to tell a young boy.

While at Dixon a tall kid who was in a grade one higher from Buddy challenged him to a fight on the way home from school. Buddy accepted the challenge whether he wanted to or not, got a 'big lip' having been punched in the mouth, and and stayed home the next day. He later found that the other kid stayed home also and figured he must have done all right in the fight as well.

In 1930 during the time that Buddy was at Arthur Dixon Buddy's father's company went bankrupt due to the depression. Where John had at one time co-owned a company, had many employees, and was relatively well off, he now could only do odd jobs at other companies. As a result of the stress there was much turmoil in the home. John was trying to feed his family of ten - six kids, daughter-in-law Hazel, grandmother Swanson and he and his wife, Ruth. To make ends meet John kept tool boxes in several factories to get a few days work here and a few there, sold refrigerators, collected rent from two apartments in his apartment building, while he and is family lived in the third apartment.

Since the new apartment that Buddy's dad was in a new area that was just being developed there was not much to do any no place to go. There was no place for a kid to go, no place to play - not even any playgrounds and no parks in the area. Other parks in the city were too far away and often dangerous. One time Buddy's Sunday School class went to a park and he had his money and pocket knife stolen.

There was a vacant lot a block away from the apartment. Because of the depression nothing had been built on it. The kids in the neighborhood played baseball on the lot, but Buddy was often the last one picked, so he avoided the other kids. Buddy never felt he was one of the crowd. He tried to be though. They had a club. Buddy brought over some goodies to eat once, but despite his act of token of friendship, was never accepted by them. The kids weren't bad though; in fact, they once invited him to a Halloween party. But for some reason he was not accepted. He reason later that this could partly be because he was sick a lot and couldn't get out much to spend time with the kids.

Sometimes Buddy would play kick-the-can in a narrow, stinky, trash and garbage-filled cement alley. The alleys were dirty even though this was an upper middle class neighborhood. Otherwise Buddy would stay in the house most of the time and build model airplanes out of wood. In the neighborhood was a craft shop where he would buy 1/8" strips of balsa wood. He would scrape together all the money he could to buy his model airplane supplies. Buddy would use a kitchen cutting board, holding down balsa wood strips with strait pins - not through the middle of the wood because that would weaken it - but pinned down the corner. He then cut the wood with a razor blade. After constructing the frame of the plane he glued a special paper to the frame, use a soft cloth to paint it, and wait for it to dry. When dry the paper would tighten on the frame. Buddy built all types of planes. Most of these planes he didn't build for flight because he didn't want to crack them up - the planes would only last for a half dozen flights or so before needing much repair. He would put them, instead, in his bedroom. His room was filled with planes.

Radio in those days is like television today except that it probably left more room for the imagination, and so could be much more exciting. Buddy listened to Bible stories on WMBI (and would ask his mother to read him bible stories). Other favorite shows were Jack Armstrong the All American Boy, Little Orphan Annie, Fibber McGee & Molly, and Amos and Andy (the open air taxi company) was listened to by the whole family. As Buddy remembers it was on at 10:00 PM for 15 minutes. He was surprised that his family allowed him to be up that late. Fibber was vaudeville, but of course one couldn't see any of it. Actually Buddy's parents would not allow him to listen very much to radio except a few selected shows otherwise he would have done so.

WMBI would be on all day in the family household. Buddy seemed to remember that it stopped at 6:00PM. The station was always on in the background. The show had a lot of gospel music. Later Buddy casually knew the son of the owner or perhaps it was the manager of WMBI at Wheaton College. 3 The school was very important in those days - and still is. Later as an adult Buddy visited the old church before it was torn down.

At about nine years of age Buddy built - with the help of his dad - a rocket powered by rubber bands. Buddy felt he had a great invention. He showed it to the neighborhood kids who were impressed. Later when the family moved to Ludington Buddy carefully packed the rocked for the journey.

Buddy's mother, Ruth, kept an eye open for other jobs for her husband, and found a position for him at manufacturer in Ludington, Michigan. The family packed up and moved. Moving was difficult for Buddy. It made him feel insecure and anxious.

Longfellow School, Ludington, Michigan

John and Ruth, Eleanor, Rusty, Laverne, Elaine, and Buddy moved to Ludington. At Ludington John T. was foreman of a factory.

Longfellow was an old school, perhaps 75 years old, three stories in height with creaking floors, high ceilings and windows and with old-fashioned play equipment out in the school yard. A few of the teachers seemed to Buddy to match the school and equipment including two old teachers who were sisters. They were typical "school marms," tall, skinny, old fashioned and "middle-aged," probably about thirty years old. But Buddy loved the old ladies and thought they probably loved him as well. They quieted Buddy's anxieties and improved his self-confidence. He was at Longfellow for two years. A friend of Buddy's during this time was Barnie Nelson who Bud heard was later killed in WWII. Anther friend was Raymond Miller.

Buddy considered the years in Ludington and the years on the farm in Grovertown to be the best years of his childhood. Ludington was really the first time Buddy got outside to play with the neighborhood kids. It was a small town and so was easier to get to know the local kids. Since Bud's father was the foreman in the factory Buddy was suddenly important. The kids were nice. For them it was probably a novelty to know a big city kid. But really they were just nice small town kids.

Longfellow School had no organized sports. But a kid had the freedom to roam the countryside: woods of pine trees, lakes with cottages. If he cut through the woods he could see deer - quite a thing for a city kid. Down by the river he could go fishing or could just roam up and down the river. He didn't go swimming though because of the undertow. The parents of the kids had farms - which seemed to Buddy like hillbilly farms - but they were very homey, and would naturally make you feel at home.

In town he could go window shopping. Buddy once bought a bamboo fishing pole and tackle and went fishing on the banks of the river and off the cement rounded, half-moon breakwater in the river. In the winter people would fish from 'ice houses' in the river placed over a hole broken in the ice.

Ludington was a fishing and communications town, and also a port city for large ships going to other ports on Lake Michigan. Agriculturally it was the fruit capital producing peaches, pears, apricots and apples. Sometime the Holmquist family went out together and pick fruit when they were in season. Then his parents would can them. Buddy preferred the canned fruit from the store because it was sweeter - probably because they added a lot of sugar when processing the fruit.

Sand dunes were also in the area where the family would sometimes walk.

The family attended the Washington Avenue Baptist Church in Ludington.

Friends that Buddy had in Ludington were Bob Nelson, a good Christian whose brother Eddie Nelson was Bud's Sunday School teacher and very influential in his life, Ray Miller whom he was very close to, and Ron Winegar. Also, he had a girl friend whose name he was later unable to remember. But he does remember that she would put her arm around his neck as they were going down the street, which thoroughly embarrassed him. Buddy was also sweet on Eleanor Nelson.

When John T. took the job in Ludington he pushed a former foreman, Mr. Dorty (sp?) out of the way - through not fault of John T's. Mr. Dorty was demoted in the department, and did nickel plating. Dorty held this against John.

John and Ruth thought it would be better to move back to Chicago if possible. Eleanor and Al still lived back there so there was a desire to move back on that score. And the Holmquist family had other strong ties to the Chicago area for a few generations - friends, and church. Perhaps John also felt bad the job he took away from Mr. Dorty. Anyway, John decided to check out the possibilities in Chicago. Buddy remembers one day going with his father for an informal interview that his father had with his friend Henry at Zenith in the industrial area of Chicago. Little Buddy had to wait in the car so long that he wet his pants. He remembered the embarrassment of this of course, but remembered the great relief experienced too.

It is not known whether John started working at Zenith or not. However, he did later work for Protect o-Seal at 1920 South Western Avenue in Chicago. In any case taking the job in Chicago paid better and they were back to the place in America where their roots grew deep.

Buddy returned to Arthur Dixon for about a year between 1934-1935.

John T. never had the intention of living in Chicago or in Ludington. His dream was to permanently move to the farm near Grovertown, which was no too far from Chicago, a place where the Holmquist family had many ties. It was decided that the family would indeed move out to the farm. Grovertown was too far to commute to from Chicago, especially in those days when the roads were not too good. John, therefore, worked in Chicago during the week, and drove to the farm on weekends or whenever possible.

Grovertown School - Grovertown, Indiana. 1935-1937

At some point as he was getting older, Buddy was starting to be called “Bud”.

When Bud lived on his parent's farm 2 1/2 miles east of Grovertown he attend the local country school for two years. The school was an old two story decaying red brick building with mortar falling out from between the bricks and paint peeling off the windowsills. The doors and windows did not lock properly. In fact the doors hardly closed. Only the gym was in pretty good shape. Despite its condition the old school had good spirit and good teachers. Mostly farm kids attended and they were nice.

A teacher Bud remembers was Ethel Nelson (Mrs. Carl Nelson). She was kind to Bud and he liked her very much. Mrs. Nelson was young, pretty had a wonderful "bashful" smile, and was a good teacher besides. Bud was even proud to have a teacher like her. What is more she was a relation in a round-about-sort-of-way. Her husband's uncle, Andrew Nelson, was married to Anna Holmquist. And, Bud's teacher lived nearby. Carl and Ethel owned the farm diagonal to the Holmquist farm. Carl's brother, Andrew, owned the farm across the road.4

Another teacher was Mr. Phillips in industrial arts who was really a neat guy. In his basement workshop Bud built a knickknack shelf, which Bud had for many years. 5 Mr. Phillips niece lived with Bud's teacher. She was sweet on Bud. She dressed well, was classy, but probably a bit conceited. Her name was Olene Pickering. She never was Bud's girlfriend because he was too bashful, and the other guys would have made fun of him if she was his girlfriend. Besides his good friend Bert Peterson liked her, and Bud didn't want to compete with his good friend. 6

A Daisy Mae Blaud would write notes to Bud until one day Bud passed the note on the Miss Nelson, but told her not to read it. Bud just didn't like girls writing him notes (a very male thing to dislike at this age). Daisy Mae ran out of the room crying. Daisy Mae was a sweet girl really. Bud literally felt bad about it whenever he happened to think about it the rest of his life.

At Grovertown High Bud had a music class. They sung old-time songs one of which was Oh My Darling Nellie Gray. The kids would always substitute "Jasper Gray" for Nellie Gray. Jasper was Nellie's brother. The teacher would become furious. Next day they would promise to sing it right but actually never would. The teacher never learned.

At this time in Bud's life he attended the Swedish Evangelical Covenant church Sunday School. He also attended a Swedish Lutheran church near Donaldson, Indiana only on special occasions where many relatives attended and were many relatives are buried. There were actually two cemeteries - one next to the Lutheran church and the S.E. cemetery near the Holmquist family.

Another good teacher was Art Peterson. Class friends were Bertil Peterson whose father was a friend from the church the Holmquist family attended in Chicago, Ray Borgren whose father did carpentry work on John T.'s farm house. Bertil's dad, Gus Peterson, did carpentry on the farm house.

At Grovertown High Earl Yates was Bud's school chum. Earl's last name came to be Hastings when his mother remarried. Earl was bright and full of mischief. One day he was paddled by Mrs. Nelson. The harder she paddled the louder he laughed. It could be heard all over the building.

"How could you stand the paddling," Bud later asked Earl.

"I couldn't, but I couldn't give in to her either," he replied.

Grovertown High had a very large study hall auditorium. One day in this study hall Bud was sitting in front of Earl when Earl got in trouble and Miss Christensen was scolding Earl. Bud turned around and smiled at Earl. Miss Christensen got so angry with But that she whacked him over the head with a large book. Bud lost his temper got very angry, stood up and verbally 'read her off' for a few minutes. The only thing he remembers of the many things he told her was that his parents would get a lawyer and come and see her. Nothing came of the incident, but a few weeks later Miss Christensen asked Bud to have a little part in the school play. This was probably her way of apologizing. What the school play was Bud didn't remember.

Years later Bud was told that Earl became a navy fighter pilot during WW II and was killed in the south Pacific.

During this time Bud's dad enlarged the old oak house his father had built, built two large chicken coups and 45 small brooder houses for chicks, and bought 2000 hybrid chickens. His mother, and other family members 'candled' and cleaned and packed them. Eggs were candled by putting a lit candle in an empty oatmeal box, putting the lid, which had a small hole poked into the center, on the oatmeal box, and placing the egg on top of the hole. The candle light shown up the hole, illuminating the inside of the egg. If the inside of the egg looked bloody, the egg had an embryo growing inside, and if so was rejected.

Bud did all the feeding of the family's chickens, and gathered the eggs and did other chores. He said the work was hard for a boy but he enjoyed it - everything except cleaning the chicken coup, which was a bit of a disgusting chore. "I'll never buy chicken fertilizer for my grass," he said to his own family years later. He did this for two years while his family lived on the farm. Bud also raised chickens himself. He owned English White Leghorns and Thom Barron's strain which laid a large white egg.

John worked in Chicago and picked up eggs on the weekends to deliver when he arrived back in Chicago. Bud raised a half dozen ducks and sold their eggs through his dad. One day the ducks ate LaVerne's huge goldfish.

One of Bud's best friends - maybe his best friend - was his dog Pal of whom he wrote a school composition.7 Like Bud's ducks, Pal was not always on the right side of the law. One day a neighbor saw him chasing his chickens. The neighbor killed Pal - probably shot him. Bud was devastated.

1937 Road Trip

In 1937 the family, now consisting of Elaine, Bud and their mom and dad took a road trip out west. Among the place they stopped was Abram's Lincoln's tomb in Springfield, Illinois and New Castle Wyoming before arriving in Washington states.

1937 Road Trip

Hookway School - Chicago 1937 - June 1938

Later, for what reason is unknown, the family moved back into Chicago and lived on Lafayette Street.8 Bud attended Hookway when in 8th grade from 1937 into to June of 1938.

The assistant principle asked Bud to be a patrol boy which was an honor, carrying a lot of responsibility. A patrol boy is like today's school crossing guard where the guard monitors the crosswalks across the streets near school, walking students across the street. They had legal authority to stop cars at the patrol boy's own discretion. Bud and another boy, Bruce Sladek were put at the busiest corner on a busy boulevard, which showed how much confidence the school authorities had in them. Bruce and Bud became good friends and remained so through high school.

Bud tried to 'lead' Bruce to the Lord or in other words to convince him to become a real Christian. Bruce's mother, a single parent, found out about this and asked Bud to share his faith in Jesus Christ with her. A date was set and Bud went the their very nice apartment. She was a devoted Christian Scientist. They had a nice meeting Bud remembers.

At Hookway at this time he remembers Miss Helen Lind, an art teacher, and a wonderful teacher. Jenny Lind, the "Swedish Nightingale" was Miss Lind's great-aunt. He was very fond of his teach. Years later when Bud was an officer in the navy, he wrote to Miss Helen Lind and received a letter in return.

During this year Bud participated in a school play simulating an airline to Paris. They pronounced the French "yes" like the sound of a pig - "oye, oye." The audience would laugh, but the kids wouldn't know why. Bud also participated in a speech, memorized for an open house audience at graduation and did gymnastics during the school year.

Bud graduated in 1938. After a few years he met Bruce at a church rally. Bruce was excited about meeting Bud because both he and his mother had become Christians. Bruce attended, Bud believed he remembers, the Evangelical Covenant Church near 10500 South Western Avenue. Eventually Bud and Bruce lost contact.

Morgan Park High School, Chicago

Bud attended Morgan Park for four years and graduated in 1942. He was good friends with the principle Dr. Eston V. Tubbs, and would go into his office at will to say hi and to talk - when he wasn't in class that is. 9

Mr. Tubbs also taught adult Sunday School at a Methodist church in Morgan Park, and he was also the sponsor of a Bible Club called the Miracle Book Club. Bud started a chapter of the club and was president. Later Mr. Tubbs and Bud corresponded when Bud was in the Marines during WWII. Mr. Tubbs died of a heart attack about 1947.

Bud worked during most of his high school years as a box boy, produce department clerk, and finally was in charge of the produce department at two National Tea Co. stores - one at 111th near Longwood Drive and the other at about 11120 Western.10

While in High School Bud taught Sunday School at his church at 59th and Emerald Avenue a block east of Halsted Street. He was president of the Junior Young People's Society, Intermediate Young People's and finally Senior Young People's Society. Bud had a girl friend at this time by the name of Marjorie Carlson. She and Bud's friend Bruce Sladek both went to the same Swedish Covenant church.

Foods Eaten in the Holmquist Household

The Holmquist family ate simple American food for the most part, such as pork chops, potatoes and vegetables. Meat balls which they often ate were Swedish.

The family prepared Swedish foods weeks before Christmas. Make own potatis korv (potato sausage). Get their own skins, Grönekorv. with lingon berry sauce. Real Smorgasbord. John would make a special drink made with yeast (Inburse (sp) drinka) - must be careful that it didn't ferment. One time heard popping in the basement. Screw on tops would pop off and the drink would drip all over the shelves

Ruth did pastry baking learned it from her mother. Ruth was an excellent cook and pastry baker.

Fishes imported. Sil. Chicago had many Swedish people and so Swedish food was easily available.

There was much canned fruit vegetables. Ruth made soups with soup bones with much meat on it costing 25 cents, big bag of vegetable rimmins for 10 cents.

Was an affluent family until the stock market crash. Six children plus other family members. Supporting ten people. Stress as a result. Al and Russell, Eleanor, LaVerne, Bud, Elaine came later. Probably made Bud feel that no one loved him partly because of the stress at home. Al brought his bride home during the depression. Al would work for no pay hoping that he would be paid later. Grandmother Swanson lived with the Holmquists too.

One time had two dollars. Bud did shopping. Went out with sister to find it and found it in an alley. Bud knew the prices. His mom would ask him prices of foods and he would know. Made vegetables soup. Kringlas made all during the year and whole wheat bread - perhaps a dozen rolls at a time. Made whole wheat bread, many loaves at a time - delicious.

John doing the best he could. Collected rent on two apartments. Had tool boxes in several factories. Had a lot of friends in other factories where former friends would give him occasional work. His tool box was there so they thought that he was available if his tool box was there. Sold refrigerators. Knew people who owned apartments. Would sell at a discount to them.

John working out of a little Fridgedaire store that sold Fridgediares. He came out with top sales even though he had been working there much shorter time. The veterans old salesman could never figure out how he sold so many. Some became jealous.

Was very careful. As kid Bud probably had stress but didn't understand it. Grades not good. Teacher not friendly though he was not a bad kid. Sick a lot. Result could not get a cardboard to make a dog with a spool of thread. Had a mastoid infection. Bud always wanted a cardboard cutout dog, but you had to be in school for a 5 day weed.

Moved to Ludington, Michigan after John T. lost company. Got away from stress including too many people living in the small apartment. Ruth checked with teacher to see if he would pass - no problem. Doing well in school.

Special at Christmas. Built around the church. Dinners and coffees, refreshments. Skits and plays. Bud froze when giving a speech could not do anything remember anything. He was just a little guy. He just stood at the bottom of the platform in front of 500 or more people. He put his fingers in his mouth and felt terribly conspicuous. Couldn't move up the stairs to the platform. Then one of the kind young ladies in his Sunday School department took his hands and led him back. Though he wasn't able to follow through his speech he was still given his Christmas candy.

No Lucia. American Christmas except for Christmas eve.