on the mantlepiece. Later, as the grandchildren came along, Sister 
     
     Marion made smaller ones to match for each of the 28 grandchildren. 
     
     (Just in case, she made an eXtra one before she died.) The grandchildren’s 
     
     stockings were hung on the tree, and it was a source of great excitement 
     
     and anticipation when the grandchildren arrived, looking for their own 
     
     stocking. All the stockings are still hung each year at Christmas. 
     
    
   
   
    
     A special treat at Christmas time was fresh fruit. They would rarely have 
     
     fresh fruit throughout the year, but at Christmas time Bill would pick up 
     
     a huge quantity at Clark’s Fruit on the Charlottetown waterfront. Every 
     
     child would wake up on Christmas morning with a stocking filled with 
     
     oranges, bananas, pears, grapes and other exotic delicacies. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Sister Marion always decorated the house. Nothing was started without 
     
     her. In the early days, Bill, Shawn and D’Arcy would go out to Emerald 
     
     to cut a tree. A nativity scene was erected; the first was made of papier 
     
     mache. It was adorned later with ceramic pieces. One year, someone 
     
     decided it would be a novel idea to hang Christmas ornaments from 
     
    

    
     the living room ceiling as well. These proved enticing for the younger 
     
     children who swatted them with their hands and watched them spin back 
     
     and forth. A number of ornaments did not survive the season, and the 
     
     idea was never tried again. 
     
    
   
   
    
     150 KATHLEEN MURPHY, MAITRIARC