<Begin Segment 9>

DG: So, what about your family then, what kind of celebrations did you have?

SS: Well, when you say celebrations... we celebrated...

DG: Did you celebrate Christmas?

SS: Yes, Christmas was very nice because my mom's sisters made it a point that we would have a good Christmas. And we had to write letters to Santa Claus to say what we wanted and I think, as I got little older in my upper elementary school years, my aunt said, "Aren't you writing a letter to Santa Claus?" I says, "I know there's no Santa Claus!"

DG: What did you ask for?

SS: Oh, just about everything, I think.

DG: What are the presents you remember the most?

SS: Oh, they used to give us... pretty purses... an outfit... some money. And when I think about it now, I think they really did a lot, because they weren't making enough, that kind of money, but they must have saved to make Christmas as nice for all of us...

DG: Because Christmas is a Christian holiday; were your family...?

SS: We went to Buddhist church.

DG: Right.

SS: Every Sunday. But... everybody celebrated Christmas. Then on New Year's, we had Japanese food and we all went to Grandma's house, and my aunties'.

DG: Did you use Japanese or English when you...?

SS: When we spoke to Grandma, we spoke Japanese and then, to my aunties in English. And my Auntie Helen was really nice because when I was in junior high and I had to make current events and all, she and I would read the paper and she would help me write out my report. So... in a lot of...

DG: Did they have, were your cousins around?

SS: They were all younger than me.

DG: Did they work?

SS: My...

DG: Your aunties and...

SS: Uh-huh, except my youngest aunt, who is ten years older than I am, was still going to school.

<End Segment 9> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.