The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a holder for removing hot pans from the oven; it was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken-coop the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. When the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over a hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that "old-time apron" that served so many purposes.

Oh, and I almost forgot. Grandma used to use her apron to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her grandaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

Wonderful memories of a time and place long ago. You can re-capture those days! How about renting or buying a dvd of "The Egg and I" or "Ma and Pa Kettle Down On The Farm". It's easy to do, just click on DVDMonster
and check 'em out.

Who do you know on your Christmas list that would really enjoy a "classic" musical movie like "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" or "Oklahoma"?

Just another couple of great Holiday gift ideas from the "Strateshooter". We tell it like it is!