Sentimental Sunday - Christmas meal traditions

As I'm sitting here thinking about what time to start dinner, I was reminiscing about the various Christmas meal traditions I have been part of.

When I was growing up, my parents would host dinner on Christmas Eve.  This included my immediate family (myself, mom, dad, sister, brother, his wife and their 3 children) as well as my dad's sister and my mother's father.  Mom would always make standing rib roast - she had ordered it from the grocer weeks before to be sure it was the right size and cut.  There was also a jello salad that she always made - called crown jewel salad - white fluffy base with squares of different colored jello (this was, after all, the sixties). 

Dad carving the roast - 1974

After dinner, everyone would pitch in to clear the table and do the dishes.  Then we would gather around the Christmas tree for our gift exchange.  After my brothers family went home, we would go to bed early because Santa was coming!

my sister, me, my nephew and my niece - 1967

My brother and his family 1968

In the morning, we would get up and come downstairs to see what Santa had brought - in our stockings and under the tree. 

My sister and I on Christmas morning 1968

Then we would go to my dad's brother's house for Christmas day dinner.  Uncle Dick and Aunt Mary would open their house to whoever was around - the gathering often included other aunts, uncles and cousins, as well as some neighbors.  They always had a little gift for everyone - I remember lots of little wind up toys.  Dinner there consisted of lamb (I have never tasted lamb that delicious since), and a noodle dish that we called "Greek Macaroni", because of Aunt Mary's Greek heritage.

Uncle Dick and Aunt Mary 1985

After I was married, our traditions changed a little.  We would have Christmas Eve at my parents, but Christmas day would be spent with my in-laws. My mother-in-law Trudi was an excellent cook.  She would make duck on the rotisserie, with all the trimmings (stuffing, mashed potatoes, etc).  And of course, Austrian pastries.  Yum!  Then we would gather around the Christmas tree.  My father-in-law would pass out presents - sometimes mixing up the "to" and the "from" on the tags.  Then, with a shout of "GERONIMO!" we would open the gifts.

My father-in-law distributing the presents 1983

I still carry on some of these traditions with my girls.  Today (Christmas Eve), I will make standing rib roast and Greek macaroni.  After church, we will have our gift exchange - with "Geronimo!".  The girls will wake me up early tomorrow morning and we will see what Santa brought.  Then I will make duck on the rotisserie and we will enjoy our Christmas day meal.  There are some variations, including Tofurky for my vegetarian daughter, but we try to keep the old meals alive.

Merry Christmas!

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Day 8, Christmas Shopping

I am old enough to remember shopping before everyone went to the mall.  Definitely before everyone spent "Cyber Monday" doing what I just did (picked up a few things from amazon.com).

I remember going downtown to Tiedtke's and Lion Store - the two main department stores in Toledo.  It was an all day outing, and we would be able to buy almost everything we needed at those stores.  Tiedtke's had several demonstration tables set up where the salespeople would show the latest in household gadgets - "It slices, it dices..." or whatever the gimmick was.

(from wgte.org public media site)

A few of those years I remember traveling to Hudson's Department store in Detroit (about an hour away).  Again, this was an event that we looked forward to.  My favorite memory of shopping at Hudson's was the area that they had set up just for children.  There was a separate room in the store where a child would go shopping without their parents.   My mother would give me a few dollars and I would go in.  The salesladies were always very helpful, and there were a lot of inexpensive items for sale  that I could buy as a surprise for my mother for Christmas.  I believe that I could wrap them in there as well.  I walked out of that room feeling like such a "big girl" having done my own Christmas shopping, and I couldn't wait for my mother to open her gift on Christmas eve.

At this point, I don't remember what I bought, but I definitely remember the feeling of being so grown up.

Not long after this, the shopping malls began sprouting in the outskirts and suburbs.  The downtown department stores ultimately closed their doors and shopping lost some of its magic.

Thankful Thursday - I am thankful for...

Every year, we try to get together with my mother and my sister's family for the holidays.  Before we start eating our Thanksgiving meal, we go around the table and say what we are thankful for.

Our responses five year ago (2006) were:
Ruth (my mother) - "My family, being all together today and for our new houses"

Donna (my daughter, age 14 - "My wonderful loving family, everyone who has supported me and been by my side through everything, the gift God gave to me to play music, and Dr. Cole for fixing me" (the year of her knee injuries and surgery)

Robin (my sister) - "The good health of my family"

Jeremy (my brother-in-law) - "Family gathering, Good health, life experience and Good fortune"

Zoe (my niece, age 5) - she drew a picture of her family

Amanda (my daughter, age 9) - "The World" :-)

Regan (my niece, age 4) - she drew a picture of her mom

Me - "My 2 wonderful daughters"

What are you thankful for today?