We had our third consecutive Christmas Dinner yesterday -- each one unique in menu and celebrants
After so many years of "our own" tradition with just the nuclear unit, we lost one of the original four to her father's in Texas this year, but gained a Busby Berkeley cast of relatives by returning to my hometown.
Christmas Eve started at my brother's house with multiple entrees, presents and relatives. My mother's sister, my parents, all three of their children and all but one of their grandchildren were all in one place.
After dinner and a blizzard of wrapping paper, we drove out to the quiet country, singing carols with the radio, watching for deer, and ohhing at the residential light displays.
At Cheryl's house, new pup Duke was full of the holiday spririt, promptly removing the nose from the "dog-proof" stuffed animal. I had Cheryl so convinced I was bringing scientifically sanitized owl vomit (with a dissection kit to take apart the mouse skeleton it included - this IS a real present) that she didn't blink about the voice changing amplifier we found for her son.
By the time we got back to the city lights we were too tired for Midnight Mass... but managed to get our own gift exchange in before we hit the pillows.
Morning and the trip to Aunt Judy's for a festival of excess came too quickly. Every iota of the table was covered with food, the rest of the space wall-to-wall grandkids.
It seemed every person in the house had a favorite food on the table and what you didn't eat , Aunt Judy loaded into take home containers. There was no hope of buttoning my coat.
Bernie and Craig's families had just sat down to dinner when we got to Bernie's - so we crashed gratefully in the living room in what looked like a spontaneous try out for an Alka-Seltzer commercial. I didn't think a Size Zero could be "stuffed," but Jen was beyond capacity. Especially after Bernie's Karen brought out the homemade anise cookies and Polish "angel wings" pastry.
Craig suggested a new Christmas tradition, gathering at the Seneca Niagara Casino where we ended the evening.
Yesterday it was just the three of us, with the traditional menu we have perfected over the years and the quiet rituals we've come to revere. We started with the wafer-breaking around the table, and shed a tear when Charlie raised his to our absent daughter.
The larder is stocked with leftovers of our own making and otherwise originating. The nieces and nephew are coming over for a slumber party today and we're going to have -- pizza.
There were lots of pictures of little Charlie celebrating his first Christmas, and joy in sharing one more holiday season with older relatives.
There's a comfort in recognizing there are firsts and lasts, additions and losses, every year-- but the core family experience remains unchanged.


Copyright 2005 Judi Griggs