A grandmother is a mother who has a second chance

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Twas the Night Before Christmas...


Merry Christmas
and
Happy 2010

Well, here it is again - Christmas Eve. I think we're in pretty good shape - everything is wrapped and in it's place, food is purchased, table is set, some appetizers are done, and we both got a good night's sleep last night!

When I was a kid Christmas Eve was a big event with the traditional Italian fish dinner. Spaghetti with calamari sauce (back then I didn't like calamari - what I wouldn't give for some of Papa Jim's sauce today!), fried smelts (these were little tiny fish that Nana Gene fried whole - not so much), and a bunch of other fish that I don't remember anymore. Now, on Christmas Eve, we've gone from "fish" to "seafood". Crab, shrimp and clams.

Christmas Eve is a big day at our house. All the kids come over, and this year all the grandkids. Even the one who lives in Indiana is visiting for the holidays. So the house will be full of people tonight - 22 last count. Jenni and Jeff come by for a visit, but the have dinner at home. Since Christmas Eve is also the night they brought Vika and Eamon home from Russia, it's a two-fold celebration for them.

Christmas Day is just my two kids and their families so the count is down to 12ish. Have a couple of nice beef tenderloins at the ready.

At this time of year I always miss my parents, Ed's parents, my grandparents. My memories of Christmas as a child are so wonderful - full of family, laughter, presents, food. And I miss all the "old people" so much.

But hopefully we're creating new memories for our kids and our grandchildren that someday they'll look back on fondly.

Hope all your holidays are wonderful!!

6 comments:

susan said...

Have fun! Merry Christmas

Nikki said...

I want you to be my grandma!! We have Mexican food for Christmas and now that you talk about your traditional Italian food I want that too!! Merry Christmas to one of the sweetest and best bloggers out there! Love you! :)N

namaste said...

hope you had a WONDERFUL christmas, sandi! i always love reading about your wonderful family traditions. when i visit one day i hope you make us fried calamari and a version of papa jim's sauce.

i second nikki! you are definitely one of the sweetest bloggers out there!

ba and the boys said...

buno natale!!
got to love the 7 fish dishes!

Melissa said...

love the header
how do you get the snowflakes to fall
love the story below about the note in the ornament box
happy new year

Judypatooote said...

Hi Sandi....yes we also try to relive the food from when my kids grandma was around....ours was German potato salad, pink stuff, ham, tomato pudding, and sometimes mom would make pork with spetzels and her rich wonderful gravy....this year we tried to copy, even down to the bowl that the potato salad was in....LOL... but now it's time for making new memories....after reading your post and giving my comment, I'm getting hungry.....LOL have a great New Year....judy