Its that time of year, and tomorrow is my very FAVORITE meal ever! Its Ukrainian Christmas Eve - a grand tradition celebrated in my childhood at Baba's house - 35 people sitting in her basement (how the hell did she do it, I'll never really know! with ONE stove, ONE fridge, and a tiny 75 sq.ft. kitchen). I looked forward to that meal all year as a kid, and four years ago I resurrected that tradition in my own home. Much less people (usually 11), but a dozen dishes, no meat, no dairy (ok, so we cheat a wee bit now, thanks to Auntie Mary), Baba Chick's 75 year old china, white linens, beets (yup, you can just see it, can't you?) and a stack of yummy kolachi as the centrepiece.
Tonight I'm grateful for the amazing smell of my kolachi in the oven - the sweetest, yummiest, most fought over bread in my family history. I'm grateful for the tradition that my Baba kept up for so so many years. I'm grateful for a serendipitous conversation with Joanna more than 4 years ago that inspired me to undertake four days of cooking every January (perogies made last Thursday, cabbage rolls yesterday, kolachi today and the rest tomorrow). I'm grateful for the chance to have made all these yummy dishes with my Baba over the past few years, by my side, instructing me (and making me slightly giggily paranoid about Auntie Mary's thoughts on my cabbage rolls' lack of uniformity, on the imperfection of my kolachi, and perhaps even the doughiness of my perogies. ). I'm grateful for the sense of history and tradition I feel and am passing on to my kids (even though right now they pretty much associate Ukrainian Christmas Eve as the night we eat dinner at one huge table in the living room).
So tomorrow I will rearrange the furniture in my house, iron my Baba Chick's handmade Ukrainian linens, pull out all the old china, extra utensils, receive family and friends, fret over the heat and tastiness of dinner, wonder how I will get the red wine stains and beet stains out of my Mom's white tablecloth once again, and I will LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT. I can't wait!
congratulations on keeping tradition alive! These are memories, not only will you cherish, but your children will cherish and hopefully relive as you are. I will think of you sitting in the living room relishing in the love from family and friends. Enjoy my friend, enjoy!
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ReplyDeletecongratulations on keeping tradition alive in your family. Not only will these be great memories for you, but also for your children (you will have to tell me again the conversation you had with Jonah 4 years ago). I will think of you sitting with friends and family as you celebrate Ukranian Christmas Eve in your living room.
Enjoy my friend, enjoy!
Ah, its because I have it so I moderate the comments before they are posted. I dont' know why I chose it that way... ?
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