Christmases Past

During the holidays, don't we always reminisce about old times, old traditions, Christmases past? My kids always bring up traditions that we had when they were younger, and traditions that we still keep. That's what Christmas is all about, family and the traditions that we keep together. That's probably what has been the hardest part of living through this pandemic and quarantine, besides the loved ones that many of us have lost. Growing up, our Christmas tradition was always going to Midnight Mass, kind of bumbed that they don't really hold that late mass anymore, and then we'd come home and open up gifts. I think that was probably the only thing that kept us awake during mass, the anticipation of getting home and opening up Christmas gifts. Also a huge incentive to behave during mass as well. lol. 

Over the holidays, my Mom started reminiscing of old times, (she's been doing this more and more since my Dad passed away), and what Christmases were like for our family when they were all young, newly married, and just starting their lives together. 

My father, some of his brothers, and brothers in law, all worked for General Motors, the car company, and during that time, the plant would close for the holidays, if you can believe that.  She said, that the plant would close for a week during the holiday season, and it had become tradition to stop everything and plan Christmas together. My Aunt, Maria, the matriarch of the family, had the biggest home when compared to everyone else, and could accommodate our growing family much easier. So, everyone always spent Christmas at her house. They would pool together the money they needed and they would buy a roast pig, a leitao, with all the fixings and just spend all week together, eating, drinking (my uncle Jack made the wine in his cellar), celebrating, laughing, and playing cards. Also reminiscing, I'm sure, of times past, how far they had all come and how grateful they were, just to be together.  

Large families always include a support system like no other. When I look back now and remember what I can about what it was like to grow up in a large family, I remember that support system. It wasn't always apparent but it was there, it was felt. 

I often think about the lives that they all led and how difficult it must've been to move to a foreign country, start a new life, start a family, and just survive. But, at the same time, I know how lucky and fortunate they all were that they were able to immigrate together and settle within blocks of each other. They had each other, and I'm sure, because of that fact, the rough times weren't always so bad. They had each other to lean on during the great times, and also during the not so great.