Holidays Again -- Amazing -- Part Two

PLEASE READ PART ONE (BELOW) FIRST
And then there were the Anderson Christmases, not always right on the Eve or the day, because there was a fairly large family to get together -- a logistical challenge. I don't think we ate a full meal at Grandma and Grandpa's, but whatever it was, it was Swedish. Everything about family Christmas was Swedish. Even the Lutheran church service was Swedish in my early years.

Christmas morning, however, was definitely American. Presents galore, or at least it seemed so to me, and opened one at a time, with full appreciation and thank yous to the donors. Then Hallie came over to see what I had received before I went through our adjoining back yards to see hers.

Later, as grandparents and first-born uncles aged and died, and as siblings married and had children, Christmases were celebrated in my home, my mother carrying on the smorgasbord tradition.

And I dated. Once I didn't make it home in time to help my father with the Christmas tree. I still suffer guilt.

Married in 1955, I carried on the smorgasbord tradition in my home, though not always so genuinely Swedish and not always right on the Eve or day. Oh, I did that the first couple of years -- Gustafsons on Christmas Eve and Affinitos on Christmas day, but it wasn't long before my family agreed to come a week or so before the 25th. And the Affinito celebrations were as close to Italian as I could make them.

Christmas Eve usually involved my going to my church -- Lutheran -- to sing in the choir, while Doug and Lisa went with their Dad to Catholic Mass. It was usually a long mass. I guess the Priest really wanted to take advantage of the size of the Christmas crowd. For me, it meant lots of time to wrap stocking stuffers before they got home.And our children had a very American Christmas morning, after we had paid a tradition visit to Mrs. Mirto. (I brought along one present for each of our children to open while we were there.)

My children learned about Santa Claus the same way I had -- my brother as Santa. But they loved Harvey as much as I, so it was OK that he was Santa. Well, I guess to be honest I should say that they suspected something was up even before Harvey's appearance confirmed it.

And so Christmas traditions change. Later tonight, if all goes as planned, Doug (my son, Lisa's brother) and KJ (Lisa's daughter -- senior at St. Olaf) will arrive in Williamsburg, VA to pick up on our new traditions. Doug and Lisa's children -- no longer children -- will make gingerbread cookies. On Christmas Eve Doug will make two different kinds of soup, and on Christmas day we'll have steak and chicken, and still an American slow exchange of gifts, though many fewer this year. Everyone feels the pinch.

And I'll bore everyone by saying, "I can't believe I've made it to another healthy Christmas. How blessed I am!"

And how spoiled I am. I do so wish everyone could enjoy their version of holiday celebration in peace instead of hunger and fear. I do so hope that we are edging closer to the day.