There is something comforting about following long-established traditions which for me bring a sense of continuity to an otherwise hectic world. Christmas rituals especially seem to capture a certain kind of magic that reminds us of the strength and importance of family bonds. My own family’s holiday traditions continued to remain relatively unchanged for years – even after returning to the U.S. from three years living in the U.K.
But as change enters our lives, traditions can also morph to accommodate it. Sometimes it’s a move, sometimes a job change, a new family member, a death, a divorce. Each holiday begins to have a different look and feel to it. Some changes are gradual like children growing from dependent babies to independent young adults. As my own children entered their teenage years, Robby (now Rob) and Candace no longer greeted us at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning wide-eyed and excited to see what Santa Claus had brought them. Instead, it was me dragging them out of bed – both blurry-eyed, and tired from staying up too late on Christmas Eve. Amidst their yawns and protests claiming it was “way too early”, Christmas morning and all that it promised still meant a lot to them.
It did make me a little sad giving up some of the sweet holiday rituals associated with childhood – like setting out a plate of cookies for Santa and some carrots for his reindeer. But the rhythm of our holiday festivities was not drastically altered by their absence. Other rituals took their place. And there would be a time when all those traditions would be passed along to a new generation and I, once again, would be able to experience those sweet innocent rituals with my grandchildren.
Our social calendar was also busy – filled to the brim with both adult activities and holiday events for our teenage children. Christmas is an ideal time to entertain. Cocktail parties, Christmas cookie-making sessions, teas, elegant dinners or even caroling parties were all enhanced by the warm decor of the season: stylish wreaths, handsome garland swags and beautifully trimmed Christmas trees put everyone into a festive and celebratory mood. Though the ornament-making party I held when my children were little was a thing of the past, I replaced it by a variety of holiday parties; my favorite being a Christmas Tea Party. On these occasions I would have friends, neighbors and some of my managers over to our house where I would lay out everything from platters of little tea sandwiches, beautiful pastries, mini fruit tartlets and bowls of nuts and candies on a lace clad buffet table surrounded by jolly Santa’s. These afternoon events always made for a festive holiday get together without the pressure of serving a formal dinner. The Santa collection that decorated our house this time of year was a tribute to my father who to me, was the quintessential Santa Claus. It added charm and warmth to my home during the Christmas season and reminded me of my Dad. Once it became known that I had a soft spot for Santas, the collection grew quickly. It seemed like almost every family member and friend I had gave me their own personal “Santa gift” at one time or another: ornaments, stuffed Santa dolls, Santa’s in sleighs, in boats, on sleds or bikes, with Mrs. Santa Claus or with his reindeer. Made out of wood, metal, fabric, glass, wire, even shells, during the season they were on display in every room throughout my house. I found it difficult to pass by a store window that featured Santa’s without going in and purchasing one. Eventually I had so many Santa’s I could have opened my own Christmas store!
Another memorable holiday affair I hosted was a Sunday Christmas brunch. It was a large gathering with tables set up all over our house – dining room, living room and porch – each table festively decorated with centerpieces of pinecones, greens, and bright red flowers. I even hired a few tuxedoed waiters to welcome guests as they arrived with a glass of sparkling Italian Prosecco.
My menu had an Italian focus – frittatas, Italian sausage, blood orange and fennel salad and lots of different breads – slices of panettone, focaccias, and little wedges of potato-rosemary pizzas. The most fun and inspired part of the brunch came with the entertainment. A group of actors arrived mid-brunch all decked out in Shakespearean costumes and serenaded us with a selection of Christmas carols and dramatic readings from both Dickens and Shakespeare. It was quite an affair.
Shakespearean carolers
Over the years, we also welcomed many out-of-town guests for the holidays. In addition to our parents – who came to stay for several days each year – we often entertained other family and friends requiring me to add “hotel duties” to my list of responsibilities. To accommodate our guests, we always had extra leaves standing by to extend the dining room table. And though the people filling those chairs changed from year to year, they inevitably made those Christmases just a little more special. One Christmas it was my sister Joan with her two boys, Gardner and Doug who came from Wichita, Kansas seeking the warmth of family to lessen the emotional stress of her impending divorce. Another year it was my brother-in-law Tom, his wife Monica and their two children who decided to “come west” from their home in Boston to celebrate with us in Glencoe. Soon after, my younger sister Karen and her husband Jeff joined us for an early holiday dinner of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding before they returned to their home in Connecticut.
Tom Barocci with my son Rob and Candace in background
Jeff and Karen with me and Candace lurking behind them
Doug May, Thelma and Robby
Changes in our guest list or changes in the number of people at our table didn’t alter our holiday schedule much. I just bought extra groceries and washed sheets and towels more frequently. However, one change that did alter the flow of my holiday schedule was opening an Italian wine and food market a year after my return from England. Retail Christmas is an extremely busy time of year so in order that my own personal Christmas activities could continue as they had in years past, I needed to be hyper-organized. I didn’t want to give up my family Christmas, my entertaining, my children’s activities – anything – so planning my time wisely became very important.
I was especially excited when my Italian partner, Paolo Volpara, his wife, his son, and his mother (Wanda Bottino – my other partner and mentor in authentic Italian cooking), came the year after we opened Convito to experience a traditional American Christmas. I had learned so much about traditions and regional cooking from Paolo and Wanda that I was happy to have the opportunity to introduce them to some American cooking and our American holiday traditions. In addition to just relaxing around my home, we also visited downtown Chicago – a drive down beautifully lit Michigan Avenue checking out the annual wreathing of the lions in front of the Art Institute and making a stop to view Marshall Field’s amazing Christmas-themed windows ending with lunch in Field’s Walnut Room sitting under its famous towering Christmas Tree.
Paolo receiving a gift of a roll of brown paper on Christmas morning
Wanda on Christmas morning (while I micro-nap)
But food was what they were all most interested in. Roast turkey remained the star of my Christmas dinner accompanied by stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy. The relishes and side dishes I chose to accompany the turkey varied from year to year. A bonus of now being the proprietor of a food market (and eventually a cafe) meant that I was constantly experimenting with new recipes. The year that Paolo and his family came for Christmas I introduced a succulent gratin of layered butternut squash, leeks, tomato, and Gruyere onto our Christmas Day menu. As I was making the dish, Wanda (who found it impossible to stay out of the kitchen – even though I kept telling her to relax), suggested adding Parmesan as an “Italian finishing touch” ingredient sprinkled on top of the dish. Everyone loved it. We currently make it in our market and serve it in squares like lasagna. It also makes for a delicious vegetarian option for the holidays – or actually anytime of the year squash is in season.
© rob warner photography 2021
Butternut Squash Gratin
(serves 6-8 as a side dish)Ingredients
3 pounds butternut squash
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon finely found pepper
3 medium leeks, cut into thin slices
1 small onion, chopped
3 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded & chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 425 degrees
Peel squash cut into ½ inch rounds, place in a single layer on a baking sheet greased with oil and bake in a 400-degree oven for approximately 15 minutes
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet and add the leeks and onions with ¼ teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Sauté over medium heat until soft and beginning to caramelize. Set aside
Heat remaining oil in the same skillet used to sauté the leeks. Add tomatoes, thyme and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often for approximately 10 to 15 minutes until soft and thickened.
In a medium-sized oiled baking or gratin dish, lay down ½ of the squash slices. Spread one half of the leeks-onion mixture on top of squash, then ½ of the tomato mixture. Sprinkle ½ of the grated Gruyere on top. Repeat with another layer of each ending with the tomato mixture then the Gruyere. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan Cheese.
Bake uncovered in the oven for approximately 30 minutes until cheese is lightly browned.
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Our most frequent Christmas guests were Mr. and Mrs. Erickson, close friends of my parents for as long as I can remember. The four of them shared a back fence, in a quiet section of Janesville, Wisconsin. Hopping over the fence at a moment’s notice had provided them with a comfortable and easy access to one another’s lives. As my parent’s health began to decline, the Erickson’s became their caretakers – a role they performed with great kindness and respect. They were ten years younger than my parents, so they were spry enough to still do much of what had become increasingly difficult for both my mom and dad. Ruth and Gene (as I began to call them) happily drove the two hours plus to our home to join our holiday celebrations – a happy bonus for all of us.
Mom, Dad, the Ericksons with Bob and I and Rob (home from college)
My Mom Thelma with Candace & Rob and Ruth & Gene Erickson
Whenever Gene Erickson was our guest, he took charge of the turkey, a task he thoroughly enjoyed and one I was happy to relinquish. Roasting a turkey was never high on my list of favorite chef duties. Often it emerged from the oven either overcooked or undercooked. Gene loved the whole process. Each year as he thoroughly and lovingly rinsed and patted dry every cavity of the bird, he would also give a detailed account of the numerous health hazards of raw poultry. Because of his attention to detail, I was always certain that no one had a cleaner or more sanitary turkey than the one Gene Erickson prepared. And it always turned out perfect – the right temperature and doneness.
During their visits we always made time for a dinner or lunch at Convito. Gene, like my father, loved food. Gene also loved wine and thoroughly enjoyed perusing our shelves, reading the wine descriptions and later pontificating about many of the details he had learned about regional Italian wine. Both were educators and loved the whole learning process. Gene had been the high school music teacher in charge of the orchestra in Janesville when my father was principal of the junior high. They had much in common.
Although proud, I think my father was a little surprised at my accomplishments. How did his daughter who had graduated with a history major from the University of Wisconsin, then taught Language Arts and Social Studies for four years end up in the restaurant business? Actually, he was no more surprised than I was. In his generation, that was simply not a preferred career for a woman. The most popular career choice for a woman was housewife and mother – maybe nurse, secretary, or teacher. However, with three daughters – me in this business, my younger sister an accomplished artist with a string of awards and my older sister with a very successful political career serving 8 years on the Wichita City council and even running for mayor, he must have somehow inspired us to move beyond the home – to expand the sacred duties of wife and mother and enter another world. He never, however, pushed us toward careers. Nor had he ever told us no. Maybe it was just his example of being who he was – an intelligent, informed, fair, supportive man who respected everyone and was in turn, respected by everyone who knew him. He, to me, was a shining example of a success as a human being.
Mom & dad at the opening of Convito
The Ericksons continued to be a part of our holidays even after my father died. We, of course, always missed my father terribly. Feelings of loss and grief can be particularly strong around the holidays. The first Christmas after his passing was especially sad. There was never any question, however, that we should continue to celebrate in the same manner we had celebrated every year. He would have wanted it that way. He had always been my inspiration during the holiday season, and I still felt his spirit – his total and unabashed love of Christmas and all it represented – especially the food. His spirit helped to carry us through the season, as it would for me every Christmas for years to come.
Opening another Convito in Chicago added to my already busy schedule. It also exposed the business to a much bigger clientele base and gave Convito incredible new press coverage. Sometimes the press asked for new recipes. Restaurants and Institutions, an insider restaurant publication, asked me for a Christmas recipe to be a holiday feature in their magazine. I chose a salad. I wanted it to be both delicious and “Christmas beautiful” at the same time. My artist sister, Karen was living with her husband in Chicago at that time so I talked with her about my ideas for developing a salad that would also look great in a magazine. The recipe we came up with appeared in the November 1986 issue. Of course, I thought it needed an Italian name since it was coming from Convito. However, it is truly more American than anything else. One of Karen’s contributions was to add several slices of carambola also known as star fruit – the final Christmas touch. I continue to resurrect it each year usually as a special in the cafe during the holiday season.
© rob warner photography 2021
“The Christmas salad was created by Chicago’s Convito Italiano proprietor Nancy Barocci and consultant Karen Butler to give Convito customers a taste of the holidays, Italian style.”
Insalata di Natale
(6 servings)•Mixed greens, (Bib, Boston, leaf, romaine lettuces) washed & dried – as needed
•Watercress or arugula – as needed
•Cranberry Vinaigrette – recipe follows
•Pomegranate seeds from 1 pomegranate
•Star Fruit, slicedTear greens into bite-size pieces, removing coarser stems from watercress. Place in large bowl, toss with Cranberry vinaigrette. Divide among 6 chilled salad plates. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on each and garnish with 3 star-fruit slices.
Cranberry Vinaigrette
(approximately 2/3 cup)•1/3 cup olive oil
•2 tablespoons Cranberry-apple concentrate
•2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
•2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
•Salt & freshly ground pepper to tasteMethod: Mix ingredients together
*this salad continues to be a feature on our Christmas holiday restaurant specials. We sometimes add a slice of warmed brie.
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My Italian market and restaurant continued to thrive, but my marriage on the other hand, would not. I knew that divorce would be a highly stressful, life-changing event, but when my then-husband and I separated one of the first things I worried about was how I would celebrate the holiday season. Knowing that my way of celebrating would have to change (who would be with me and where ?!) I was terrified of losing the things that had grounded me my entire life. But I reminded myself that change had always been my friend. My belief in keeping certain traditions the same while always incorporating new ideas, experiences and perspectives allowed me to convince myself that my world would actually not fall apart. It would simply look different. Christmas magic, I promised myself, could be found in many different ways, in many different places. And I was determined to find it!
During my first year of being separated (it took forever to get a divorce) I decided that I would embrace this next period in my life. I began with changing my Christmas dinner menu. Goose instead of turkey seemed like a good place to begin. Its tasty dark meat was delicious and produced a wonderful rich gravy that I served over crispy golden potatoes roasted in the goose fat. I also made a casserole of braised red cabbage – fabulous with goose. I felt very “Dickensian” since roast goose was the Christmas meal served by the poor Cratchit family in Dicken’s novel, A Christmas Carol.
Candace and Rob Warner pre-goose Christmas dinner
I never, however, cooked goose again! Although delicious, I couldn’t believe the amount of fat it produced. My kitchen was filled with smoke and the amount of actual meat on the goose was miniscule. I returned to cooking turkey the next Christmas, but the process of making something different in this transitional year was a transformative moment to me. Eventually my Christmas meals evolved away from the traditional turkey menu to completely different cuisines. But along the way, we experimented with different ways to cook the turkey. For two years we had the butcher spatchcock it. Spatchcocking is basically splitting the bird to increase its surface area allowing it to cook more evenly, and in less time. This process is also known as butterflying. The disadvantage is that you can no longer dramatically enter the room with the beautiful big roasted turkey on a platter and place it in front of the man (or woman) of the house to carve. Since we never did that anyway (we always did our carving in the kitchen before bringing a platter full of sliced turkey to the table), spatchcocking seemed a great solution for us. It also solved the problem of all the other dishes getting cold while the carver slowly and dramatically sliced the turkey.
Spatchcocked Turkey (modest version)
The next year was even more transformative. Christmas in Connecticut with my sister Karen and brother-in-law Jeff accompanied by my two grown children was my very first one away from my home. Connecticut could not have been a better “transition Christmas”. Falling snow, quaint holiday Inns, sleigh rides and good old Christmas warmth were something I already associated with Connecticut through my love of the 1945 film Christmas in Connecticut. And my sister’s Christmas traditions were as warm and wonderful as my own. After all we grew up in the same household.
Karen & I
We had a wonderful time, so wonderful that we repeated it the following year with the whole extended Brussat family; the three sisters and their families together for the first time in a very long time. Amazingly, all of our grown children (we each had two) brought either their spouses or fiancés or girlfriends/boyfriends. The only grandchild at that time was Tessa, Elizabeth’s daughter, Karen and Jeff’s grandchild. Everyone was in love with Tessa so there was much competition for her attention. We began our festivities on Christmas Eve at my sister Karen’s art studio with not only a delicious meal but all kinds of artistic touches including Christmassy place mats Karen made for each of us containing lovely family photos of the cousins in their growing up years.
Karen’s placemat
Three Brussat Sisters angry about Christmas
The Cousins, the matriarchs and Jerry
Beginning to feel confident that having a wonderful Christmas would come for me in ways that I had not yet envisioned, I ventured further afield for the next one. My two kids and I traveled to Seattle to spend it with my niece Elizabeth, her partner Chris and daughter Tessa. Karen and Jeff joined us. After a brief stay in Seattle – enjoying a little Christmas shopping at Seattle’s Pike Place Market, one of my favorite outdoor markets in all of America – we boarded festively decorated boats to view the spectacular sights along the shoreline of Seattle. Houseboats covered in twinkling Christmas light, piers strung with garland and ribbons and even bonfires and fireworks on the beach made for an unexpectedly magical experience.
Elizabeth, Chris and I in Seattle
The next day we took a ferry to Victoria, the capital of British Columbia which sits on a craggy end of Vancouver Island. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day there. As we walked through the beautifully lit old town, strolled through the dazzling Inner Harbor, and shopped along its cobblestone streets, it became clear that we had selected the perfect city for a magical Christmas. Especially memorable was afternoon tea at the storied Empress Hotel, a tradition that began when the hotel opened in 1908.
Jeff’s tree in Victoria
Chris & Karen in kitchen
Chris, Rob, Karen, Nancy, Candace and Tessa in Seattle
Christmas Eve in Victoria was celebrated in our hotel with a charcuterie and antipasti dinner followed by one of Karen’s famous art projects. We all made paper angel Christmas tree ornaments that we then hung on the balsam fir tree that Jeff bought and installed in our shared living space. Later we played my favorite game, Balderdash, which features silly definitions about people, words, and a whole variety of subjects. It catapulted us all into contagious fits of laughter that at times seemed like they would never end. We not only laughed at the silly definitions but also at Jeff, whose booming almost uncontrollable laugh – actually making him double over with tears running down his face – is an image that to this day gives me a warm feeling remembering certainly the funniest Christmas Eve I have ever experienced.
Christmas dinner at the Swans hotel
The next many Christmases I spent at home. But home kept changing. I moved from Glencoe into the city of Chicago – first to a townhouse in Old Town and then to a condo on Lake Shore Drive. I lived in the city for about 12 years before once again moving back up north to Northfield, a suburb closer to Convito. Location changes were not the only things that brought variety to my Christmas. The cast of characters changed also – first a new son-in-law, then a new daughter-in-law and then four blessed grandchildren bringing with them once again, the true innocence and magic of holidays. The rituals once so important to my children when they were small were happily resurrected.
Me with Kingston, Isis, Neko and Kianna
Of course, with family marriages comes sharing the holidays with the spouse’s family. For the most part I was lucky to have my children and their families on Christmas Day since their spouse’s families celebrated on Christmas Eve. Eventually as my son’s family spent Christmas Day in Brooklyn, our family’s Christmas Day changed to an entirely different one – usually the day after Christmas. But it really made no difference at all. As the years went by, I began to realize that the key to celebrating a Merry Christmas was simply celebrating with family no matter when or where.
Convito continued to take up much of my holiday time and I was constantly experimenting with new holiday dishes for our market. Each season my goal was to come up with another recipe to add to our holiday selection. One dish I invented, which contained all the warm and cozy ingredients perfect for a whole variety of holiday-type main dishes from turkey to duck to pork, was a dish we called “My Fair Farro”. It is also an easy dish to make ahead and just warm when ready to eat – always an important factor for holiday fare when so many dishes are last minute. Its main ingredient was farro, an ancient grain that has a nutty earthiness and a very satisfying chew. It originated in the Fertile Crescent where it had actually been found in the tombs of Egyptian kings. So not only is farro delicious but it comes with an interesting history – always good for family conversation around the table.
My Fair Farro
¼ cup olive oil
2 cups fennel chopped
2 cups onion chopped
5 cloves garlic
salt & pepper
4 cups chicken stock
1 pound sweet potatoes cut into ½ inch pieces
½ cup cider vinegar
2 granny smith apples cut into ½ inch pieces
1 cup sun-dried cherries
½ cup parsleyHeat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the fennel, onion, garlic and salt. Cook over medium heat until fennel soft. Add stock and farro, bring to a boil – simmer until tender about 20 to 25 minutes.
Roast sweet potatoes on a baking sheet with olive oil, salt and pepper, cider vinegar for about 15 minutes. Add apples and roast longer until sweet potatoes and apples are soft. Toss farro with cherries, parsley, sweet potatoes and apples.
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At one time in the nineties, I had four operating restaurants: Convito had three locations, as well as my French Bistro Betise. For the fourteen years Betise was open, our Christmas Eve Candlelight Dinner was the most popular night of the season which increased every year. It featured our regular menu plus a whole array of Christmas specials like Venison in a Pomegranate Sauce, Tortellini in Brodo (cheese stuffed pasta in a rich chicken broth) and our Christmas Salad (the one my sister and I had designed with star fruit and a cranberry vinaigrette). I spent several Christmas Eves in the festive atmosphere of our warm candlelit dining room with my dear friends Janet and Paul Alms. Janet and I would dress to the nines in our finest holiday velvet and pearls and Paul would always arrive looking suave and handsome in his tailored tuxedo. When we eventually combined Betise and Convito, we continued our Candlelight Dinner which to this day is one of our busiest nights of the year.
Janet & Paul
Beautifully wrapped, multi-colored panettones (a sweet bread originally from Milan, speckled with raisins and candied citrus) always added color to the Christmas decor of Convito. When we first began selling panettone, it was only the classic version that was available for import and only from a few select producers. As they grew in popularity in the U.S., panettones began to come in a multitude of flavors, from a multitude of producers– cappuccino, apple, amareno cherry, pistachio and chocolate in a number of different combinations – orange, pear, fig – and many many more. Today our selection is incredible – in my opinion, the best and most in-depth I have ever seen.
Pannetones
Even the type of cuisine I served on “our Christmas Day changed. Since Rob’s family had their turkey day on Christmas in Brooklyn and my daughter had hers with her in-laws in Chicago on Christmas Eve, I began experimenting with different themes and different cuisines. They didn’t need a second turkey dinner. One year I cooked all French fare in anticipation of our impending trip to France the following summer. Italian and American cuisine were often my choice, and I even cooked a Middle Eastern meal one year
No matter what cuisine I am serving, there are certain traditions that have remained constant. We begin our celebration in mid- afternoon with a glass of wine or Bloody Marys and soda for the kids, then leisurely open our presents around a coffee table filled with appetizers that fit with the dinner’s theme. Of course, there’s a fashion show after the present opening ceremony to see what clothing gifts fit and which ones don’t. My daughter-in-law, Angie and Candace usually lead the procession followed by the girls Neko, Kianna and Isis. We even make the guys – son Rob and son-in-law “the other Rob” and grandson Kingston follow their lead. We always marvel at the choices that seem perfect “fits” but as with clothes that you have never tried on before, there are always “misses” some of which can be quite laughable. Like “oops – it’s too big, too small or simply what was I thinking?”
While everyone is cleaning up the mess and enjoying one another’s company, I slip into the kitchen to get our meal ready – joined a little later by the adult children to either finish setting the table, light the candles, pour the water & wine, or just help me with the final cooking. My son Rob usually acts as my sous chef sometimes assisted by “the other Rob” who is also a great cook.
Rob, Candace and Angie in kitchen
The centerpiece of my holiday season remains cooking. It has been a constant outlet for my creativity over the years. And I frequently discover a dish or two that I can add to my Convito repertoire. One of the dishes from the Middle Eastern meal I served is a dish we now sell in our market. Because its colors are so autumn-like and so festive, we have named in Festi-Fall. It is a perfect holiday dish served as a relish – an exotic alternative to cranberry sauce.
Festi-Fall
Salad
8 cups butternut squash diced into ½ inch cubes then roasted (should be al dente)
3 cups pomegranate seeds
2 cups peanuts
2 tablespoons finely minced shallots
½ cup minced parsleyDressing
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
½ teaspoon chili pepper flakes
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons salt and pepper combo
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However, of late, the look of my holiday table has become another creative outlet. Ever since one of my grandchildren (Neko) made the comment “I wonder what Grammy’s table will look like this year”, I have been inspired to live up to those expectations and come up with something different each year. My themes have varied from forest animals, angels, mini fir trees amidst mini cottages (a collection from my time in England) and of course, my ever-present Santas.
When I look back at how much I worried about the way in which I would celebrate the holiday season after my husband and I separated, I have to smile. Up until then my holiday traditions had been fairly predictable. Though altered by small things, they pretty much followed a pattern. But having successfully navigated my first holiday as a single woman, today I look back and marvel at all the wonderful Christmas adventures I have experienced. Change might initially be intimidating and scary, but in the end, it almost always proves to be exciting and invigorating.
Embracing new traditions and 90s fashion with my kids
However, there was always – and continues to be – one unchanged factor. No matter where I celebrated, no matter who was added to the cast of characters, no matter when the actual day of our celebration occurred, my son Rob and my daughter Candace were always a part of that celebration. And then when Candace’s husband Rob and Rob’s wife Angie joined the family it only added to the magic of the season, which was then multiplied exponentially with the addition of my four grandchildren – Kingston and Kianna to Candace’s family and Neko and Isis to Rob’s.
And though I dearly love all the trimmings of the holiday season – the smell of freshly baked cookies, the nostalgic Christmas music, the twinkling lights – it is the time spent with family that makes this such an intimate and special end to the year. It is a time for honoring tradition, creating memories, and celebrating each other that continues to make it my very favorite time of year!
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