31 Days To Write The Story Of Your Family - Day 8: Customs and Traditions

Day 8: Customs and Traditions

In my last post, I talked a little bit about my family's tradition of passing around Oplatki at our Christmas Eve dinner.  This gathering at Christmas Eve is one of my family's favorite yearly traditions.  All of my aunts, uncles, and cousins get together the evening before Christmas to share a meal and exchange gifts.  This all used to take place at my grandparents' home, but after both of my grandparents passed away, my aunt usually has had it at her house.  We eat two kinds of Kielbasa, which is a traditional Polish sausage, and pierogi, which are sort of like dumplings that are filled with cheese, potato, and sauerkraut. 

Smoked Kielbasa (red) and Fresh Kielbasa (brown)

Pierogi

One of my aunts, who is an *amazing* baker also makes a tray full of after-dinner goodies.  The pastries in the center with the powdered sugar are called kolachki and they are just bascially a flaky baked dough filled with any sort of berry or apricot filling.  They are so yummy!  Years ago, my Polish grandmother also used to make (from scratch) a traditional Polish pastry called kruschiki.  My aunt usually buys some from the local ethnic bakery and sets it out after dinner. 

Goodie Tray with Kolachki in center

My son gobbling up kruschiki

As far as traditions and customs in my own immediate family, most of them are centered around seasons and holidays, and a lot of it is what my parents did with me and my siblings when we were little.  Just before Easter, we dye Easter eggs.  The 'Easter Bunny' leaves eggs on the lawn and the kids go egg hunting Easter morning before we go to Mass.  We go to a pumpkin patch in the autumn and choose pumpkins which we then carve for Halloween.  The kids dress up and go trick-or-treating around the neighborhood.  A couple of years ago, we started the Elf on a Shelf during those few weeks before Christmas.  When our kids get a little older, my husband and I would like to start a family tradition of all of us volunteering at a local food pantry or soup kitchen during the holidays.

My daughter dyeing Easter eggs