What was on the menu? The food my mouth waters over for the rest of the year: stuffed cabbages, stuffed fish, mushroom gravy, braided bread, fruit compote, kutia- a sweet, grainy favorite, to remind of our ancestors-, sauerkraut with yellow peas, deep red borscht with sour cream and the pierogi we spend hours making by hand- rolling out dough to be the thickness of a pillowcase, and carefully stuffing each little dumpling with onion and potato.
By the end of the meal I sit back in my chair, hoping for my stomach to expand so I can actually finish my plate. There's no way. Its all so good and I want to keep savoring, but the food is so rich and my belly so warm. I manage to have a sliver of honey cake- the middle piece that is especially moist and sunken- and even though it'll take days to feel hungry again, it is totally worth it.
After dinner and some digestion, talking and more wine, it is time for blessings. My parents give each child one gift, with a written blessing that is read aloud to the entire party. My cousin's son, just a few weeks old, received his first blessing this year and we certainly remembered his ancestors. The grandfathers that would want this little baby to be strong and hardworking, thoughtful and faithful. Jake and I received a special blessing for our first married Christmas: "No matter how much love you have, hard times come. They often surprise us. We imagine love and faithfulness securing us in peace, and it often does, but life has a way of throwing curve balls that we can't anticipate. We may be left shaken, unsure of what went wrong...it is not about today's disappointment, but about hope for tomorrow. It is not about being perfect, but about being perfectly suited for each other. It is not about always being happy, but rather about knowing a deep contentment in knowing someone is going to stay faithful, no matter what...We pray that the reminder you receive with this blessing often brings you back to that day when your love and lives were celebrated by those who love you"
I'm always sad to have it all done. The glasses empty and the punch ring melted. The sound of the dishwasher and babies crying over getting on their pajamas. Yet, the words of the blessings still hang in the air, and linger for a while. They flutter about our minds and land when we need them as a reminder.
When I think of Ukrainian Christmas I first smell and taste and see the food in my mind's eye. Then, the true value comes to the fore- every moment is a blessing, and the blessings themselves draw attention to the deep worth of the entire evening. From pinching pierogi in the kitchen, to sitting together around long tables, the evening is full of savored moments. We are rich with family.
[photo credit: here]
my family is Greek and always celebrated "little Christmas" when I was a kid. But since my grandmother has gotten older, we don't any more. your post made me well up. keep the family tradition alive!
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