My holiday traditions have changed greatly since I moved away from my family and married. For many years, I was content to do Christmas as my husband’s family did: visiting his grandfather on the farm on Christmas Eve, doing the Christmas day thing with my husband’s parents, and then Christmas dinner at whoever’s turn it was to host Christmas dinner since most of his family lives in one town nearby.
But then, my husband’s father and grandfather passed.
We’ve been trying to fill the empty places they left behind. Last Christmas, we invited my mother in law to our place. We opened presents as my family used to do, in the magical dark of Christmas Eve, in front of the fireplace. We shared hot chocolate, and then ate Chinese take-out for dinner. It may be a strange tradition, but it’s my tradition, and nobody here wants to eat heavily the night before the big turkey dinner!
Take-out was expedient last year, but this year, I’m pre-prepared. I’ve got these savoury bites of deliciousness called pot stickers nicely nestled in the freezer.