As October comes to an end and November begins, the holiday season officially starts. As the semester becomes progressively more challenging, the only thing I look forward to is flying home for the holidays. The holiday season, for me, means tons of good food and spending time with my family.
My extended family and I have been very close since I was young. We celebrate Thanksgiving at my house every year. In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, my mom slaves away in the kitchen, preparing a spectacular Thanksgiving spread for everyone to enjoy. We typically have my mom’s side of the family over for Thanksgiving, and sometimes family friends join the festivities. What makes my Thanksgiving special is not the turkey dinner itself, but the meal before. My family consists of mostly Italian Americans. So during Thanksgiving, we have a dish of pasta and raviolis before we have our official turkey dinner. By the end of the night after eating four courses, I am in one of the biggest food coma of the year.
Growing up, I used to spend Christmas at my aunt’s house. Her house was decked out in the most ridiculous and wonderful holiday decorations anyone has ever seen. She truly made Christmas a special time for the whole family. When my aunt passed away in 2005, my immediate family and I drifted away from my aunt’s family. It was a weird time growing up because people who I once knew so well as a kid, were practically strangers.
Only a few years ago, my aunt’s daughter, Angie, started having a Christmas celebration at her house. Since then, we have gotten together on Christmas Eve and celebrated the Italian Seven Fish dinner (as you can tell, we love to eat). Since Angie started having Christmas at her house, I have grown much closer to my mom’s side of the family, and Christmas has, again, become my favorite holiday of the year. I look forward to seeing my cousins, making jokes, and sharing stories.
The holiday season is so special to me because it means I get to spend time with my family. I will always cherish the memories I make during the holidays and will try to keep my family’s traditions alive as time passes. My family means the world to me, and I don’t know what I would do without them.